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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) →

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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, Geometric Mouse Pyramid as an Image of the Electoral System, Doubled, 1976, lithograph in colors on Arches Cover
    Geometric Mouse Pyramid as an Image of the Electoral System, Doubled, 1976
    Lithograph · Paper
    25½ h x 22¾ w in (65 x 58 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 278
    $756≈ £599≈ €698Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  2. Claes Oldenburg, Alternative Proposal for the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, Ohio, 1979, etching, soft-ground etching and aquatint in colors on BFK Rives
    Alternative Proposal for the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, Ohio, 1979
    Etching · Paper
    22¾ h x 28½ w in (58 x 72 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 279
    $1,260≈ £998≈ €1,163Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  3. Claes Oldenburg, Proposal for a Civic Monument in the Form of Two Windows, 1982, lithograph in colors on Arches Cover
    Proposal for a Civic Monument in the Form of Two Windows, 1982
    Lithograph · Paper
    27⅞ h x 40 w in (71 x 102 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 309
    $1,512≈ £1,198≈ €1,396Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $800–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  4. Claes Oldenburg, The Soap at Baton Rouge, 1990, cast resin, aluminum silicate, screenprint on acetate, book, cloth covered portfolio box
    The Soap at Baton Rouge, 1990
    Multiple
    13½ h x 20½ w x 2 d in (34 x 52 x 5 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 397
    $252≈ £200≈ €233Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $500–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  5. Claes Oldenburg, Fagends Carved in Rock, 1975, offset lithograph in colors
    Fagends Carved in Rock, 1975
    Lithograph
    38 h x 22¼ w in (97 x 57 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 213
    $1,179≈ £945≈ €1,104Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $500–View at Wright ↗
  6. Claes Oldenburg, Butt for Gantt (from the Harvey Gantt portfolio), 1991, lithograph in colors
    Butt for Gantt (from the Harvey Gantt portfolio), 1991
    Lithograph
    10 h x 10 w in (25 x 25 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 293
    $1,071≈ £859≈ €1,003Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $800–View at Wright ↗
  7. Claes Oldenburg, Notebook Torn in Half, 1997, lithograph on St. Armand Special Etching
    Notebook Torn in Half, 1997
    Lithograph
    25¼ h x 22 w in (64 x 56 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 295
    $756≈ £606≈ €708Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $700–View at Wright ↗
  8. Claes Oldenburg, Baked Potato, from 7 Objects in a Box (P. 3), 1966, Cast resin multiple with hand-painting, lacking the original Shenango china dish
    Baked Potato, from 7 Objects in a Box (P. 3), 1966
    Sculpture
    4 3/8 x 8 1/2 x 5 in. (11.1 x 21.6 x 12.7 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 318
    $5,080≈ £4,080≈ €4,776Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–4,000View at Phillips ↗
  9. Fagends Carved in Rock, 1972
    Lithograph · Paper
    Sheet: 38" h x 22.25" w
    Brunk Auctions · · Lot 552
    $300≈ £239≈ €280HammerSign up free to seeEst. $600–900View at Brunk Auctions ↗
  10. Claes Oldenburg, Centennial Print for the Judson Memorial Church, 1990, screenprint in colors on BFK Rives
    Centennial Print for the Judson Memorial Church, 1990
    Screenprint · Paper
    43⅞ h x 29⅞ w in (111 x 76 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 178
    $189≈ £150≈ €175Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $600–View at Rago Auctions ↗
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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