Want to know what your Alexander Calder is worth? The answer depends on the exact artwork. A mobile, stabile, gouache, drawing and lithograph require different research and market comparisons. Send photographs and the information you have for a confidential gallery review.
Start With the Type of Calder You Own
Choose the type of Calder you own to explore the details that help identify and value it.
What Determines Alexander Calder Value?
We assess the specific work rather than applying an average price for the artist. Important factors include:
- Date, composition, medium, dimensions and historical context.
- Original materials, construction, completeness and any alterations or restoration.
- Provenance, exhibition history, publication records and available archive information.
- Relevant comparable sales, current availability and demand for similar works.
Size, a signature or a proof inscription alone does not determine value. The artwork must be identified and considered as a whole.
Condition and Provenance
For sculpture, tell us about repainting, corrosion, repairs, replacement components or changes to the structure. For paper works, disclose fading, foxing, staining, trimming, tears, mounting and restoration. Purchase invoices, earlier photographs, gallery labels and collection records help establish ownership history and explain changes over time.
Calder Foundation Documentation
Include any existing Foundation correspondence, registration or application information. An application number should not be treated by itself as proof of authenticity or a valuation. The Foundation does not issue certificates of authenticity or provide appraisals, and submitting an application does not guarantee registration. Our Calder research guide explains what to collect.
How We Use Comparable Sales
Useful comparisons consider similar medium, date, scale, condition and documentation, as well as when the sale occurred. Asking prices are not completed sales. Auction totals may include buyer’s premiums; a seller’s proceeds depend on commissions and agreed expenses. Compare the amount you would receive when weighing a sale.
Is an Insurance Value the Same as a Resale Value?
No. Insurance replacement values serve a different purpose from resale estimates or purchase offers. A gallery review for a potential sale is also different from a formal appraisal for insurance, tax or estate purposes.
What to Send for a Value Review
- Photographs of the complete artwork, signature, inscriptions, labels and condition concerns.
- Several angles for sculpture; front and reverse for paper works where safely accessible.
- Dimensions, title or date if known, and current location.
- Ownership history, purchase records and existing Foundation correspondence.
Photographs can begin the review. Additional documentation or an inspection may be needed before a purchase is agreed.
Discuss a Potential Direct Purchase
For works we are actively seeking, we may make a confidential direct purchase offer with no obligation to sell. Read how selling your Calder works, or return to our Calder selling guide.
Request a Confidential Calder Review
Use the form below to send photographs and artwork details. You do not need complete records to begin. You can also use our Calder contact page.