Rating and value of sculptures and bronzes by Roger Godchaux

If you own a work by or after the artist Roger Godchaux, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value. Afterwards, if you wish to sell your work, we will guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of works by Roger Godchaux

French sculptor and painter, Roger Godchaux works mainly in bronze. His works fetch between €30 and €60,000 on the auction market, a sizeable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to the artist's works. In 2018, a bronze sculpture, Toomaï des éléphants, dating from 1930, sold for €60,000 while it was estimated at between €30,000 and €60,000.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of artist Roger Godchaux    

Roger Godchaux is a French sculptor who works mainly in bronze. His sculptures are characterized by animal subjects, particularly elephants. He has produced a number of drawings and paintings, but is best known and sought after for his sculptures.

The career of Roger Godchaux  

Roger Godchaux (1878 - 1958) was a French sculptor born in Vendôme.

His vocation as an artist was born quite early, so he soon moved to Paris where he studied at the Beaux-Arts. His talent was soon noticed by Jules Adler and Jean-Léon Gérôme, with whom he studied. After a spell at the Académie Julian, he began collecting bronzes by Antoine Louis Barye, and exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Français from 1905.

He worked in collaboration with Gaston Suisse at the Jardin des Plantes, and exhibited in numerous Parisian galleries between the wars. Like many artists of his time, he worked for the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres on terracotta editions.

He received numerous awards for his work, and died of an illness in Paris.

Roger Godchaux's imprint on his period

Roger Godchaux was not very well known during his lifetime, selling works at high enough prices to make a living from the various commissions he received. Today, his value is stable on the auction market.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Roger Godchaux signs his works in cursive script, often with his surname. Expertise remains essential to authenticate your property.

Market segmentation and artist's rating

The market is for French decorative animal sculpture, with a relatively abundant supply, linked to production designed for publishing. Liquidity is decent but not speculative.

The works in circulation are mostly isolated animal statuettes, with dogs, horses, deer and domestic formats, easily integrated into interiors. There is an almost total absence of monumental sculptures or public commissions.

Bronze is the main and most sought-after segment, with a decisive original patina. Regula is a high-end entry-level segment, with a steep discount to bronze.

Plaster is rare in public sales, with an essentially documentary interest. Small and medium formats (20 - 50 cm) form the core of the market, with better liquidity. Larger formats form part of a narrower market, with valuations dependent on condition and patina.

Valuation factors include the quality of modeling and anatomical fidelity, legibility of the signature, and state of preservation (absence of shocks, patina not reworked). Early cast iron is also more valuable than late cast iron.

The market is predominantly French, with buyers who collect animal sculpture, enthusiasts of decorative bronzes and who are part of the furniture and decoration market.

The market is stable but capped. Value is based on decorative character, quality of execution, condition and a low speculative dimension. The artist is positioned in an intermediate segment, comparable to many published animal sculptors of the same period.

Recognize the signature of the artist

Roger Godchaux signs his works in cursive script, often with his surname. Expertise remains essential to authenticate your property.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by Roger Godchaux, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal via our website form. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the value of your work, as well as any relevant information about it. If you are considering selling your work of art, our specialists will also work with you to provide you with alternatives for selling it at the best possible price.