Shaping Up a Bargain

Photo © Hackett-Freedman Gallery

Louise Nevelson, "Maquette for Sky Landscape I" (1977-79)

Photo © Hackett-Freedman Gallery

Manuel Neri, "Annunciation No. 1 (Cast 3/4)" (2005)

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“It’s tough to figure out (how undervalued sculpture is) because only a handful of sculptures come up for auction every so often,” Rathbone said. “You don’t know if they’re really undervalued or if they just never come up for sale.”

Advice for Collectors

Whatever the contributing factors, sculpture’s under-the-radar status could spell good news for collectors interested in the medium.

According to Hackett, two of the most undervalued artists working in the medium today are figurative sculptor Manuel Neri and abstract sculptor Brian Wall.

A Brian Wall piece might sell for as little as $12,000–$25,000. “When you think of a sculptor of this renown, it’s pretty amazing,” Hackett said.

He also mentioned works by Herbert Ferber, Gaston Lachaise, Eli Nadelman, Louise Nevelson, and Richard Stankiewicz. “They might be well known, but they are still undervalued compared to what paintings sell for,” he said.

Hackett’s advice to beginners is to start small. “Consider looking for more manageable pieces size-wise so the commitment isn’t as huge,” he said.

Rathbone urges new collectors to learn everything they can about sculpture, decide which periods they like best, and not be afraid of names that might not be familiar.

“You might be better off going for a lesser-known artist from a period you like,” he said. “And you should be looking for quality. If a sculptor is not well known, but the quality is there, you might have found a beautiful work of art for a bargain.”

Although most people start out collecting two-dimensional works, there is no reason a collector can’t begin with sculpture, he added.

“You don’t have to sneak up on it if it is really the medium you like,” Rathbone said. “You can go for it right from the beginning.”