The piece was made around 1940 and was crafted using silver wire and cord. For years, it was treated as an unusual vintage accessory. Ifill even wore it on some occasions, unaware that it was an important work of modern art.
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Recognised as Alexander Calder’s work
The discovery reportedly came when Ifill visited an exhibition featuring Calder’s jewellery at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She recognised similarities between the displayed pieces and the necklace she had bought at the flea market.
Experts later authenticated the necklace as Calder’s work. The artist, best known for his mobiles and large-scale sculptures, also created wearable art, including necklaces and other jewellery designs.
Christie’s catalogued the piece as Untitled (Necklace) and described it as a silver-wire and cord work executed around 1940. The auction house had estimated its value at between $200,000 (around ₹1.91 Cr) and $300,000 (around ₹2.86 Cr).
Sold for over ₹2.5 crore
The necklace was offered as Lot 107 at Christie’s first open sale of post-war and contemporary art in New York in September 2013. It eventually sold for $267,750 (around ₹2.5 Cr), including the buyer’s premium, comfortably within the auction estimate.
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The sale turned a modest flea-market purchase into a remarkable art-market discovery. It also highlighted the potential value of Calder’s jewellery, which is now sought after by collectors for combining sculpture, design and personal adornment.
