Lot 162
  • 162

Joseph Cornell

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 USD
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Description

  • Joseph Cornell
  • The Nearest Star, an Allegory of Time
  • signed on a label affixed to the reverse
  • painted wood and glass box construction with wood, metal chain, metal ring, printed paper and postage stamps
  • 16 by 9 3/4 by 4 1/2 in. 40.6 by 24.8 by 11.4 cm.
  • Executed circa 1962.

Provenance

Estate of the Artist
Castelli-Feigen-Corcoran, New York
Private Collection, San Francisco
Sotheby's, New York, 8 May 1990, Lot 25 (consigned by the above)
Collection of Jay Chiat, New York (acquired from the above sale)
Sotheby's, New York, 14 May 2003, Lot 313 (consigned by the above)
Private Collection, New York (acquired from the above sale)
Private Collection (acquired from the above by the present owner)

Exhibited

Ridgefield, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Mysteries and Magic Realism, 1980
Dallas, Meadows Museum, Southern Methodist University, Joseph Cornell: Collages and Boxes, January - February 1981
Madrid, Fundación Juan March, Joseph Cornell, April - May 1984, cat. no. 10, illustrated in color

Condition

This work is in good and sound condition overall. There is evidence of wear to the handmade, found box including an approximate 3-inch crack visible on the left, front-facing panel, a few losses on the side and four missing screws on the top. The collaged elements in the interior are stable and the paint on the interior and exterior exhibits craquelure consistent with the artist’s working method and intent.
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.