Le Pigeoneau
From 40 Dessins de Picasso en Marge du Buffon (B. 326; BA. 1028; PP. L-7) Picasso linoleum cut. Created in 1938 and published in ~1954. Image size 6.25" x 8" - Picasso's first linocut. Marked Epreuve d'Artiste and signed in crayon by the artist. The regular edition of this piece was done in black on white or ivory paper, however this example was done in red on red paper, possibly the only example done in this color. Condition - excellent.
Purchased from an art dealer in Chicago, this piece has been exhibited at the Mobile (AL) Museum of Art as well as the Pensacola (FL) Art Museum. The present owner has had it for over thirty years.
Auction House
Maybe
Hi Gerald,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
The black and white editions of "Le Pigeonneau" or "The Squab" typically sell for about $5,000 at auction. Potter & Potter Auctions in Chicago sold a black and white artist's proof with red highlights for $37,500 a little over a year ago (here is the link to the sale, you may not be able to view the result without a subscription to the price database: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/picasso-pablo-1881-1973-le-pigeonneau-artist-proo-c-36F4378A9A). Note that the estimate for that was $10/15,000. It had originally been handled by Picasso's Paris dealer Heinz Berggruen.
Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:
Pablo Picasso (Spanish/French, 1881-1973)
"Le Pigeonneau", 1938, printed in 1954
linocut in color (possibly unique)
image 6.25 by 8 inches
matted and framed
pencil inscribed "Epreuve d'Artiste" (Artist's Proof) lower left; crayon signed "Picasso" lower right
CONDITION: represented to be in excellent condition
PROVENANCE: Purchased from an art dealer in Chicago
EXHIBITIONS: Exhibited at the Mobile Museum of Art (Mobile, Ala.) and Pensacola Art Museum (Pensacola, Fla.)
$12,000-18,000*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, and thank you again for using Mearto.
Because your item has a fair market value of at least $5000 and you indicated an interest in selling it, one of our representatives will reach out by email in the next day or two to provide some information on options for consignment and sale. If you have any questions in the meantime, please just let me know!
Hi Gerry,
We're getting a second opinion from another specialist at Mearto on the value, to make certain we are in agreement.
It should use the first photo uploaded as the primary photo. I'll ask our IT / support department to see if they can fix this.
Thanks Della.
Hello Gerald,
Good morning! My name is Lindsey Bourret and I am the managing director at Mearto. As Delia mentioned, we had another specialist on our team take a look at your item and this is the information that she provided:
"I believe the estimate provided by Delia is a correct estimate, albeit maybe a touch high. A possible higher estimate could go up to about $30,000. It is important to note that the comparable result provided includes buyer's premiums.
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/picasso-pablo-1881-1973-le-pigeonneau-artist-proo-c-36F4378A9A#
However, the print here is somewhat questionable. The paper is different from the one noted in the catalogue raisonné. It states: "There are some artist's proofs; heightened with color pencil." This description matches that of the example above at Potter & Potter (via Invaluable). There is no mention of a run in one color (brown or red) on toned paper.
I did find other examples on the same paper and in brown ink. So the claim that his print is the only one in red (really brown) is misleading. --
Chiswick Auction (via Mutual Art) has the most recent example; only estimated to 5000 GDP (about 6700 USD) and went unsold.
https://www.mutualart.com/Artwork/Le-Pigeonneau/F5E6265E3870BF71?freeunlock=5C485F2EAFDB501A
Christie's sold two examples -
17 Apr 2019 / USD 875 hammer / 1,000 - 1,500 estimate
https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-6198502
1 Jul 2003 / GBP 3,585 hammer / 2,000 - 3,000 estimate
https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4125017
Based on this information, I hold the opinion that the example in question and the ones from Christie's and Chiswick are more likely from a trial run to test paper for the book. There would not be a known amount of these, which would lead one to think it may be more valuable. However, the ones heightened with colored pencil are more valuable because there are records of their authenticity. All this to say, the print is "authentic" in my opinion and a broad estimate would be $5,000 - 10,000."
Would you like our assistance to sell the print? I would be happy to reach out to a few auction houses on your behalf, if this would be of interest to you. Please just let me know. You are welcome to email me directly at: [email protected].
All the best,
Lindsey Bourret
Managing Director, Mearto
Lindsey,
It has been awhile since you have sent me the appraisal on my Picasso. I have renewed some interest in selling my print, however your estimate seems a bit low. I have done a bit of research on this piece. I bought the print from Merrill Chase in Chicago. It turns out that the artist's proof that sold for over $30,000 because of its special treatment.....
......was bought in Europe also by Merrill Chase from whoever handles Picasso's work, so I don't know how many prints Merrill or his son bought during a trip to Europe. Just a little trivia for you.
You mention the paper being different from other proofs or the regular run. As you no doubt know, that is the purpose of artists' proofs.
Would I sell the Picasso? Not for less than $18,000. It's in great shape and no one knows how many proofs were pulled in brown/red. Also, being as I'm not too familiar with selling art, how much of, say $18,000 would I end up with?
Thank you for your research.
Gerry Swetsky
[email protected]
Della,
Thank you for your help in locating Le Pigeoneau on the web. I have found a couple of sales myself over the years, however mine was the only one done in red. I was hoping you would have more luck.
Apparently Chicago's Merrill Chase Galleries was instrumental in bringing this work to the USA. They were instrumental in the black print with red markings (by Picasso?) that brought $35,000+ and they were where I obtained my linocut.
I also found a gallery with a black artist's proof that they were asking $11,500 for. That print had Picasso's signature just to the left of center.
So I guess we made no progress here. One thing I cannot figure out how to do though. When I go to the page with my print on it, the default photo is that of the artist's proof . I'd much prefer it defaulting to the photo of the entire linocut, yet I can't figure how to do it! Can you help?
Gerry