Alexander Calder - Jewelry Maker

As my interest in jewelry making and metal crafting grows, I am finding new artists that have excelled in this area. When I think of Alexander Calder (1898 – 1976), I think about his famous moving sculptures, mobiles. I have learned that Calder worked in many different art forms. He produced oil paintings, drawings, watercolors, gouache and serigraphy. There are permanent sculptures in many cities in the country created by Calder.

You don’t’ see or hear a lot about the jewelry made by Alexander Calder. I recently discovered that he created some of the most beautiful jewelry for specific individuals as gifts or tokens. Calder’s hand-crafted jewelry seems to be very simple in design yet there is something bold and magnificent about each piece. I love that he used the simple basic metals, brass and steel to create masterpieces.

Last month, a few of Calder’s sculptural jewelry pieces were presented for sale in an auction. There were two stunning brass necklaces. Each were estimated to sale for $200,000 to $300,000. Both of the necklaces sold for over $500,000 each. Included also was a brass ring, a steel wire and silver brooch and a brass wire belt buckle up for sale. All the pieces were exceptionally beautifully and well designed. These pieces also realized exceptional sales.

Alexander Calder I believe made a tremendous impact on the world of design. If you have an opportunity to view some of the Alexander Calder’s jewelry, I am sure will agree that this multi-talented artist should be listed among the top jewelry designers.

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