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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, Knäckebröd (Crispbread) (P. 7), 1966, Cast iron multiple
    Knäckebröd (Crispbread) (P. 7), 1966
    Sculpture · ed. 102/250
    9.6 x 16.5 x 1.8 cm (3 3/4 x 6 1/2 x 0 3/4 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 311
    £3,024≈ $3,492≈ €3,496Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £1,000–1,500View at Phillips ↗
  2. Claes Oldenburg, London Knees (E.A. 677, A. & P. 51), 1966, The pair of cast flexible latex sculptures coated in polyurethane with single acrylic plastic base, with accompanying set of three green cloth-covered paper board folders containing postcards and reproductions related to The Knees as London Monument Project , with justification, all contained in the original buckram-covered travelling case with printed title and date
    London Knees (E.A. 677, A. & P. 51), 1966
    Acrylic · Paper · ed. 2/120
    sculpture 38 x 14 x 15.5 cm (14 7/8 x 5 1/2 x 6 1/8 in.) case 19 x 43 x 29.5 cm (7 1/2 x 16 7/8 x 11 5/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 312
    £4,788≈ $5,530≈ €5,535Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £1,500–2,000View at Phillips ↗
  3. Claes Oldenburg, Miniature Soft Drum Set, 1972, three-dimensional screenprint on canvas, rope, spray enamel on wood
    Miniature Soft Drum Set, 1972
    Screenprint · Canvas
    7½ h x 12 w x 10 d in (19 x 30 x 25 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 125
    $6,250≈ £5,411≈ €6,244Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  4. Claes Oldenburg, Rolling Collar and Tie, 1995, lithograph in colors on Somerset
    Rolling Collar and Tie, 1995
    Lithograph · Paper
    38 h x 27½ w in (97 x 70 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 264
    $2,750≈ £2,381≈ €2,748Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  5. Claes Oldenburg, Notebook Torn in Half, 1997, lithograph on St. Armand Special Etching
    Notebook Torn in Half, 1997
    Lithograph
    25½ h x 22 w in (65 x 56 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 297
    $813≈ £704≈ €812Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $700–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  6. Claes Oldenburg, Centennial Print, Judson Memorial Church, 1990, screenprint in colors on BFK Rives
    Centennial Print, Judson Memorial Church, 1990
    Screenprint · Paper
    48⅞ h x 29⅞ w in (124 x 76 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 299
    $813≈ £704≈ €812Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $600–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  7. Claes Oldenburg, Notebook Torn in Half (State II), 1997, lithograph
    Notebook Torn in Half (State II), 1997
    Lithograph
    25½ h x 21⅞ w in (65 x 56 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 301
    $875≈ £758≈ €874Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $700–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  8. Claes Oldenburg, Colossal structure in the form of a Clothespin - compared to Brancusi's Kiss, 1972, screenprint in colors on Arches
    Colossal structure in the form of a Clothespin - compared to Brancusi's Kiss, 1972
    Screenprint · Paper
    21½ h x 13¾ w in (55 x 35 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 242
    $3,000≈ £2,505≈ €2,941Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  9. Claes Oldenburg, Centennial Print, Judson Memorial Church - State One, 1990, screenprint in colors on BFK Rives
    Centennial Print, Judson Memorial Church - State One, 1990
    Screenprint · Paper
    43⅞ h x 29⅞ w in (111 x 76 cm)
    Rago Auctions · · Lot 246
    $1,250≈ £1,044≈ €1,226Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $600–View at Rago Auctions ↗
  10. Claes Oldenburg, Ice Cream Desserts - Praline, 1976, soft-ground etching and aquatint in colors à la poupée on Hodgkinson handmade
    Ice Cream Desserts - Praline, 1976
    Etching
    9⅝ h x 7¾ w in (24 x 20 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 295
    $780≈ £659≈ €777Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $600–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
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 (355)Claes Oldenburg etchings (25)Claes Oldenburg lithographs (217)Claes Oldenburg screenprints (62)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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