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Robert Loughlin

American, 1949-2011

Robert Loughlin, an artist and quirky sage of Modernist design. Born in Alameda, California, in 1949, his interest in design flourished at a young age. His work as a picker and dealer in 20th-century furnishings influenced high-end interior decoration in the United States. Collectors and decorators anointed Loughlin, a celebrity, soon after he arrived in New York in the 1980s, seeing in him an unusual amalgam of talents that set him apart from most pickers who provided designers and dealers with their wares. Equal parts artist, art historian, scavenger and horse-trader, Loughlin schooled a generation of collectors in the high quality of half-forgotten Modern and mid-century designers, not by writing or lecturing about them, but by scouring flea markets and thrift stores for discarded pieces of their work and selling them.

Average Sold Price
$1,467
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Robert Loughlin “Wood” Painting
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Paint on found wood by New York City picking and art legend, Robert Loughlin. “Wood” painted the on back. Featured in Patrick Parrish Gallery's “Robert Loughlin: 1998-2011” exhibitio...
Category

Early 2000s American Robert Loughlin

Materials

Scrap Wood, Paint

Robert Loughlin “Wood” Painting
Robert Loughlin “Wood” Painting
H 18.5 in W 10 in D 1.25 in
Robert Loughlin “Get Me Out of DEAT” Painting
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Painting on wood by New York City picking and art legend, Robert Loughlin. Signed and dated on the back, “Get me out of Deat, 99”. Featured in Patrick Parrish Gallery's “Robert Lough...
Category

1990s American Robert Loughlin

Materials

Wood, Paint

Robert Loughlin “Untitled (Book)” Painting
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Painting on a copy of “Seek Out and Destroy” by New York City picking and art legend, Robert Loughlin. Signed on the back, “To Rathy, Love R”. Featured in Patrick Parrish Gallery's 2...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Robert Loughlin

Materials

Paint, Paper

Robert Loughlin “Untitled (Yellow Panel)” Drawing
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Marker on found enameled metal panel by New York City picking and art legend, Robert Loughlin. Featured in Patrick Parrish Gallery's “Robert Loughlin: 1998-2011” exhibition in 2021. ...
Category

Early 2000s American Robert Loughlin

Materials

Metal, Enamel

Robert Loughlin “Untitled” Box
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Marker on a cardboard box by New York City picking and art legend, Robert Loughlin. Featured in Patrick Parrish Gallery's “Robert Loughlin: 1998-2011” exhibition in 2021. ROBERT LOUGHLIN (1949 - 2011) may have been one of the most elusive artists in New York, but his work was everywhere. You might have noticed his signature graffiti of a square-jawed man, The Brute, randomly appearing on doors, signs, and walls all over the city. Like his fellow graffiti artists who emerged during the 1980s, such as Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenning Scharf, Loughlin has now become a collectible name. Once considered outsiders to the mainstream art world, graffiti artists now command top dollar for their work and are shown in museums all over the world. When he wasn't making his mark on the city streets, Robert Loughlin still incorporated a similar grittiness into his art. He would ransack antique stores, thrift shops, flea markets, galleries, and estate sales and emerge with treasures that he would use as his canvas. Nothing was sacred...
Category

1990s American Robert Loughlin

Materials

Paper

Robert Loughlin “Untitled” Box
Robert Loughlin “Untitled” Box
H 12.25 in W 12.25 in D 4 in
Robert Loughlin Painting "Sky" in Jet Engine Turbine Fan Frame
By Robert Loughlin
Located in New York, NY
Oil on board titled "Sky" by outsider artist extraordinaire Robert Loughlin, painted in 2011. Set into an aluminum jet engine turbine fan. The only work of numerous I've handled that I commissioned from Robert, a friend, colleague, and frequent supplier of vintage modern design. The turbine fan was a cool found object in the Machine Age tradition that I had no idea what to do with so I asked Robert to use it as a frame for one of his paintings. "Sky" was the result--an iconic image of The Brute with a jet stream of cigarette smoke...
Category

2010s American Machine Age Robert Loughlin

Materials

Aluminum

Robert Loughlin Original Drawing on Cardboard
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Great original drawing by Robert Loughlin on cardboard. Image of 'the Brute' with cigarette facing to the right. Signed RL on the back. Water stain on bottom right. Over 20 original ...
Category

1980s American Vintage Robert Loughlin

Materials

Paper

Robert Loughlin “RIOT” Painting
By Robert Loughlin
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Paint on found wooden frame by New York City picking and art legend, Robert Loughlin. Featured in Patrick Parrish Gallery's “Robert Loughlin: 1998-2011” exhibition in 2021. ROBERT LOUGHLIN (1949 - 2011) may have been one of the most elusive artists in New York, but his work was everywhere. You might have noticed his signature graffiti of a square-jawed man, The Brute, randomly appearing on doors, signs, and walls all over the city. Like his fellow graffiti artists who emerged during the 1980s, such as Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenning Scharf, Loughlin has now become a collectible name. Once considered outsiders to the mainstream art world, graffiti artists now command top dollar for their work and are shown in museums all over the world. When he wasn't making his mark on the city streets, Robert Loughlin still incorporated a similar grittiness into his art. He would ransack antique stores, thrift shops, flea markets, galleries, and estate sales and emerge with treasures that he would use as his canvas. Nothing was sacred...
Category

Early 2000s American Robert Loughlin

Materials

Wood, Paint

Robert Loughlin “RIOT” Painting
Robert Loughlin “RIOT” Painting
H 12.25 in W 14.5 in D 1.5 in
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Robert Loughlin Sale Prices

Sold DateSold PriceCategoryMaterialCreation Year
2025$1,400JarsTinc. 2000s
2024$1,800PaintingsCanvas1998
2024$1,200PostersPaper1990
$1,467
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months
$1,200-$1,800
Sold price range of items in the past 12 months

Creators Similar to Robert Loughlin

Robert Loughlin furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Robert Loughlin furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of paper and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Robert Loughlin furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Robert Loughlin were created in the modern style in north america during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by David Gilhooly, James Strombotne, and Richard Rumi. Prices for Robert Loughlin furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $400 and can go as high as $16,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,300.

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