In a Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit, collector Richard Brodie alleges Alexander Rower, grandson of sculptor Alexander Calder, sabotaged an $8 million sale of a mobile to control the market for Calder's art. Rower reportedly lied about the mobile's condition, contradicting a prior appraisal by The Calder Foundation. Brodie, who originally purchased the piece in 1994, claims Rower's actions were part of a fraudulent scheme tied to the foundation's lucrative Calder art sales, further alleging that false claims about the mobile's damage undermined its value and sale potential.
Brodie contended in a Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit that Rower lied about the condition of the mobile in a scheme to scuttle the sale.
Calder's mobiles have sold for millions, including one that fetched over $8.5 million at Christie's in November.
The lawsuit claims Rower's alleged actions are part of a racketeering scheme to control and manipulate the lucrative market for Calder artworks.
Despite the Calder Foundation's assets of $665 million, the foundation allegedly rescinded authentication and claimed substantial damages to the mobile.
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