20th-Century Alexander Calder Drawing
![](https://www-tc.pbs.org/prod-media/antiques-roadshow/__sized__/Images/Boise_20130629_02/201304T30/anro-001801-wa201304T30-hires-crop-c0-28__0-3-676x380.jpg)
GUEST:
Well, it's actually a picture of my grandfather. My grandmother knew Alexander Calder's sister. And the story is that it was drawn at a cocktail party one night.
APPRAISER:
About when would this have been drawn?
GUEST:
Well, it had to have been before 1965, because that's when he passed away.
APPRAISER:
I love this. Everyone knows who Calder is. We know him from his mobiles and stabiles. He did drawings, although they're not quite as common, and this drawing is done in just kind of a single line, very quick. Clearly signed "A. Calder." The provenance is iron clad, right from the artist to the family to you. Does this really capture the personality of the sitter?
GUEST:
It resembles my grandfather quite a lot, yes.
APPRAISER:
Any idea what something like this is worth today?
GUEST:
I do not have any idea.
APPRAISER:
Drawings like this do come up, quick sketches done, simply head... not even head and shoulders sometimes, and comparable drawings these days based on those prices, probably value this today at auction at $3,000 to $5,000.
GUEST:
Nice.
APPRAISER:
It's a nice piece, it's a very cool piece.
GUEST:
Thank you.
APPRAISER:
I feel like I know him through the drawing.
GUEST:
Yeah, he was a nice guy, so...
Appraisal Details
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