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Claes Oldenburg, Trowel

Claes Oldenburg

American · 1929–2022 · Painter, Printmaker

Claes Oldenburg was a Swedish-born American sculptor best known for his public art installations, typically featuring large replicas of everyday objects. Another theme in his… (Wikipedia)

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495lots offered1999–2026years recorded92%sold (445)$1.3kSign up free to seemedian price

3 works by Claes Oldenburg with an auction history (offered more than once) →

3 works by Claes Oldenburg coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

  1. Claes Oldenburg, 24 Open-Faced Sandwiches, 1964, burlap soaked in plaster, tempera, porcelain plates, glass and metal case24 Open-Faced SandwichesPhillips · $793,750≈ £627,619≈ €750,378Sign up to see
  2. Claes Oldenburg, "Ghost Wardrobe for M. M.", 1967-1983, Garderobe, Bügel, Schnüre, Schuhe (Metall, Nägel und Beton), Drähte"Ghost Wardrobe for M. M."Van Ham · €343,200≈ $380,472≈ £285,511Sign up to see
  3. Claes Oldenburg, Punching Bag, 1968, canvas stuffed with kapok, mounted on woodPunching BagPhillips · $200,000≈ £155,267≈ €178,843Sign up to see

Claes Oldenburg’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

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  1. Claes Oldenburg, Tilting Neon Cocktail, Sculpture
    Tilting Neon Cocktail
    Sculpture
    Palm Beach Modern Auctions · · Lot 155
    $3,456≈ £2,742≈ €3,320Price realizedSign up free to seeView at Palm Beach Modern Auctions ↗
  2. Claes Oldenburg, Profiterole (G. 1457, see A. & P. 216-217), 1989, Cast aluminium multiple hand-painted in colours
    Profiterole (G. 1457, see A. & P. 216-217), 1989
    Sculpture · ed. 6/75
    15 x 22 x 22 cm (5 7/8 x 8 5/8 x 8 5/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 110
    $3,810≈ £3,062≈ €3,674Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $6,000–9,000View at Phillips ↗
  3. Claes Oldenburg, Architect's Handkerchief, from Skulptur Projekte Münster, 1997, Screenprint in colors with collage, on wove paper, the full sheet
    Architect's Handkerchief, from Skulptur Projekte Münster, 1997
    Screenprint · Paper
    S. 31 1/4 x 23 1/2 in. (79.4 x 59.7 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 111
    $762≈ £612≈ €735Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $400–600View at Phillips ↗
  4. Claes Oldenburg, Knäckebröd (Crispbread) (P. 7), 1966, Cast iron multiple
    Knäckebröd (Crispbread) (P. 7), 1966
    Sculpture · ed. 62/250
    9.4 x 16.3 x 1.5 cm (3 3/4 x 6 3/8 x 5/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 100
    £1,397≈ $1,721≈ €1,654Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £1,000–1,500View at Phillips ↗
  5. Claes Oldenburg, Picasso Cufflink, from Hommage à Picasso (A. & P. 113), 1974, Lithograph in colours, on cream Arches Cover paper, with full margins
    Picasso Cufflink, from Hommage à Picasso (A. & P. 113), 1974
    Lithograph · Paper · ed. 33/90
    I. 72.5 x 61 cm (28 1/2 x 24 in.) S. 91.5 x 68.6 cm (36 x 27 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 101
    £635≈ $782≈ €752Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £1,000–1,500View at Phillips ↗
  6. Claes Oldenburg, System of Iconography - Plug, Mouse, Good Humor, Lipstick, Switches (A. & P. 75), 1971, Offset lithograph in colours, on Arches paper, with full margins
    System of Iconography - Plug, Mouse, Good Humor, Lipstick, Switches (A. & P. 75), 1971
    Lithograph · Paper · ed. 130/250
    I. 50.7 x 38.8 cm (19 7/8 x 15 1/4 in.) S. 71 x 59.1 cm (27 7/8 x 23 1/4 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 102
    £2,032≈ $2,503≈ €2,406Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £700–1,000View at Phillips ↗
  7. Claes Oldenburg, Typewriter Eraser, 1970, offset lithograph on Rives BFK paper
    Typewriter Eraser, 1970
    Lithograph · Paper
    28⅝ h x 19⅞ w in (73 x 50 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 161
    $2,520≈ £1,981≈ €2,401Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–View at Wright ↗
  8. Claes Oldenburg, Geometric Mouse, Scale D, 1971, mixed media
    Geometric Mouse, Scale D, 1971
    Mixed media
    19 h x 16½ w x ¼ d in (48 x 42 x 1 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 162
    $441≈ £347≈ €420Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $700–View at Wright ↗
  9. Claes Oldenburg, Sketch for a Sculpture in the Form of a Dress Collar and Tie, with Stud, 1994, lithograph in colors on Somerset
    Sketch for a Sculpture in the Form of a Dress Collar and Tie, with Stud, 1994
    Lithograph · Paper
    9¾ h x 6½ w in (25 x 17 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 163
    $441≈ £347≈ €420Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $600–View at Wright ↗
  10. Claes Oldenburg, SOFT FIRE PLUG, print (other)
    SOFT FIRE PLUG
    Print (other)
    101.0 x 76.0 cm
    Capitolium Art · · Lot 148
    €378≈ $397≈ £312Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €400–600View at Capitolium Art ↗
Also offered, result not published (10)

Lots by Claes Oldenburg that were offered at auction where the house did not publish whether they sold. Not counted in any statistics.

Claes Oldenburg paintings (16)Claes Oldenburg acrylic paintings (10)Claes Oldenburg mixed media (3)Claes Oldenburg works on paper (29)Claes Oldenburg watercolors (8)Claes Oldenburg drawings (9)Claes Oldenburg prints (356)Claes Oldenburg etchings (25)Claes Oldenburg lithographs (217)Claes Oldenburg screenprints (63)Claes Oldenburg woodcuts & linocuts (7)Claes Oldenburg multiples (30)Claes Oldenburg sculpture (39)

Claes Oldenburg signature

165 catalogued lots by Claes Oldenburg record a signature line. The most common placement is lower right (53% of lots that state a placement). Most often: signed.

Placement

  • lower right18
  • lower left5
  • lower centre4
  • on the reverse4
  • on the base1
  • in the margin1

Form

  • signed76
  • initialled61
  • signed in pencil13
  • monogrammed11
  • signed and dated4
  • Signed with the artist's initials and dated "CO 91" lower right — Study for Soft Saxophone, Phillips, Feb 28, 2025
  • Signed with the artist's initials and dated 'CO 69' lower left — Ice Bags and Bananas, Phillips, Dec 4, 2024
  • Signed with the artist's initials and dated "CO. 85" lower right and titled "arcobaleno di tartive" upper edge — Arcobaleno di tartine, Phillips, Sep 23, 2024

Claes Oldenburg signature: all forms and examples →

About Claes Oldenburg

Claes Oldenburg was a Swedish-born American sculptor best known for his public art installations, typically featuring large replicas of everyday objects. Another theme in his work is soft sculpture versions of everyday objects. Many of his works were made in collaboration with his wife, Coosje van Bruggen, who died in 2009; they had been married for 32 years. Oldenburg lived and worked in New York City.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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