What is a 20th Century work worth?
Price guide from past auction results
Half of the 35 works by 20th Century with a published auction price sold between $756Sign up free to see and $3,108Sign up free to see, and the median is $1,024Sign up free to see. In the last five years the median was $1,211Sign up free to see across 24 sales. These are past auction results, not a valuation: medium, size, condition and provenance all change what a particular work brings.
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20th Century prices by medium
- Auction results
- 44
- Sold rate
- 86%
- Active at auction
- 2016–2026
- Median price
- $1kSign up free to see
- Record price
- $27.5kSign up free to see mink throw, Wright, Jun 2019
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpture | 6 | $490–$2.1kSign up free to see | $794Sign up free to see |
| Paintings | 3 | $139–$792Sign up free to see | $396Sign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Toomey & Co. (18), Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (10), León Gallery (7)
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Typical range is the middle half of priced sales (USD at the sale-date rate). Past auction results, not a valuation.
Prices by size
| Size (longest side) | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 30 cm) | 9 | $369–$2.3kSign up free to see | $762Sign up free to see |
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 11 | $782–$3.2kSign up free to see | $1kSign up free to see |
| Large (75–150 cm) | 10 | $877–$3.6kSign up free to see | $2.4kSign up free to see |
| Very large (over 150 cm) | 4 | $1.3k–$8.2kSign up free to see | $1.6kSign up free to see |
Recent 20th Century sales
- Country Lane in the Mournes, oil on canvas — $139Sign up free to see, Morgan O'Driscoll, Sep 14, 2026
- Collection of twenty-seven tape measures, chrome-plated steel, plastic, crackle-lacquered steel — $399Sign up free to see, Wright, Aug 5, 2026
- Untitled (Line drawing of a man), ink on paper — $1,024Sign up free to see, Toomey & Co., May 12, 2026
- Articulated hornet figure, silver — $2,286Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 5, 2026
- Nautilus shell compote, silvered bronze, nautilus shell — $762Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 5, 2026
- Cockatoo figure, marble — $2,540Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 5, 2026
- Root wood occasional tables from the Lichtenstein Collection, pair, glass, root wood — $3,810Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 5, 2026
- Root wood occasional table, root wood, resin — $826Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 5, 2026
Questions about 20th Century prices
What is a 20th Century work worth?
Based on 35 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by 20th Century have sold for a median of $1,024, and half of them sold between $756 and $3,108. Medium, size, condition, subject and provenance all affect the price of a particular work; these are past auction results, not a valuation.
What is the most expensive work by 20th Century sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $27,500 for “mink throw” at Wright in June 2019.
Which 20th Century medium sells for the most?
By median price, sculpture lead with $794 (6 sales).
How often do 20th Century works sell at auction?
86% of the 44 lots recorded between 2016 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a 20th Century work?
Request a free auction estimate on ArtSell: send photos and details, and our specialists will reply with an estimate. There is no obligation.
20th Century have appeared at auction 44 times in ArtSell’s records between 2016 and 2026; 38 sold, a sell-through rate of 86%.
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