ALEXANDER CALDER | Untitled

Arthur and Luce Klein, New Rochelle (acquired directly from the artist in 1960)
Thence by descent to the present owner in 1997

This work is in good and sound condition overall. The elements move smoothly and freely. The colors are bright and fresh. There is evidence of handling and wear visible along the edges of the forms and connecting wire including minor and unobtrusive areas of paint loss, most notably on the blue element and outermost white element, and scattered light and unobtrusive surface abrasions. Under close inspection, oxidation to the metal is present most notably on the red side of the base.
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.

"Excluding every anecdotal element, Calder reduces the object to a few simple lines carving out elementary colors. This object, employing only the properties of movement—not represented movement but real movement—is miraculously brought to life in the most concrete shapes and restores to us the evolution of the celestial bodies, the rustling of foliage, the memory of caresses.” André Breton in: Exh. Cat., New York, L&M Arts, Tanguy, Calder: Between Surrealism and Abstraction, 2010, p. 152 Sotheby’s is honored to present the Collection of Luce and Arthur Klein, which includes works lovingly selected by the couple during their time in France and New York. Luce and Arthur met in a Jeep on their way to Lyon, France in 1945 to attend the rededication of the synagogue which had been desecrated by the Nazis.  Arthur was an intelligence officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, decoding German messages.  Luce was working in the French Resistance finding homes for Jewish children. The two shared a passion for the dramatic arts and literature, collaborating on articles in French and English on dramatic arts, translating plays, and directing, acting and producing several theatrical productions which toured Europe. In 1956, after living several years abroad, Luce and Arthur Klein channeled their passions into founding Spoken Arts, Inc. in New Rochelle, New York. As one of the first spoken word recording companies, its mission was “to encourage a revival and reevaluation of the importance of the spoken word.” In the ensuing years, Spoken Arts, Inc. became well-known for its recordings of twentieth-century authors and poets reading their own works, including Arthur Miller, Dorothy Parker, Langston Hughes and James Baldwin, among others. The company's archives are now housed at Yale University, New Haven.