Sotheby’s is the world’s largest marketplace for art and luxury sales. Recently they have sold the first-ever auctioned Gorgosaurus for a whopping $6.1 million right here in New York.
Despite selling dinosaur fossils, fine art and even meteorites on a somewhat regular basis, this new show will be a first for Sotheby’s. This will be the marketplace’s first time dedicating an auction to the jewelry artist, Art as Jewelry as Art.
The collection will include various pieces of jewelry and accessories created by master jewelers and well known artists. The pieces will be focused on the era of 20th century art and beyond. Some featured artists will be Louise Nevelson, Alexander Calder, Claude Lalanne, George Braque, Lucio Fontana, Pol Bury, Kiki Smith, Salvador Dalí, Harry Bertoia, Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Jesús Rafael Soto and more.
A special piece that is highlighted in the unveiling of the auction is Calder’s “Lady Kenneth Clark Tiara,” which clocks in at an estimated $200 – 300,000. The tiara is made of brass and features spirals on a simple band that wraps around the head.
The ongoing theme of the auction that will tie all the pieces together is the relationship between the creator and the art. Sotheby’s will focus on how the artists delved into studying their fashion history for their jewelry designs and their process in creating it.
“This selection of artists’ jewelry aims to reintroduce these works to the discerning collector in a new context, and as a defined category of art for a collection that is not only intended for adornment, but also as a means of personal expression,” said Tiffany Dubin, artist jewelry specialist and Head of Sale, Art as Jewelry as Art. “These works were not made to be squirreled away in a drawer, vanity, or safe; they were meant to be celebrated on the body in a vibrant, interactive fashion. The way we define ourselves and the art we connect with are integral parts of who we are and is what ultimately defines us as creative beings. Those who forge their path as collectors will also embrace the vision that has guided me in bringing together these original and beautiful works that will only become more valued over time.”
There will be 9 sectors of the auction, as participants will explore jewelry as kineticism, abstract expressionism, sculpture, surrealism, avant-garde, maverick, minimalism, modernism and visionaries.
Art as Jewelry as Art will be open for online bidding from Sept. 14 to Oct. 4 with all the artworks being on display at Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries.
