# Sam Maloof artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/sam-maloof/
Profile generated: 2026-05-14T19:03:40.837Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1916-01-24
- Death date: 2009-05-21
- Nationality: American
- Movements: Postwar American crafts movement, Studio furniture movement
- Common media: Wood, Hardwood furniture (walnut, oak, maple, rosewood)

## About Sam Maloof

Sam Maloof (1916–2009) was an American furniture designer and woodworker recognized as a defining figure in the postwar American studio crafts movement. Self-taught in woodworking, he began making furniture in the late 1940s from his home in Alta Loma, California, developing a distinctive sculptural style characterized by flowing organic lines and meticulous hand-shaped joinery. His rocking chairs became his most celebrated form, admired for their ergonomic elegance and craftsmanship. Maloof was the first craftsperson to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, and his work is held in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Collectors encounter his pieces at auction in the 20th Century Design and American Decorative Arts categories.

## Common works and media

Maloof is best known for sculptural rocking chairs and side chairs with distinctive curved spindles and shaped seats. Other commonly encountered forms include dining chairs, settees, stools, coffee tables, dining tables, desks, and cabinets. Primary materials include black walnut, oak, maple, and rosewood, often with a hand-rubbed oil finish. Works are typically one-of-a-kind or produced in small numbers from his Southern California workshop.

## Market and appraisal context

Sam Maloof's furniture appears regularly at major auction houses, with rocking chairs attracting the strongest collector demand. Valuation depends on the specific form, with chairs and settees generally commanding higher prices than tables or case pieces. Wood species (particularly walnut and rosewood), provenance linking to notable collections or exhibitions, condition and originality of finish, and whether the piece was made during Maloof's solo workshop period or later with studio assistance are all factors collectors and appraisers weigh. Pieces with documented exhibition history or museum provenance carry premiums.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from museum, library authority, and biographical sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. This profile drew on Wikidata, the Getty Union List of Artist Names, VIAF, the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History, the Library of Congress authority file, and Wikipedia.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q743874
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Maloof
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500204787
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/79408768/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83129693
- RKD - Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/368451