Alexander Calder

Galerie Maeght, Paris
Waddington Galleries, London
The Pace Gallery, New York
Acquired by the present owner from the above in October 1984

Zurich, Galerie Maeght, Alexander Calder: Retrospektive, May - July 1973, cat. no. 34, p. 11, illustrated in color
London, Waddington Galleries, Groups V, January 1982, cat. no. 15

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There is scattered evidence of light wear and handling with small nicks and abrasions to the elements and small losses at the joins. There are a few nicks to the red body of the sculpture, the largest two measure 1/2 inch and a few others scattered at the edges of the cone base. There are a few scattered accretions consistent with wearing and handling. The white element has a darker shade on one of the sides and the yellow element appears to have been repainted.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Question: Léger once called you a realist. How do you feel about this?

Calder: Yes, I think I am a realist.

Question: Why?

Calder: Because I make what I see. It’s only the problem of seeing it. If you can imagine a thing, conjure it up in space - then you can make it, and tout de suite you’re a realist. The universe is real but you can’t see it. You have to imagine it. Once you imagine it, you can be realistic about reproducing it.

(from The Artist's Voice: Talks with Seventeen Artists, New York, 1962)

Irving and Harriett Sands have a passion for art that has spanned decades. Both grew up with Jewish culture and music, as well as classical music shaping their earliest appreciation of the arts. But neither Harriett nor Irving was exposed to fine art in their youth. Harriett discovered the visual arts in New York City as a young woman in her late teens, when she enrolled in the Parsons School of Design.

Both Irving and Harriett served in the military during World War II. They met at Fort Benning, Georgia as he was being mustered out of the Army at the end of the war. After a cross-country romance, they married and settled in New York for a time, before finally settling in Harriett’s birthplace, Akron, Ohio. Irving led a small automotive chemical company, and his understanding of this business helped him found a growing, profitable business in aerosol packaging. Through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, they built a happy and successful life together, raising three sons, promoting Jewish philanthropy, and traveling the world to satisfy their deep curiosity about people, places, and cultures. But their interest in collecting art did not blossom until the late 1970s, relatively late in their lives.

Their broad interest and appreciation for 20^th century art grew as they acquired works such as Hans Hofmann’s 1944 Summer Glory, Jean Dubuffet’s 1952 L’Homme aux cocardes, Pablo Picasso’s Tête d'homme barbu and Joan Miró’s bronze sculpture, Tête. Along with acquisitions of works by Léger, Arp, Calder, and others, these works were displayed in their Florida home without fanfare, a part of their environment and a source of every day enjoyment. Owning fine art became a way to bring unique beauty and meaning into their lives. Their grandchildren grew up playing with their toys alongside the Calder sculpture, which surely would have delighted Calder’s playful personality.

Harriett and Irving Sands have been blessed with both the ability and the vision to assemble an art collection that has been a continuing source of joy and beauty in their lives, and the lives of their children and grandchildren, for over 30 years. The following six lots reveal the character and breadth of the Collection of Irving and Harriett Sands.