Home / Arts and Entertainment / Flea Market Find Becomes $267,750 Art Masterpiece
Flea Market Find Becomes $267,750 Art Masterpiece
22 Sep
Summary
- A $15 necklace purchased at a Brooklyn flea market sold for $267,750 at Christie's.
- The piece was later identified as a circa 1940 silver wire and cord necklace by Alexander Calder.
- Calder's jewelry is recognized as wearable art, mirroring his sculptural style.
A woman from Philadelphia discovered a forgotten treasure, a necklace bought for just $15 at a Brooklyn flea market, which later sold for $267,750 at Christie's in September 2013. This unique piece, created by American artist Alexander Calder around 1940, was initially purchased for its aesthetic appeal and worn casually for years.
Its true value and origin came to light when experts identified it as a work by Calder, an artist celebrated for his mobiles and stabiles but also for his intricate jewelry. The silver wire and cord necklace was cataloged as "Untitled (Necklace)" and achieved the higher end of its $200,000 to $300,000 estimate at Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art sale.
Calder's jewelry, often crafted from wire and found objects, is considered a direct extension of his sculptural practice. These wearable art pieces feature the same sense of line, balance, and movement found in his larger works, responding dynamically to the wearer's motion.
The remarkable transformation of this necklace from a mere $15 accessory to a six-figure art market item underscores the significant value placed on authenticated works by major artists. It also highlights how knowledge and provenance can redefine an object's significance and market worth.
