What is a African sculpture worth?
Price guide from past auction results
Based on 47 priced auction sales, works by African have sold for a median of $508Sign up free to see. Half of them sold between $318Sign up free to see and $969Sign up free to see. For sculptures alone, the median is $508Sign up free to see across 39 sales. In the last five years the median was $462Sign up free to see across 31 sales. These are past auction results, not a valuation: medium, size, condition and provenance all change what a particular work brings.
Thinking of selling? How to sell a African sculpture: process, costs and recent prices →
African prices by medium
- Auction results
- 47
- Sold rate
- 100%
- Active at auction
- 2009–2026
- Median price
- $508Sign up free to see
- Record price
- $3.8kSign up free to see Beaded safari chairs, pair, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 2026
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sculpture | 39 | $318–$900Sign up free to see | $508Sign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Wright (31), Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (11), Toomey & Co. (3)
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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) | 14 | $158–$747Sign up free to see | $382Sign up free to see |
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 20 | $438–$1.2kSign up free to see | $642Sign up free to see |
| Large (75–150 cm) | 7 | $409–$759Sign up free to see | $594Sign up free to see |
| Very large (over 150 cm) | 3 | $1.6k–$3.1kSign up free to see | $2.9kSign up free to see |
Recent African sales
- Masks, set of two, carved wood — $64Sign up free to see, Wright, Aug 11, 2026
- Collection of objects, carved wood, raffia, cloth, beads, iron, cord, paint, hair — $320Sign up free to see, Wright, Aug 11, 2026
- Collection of four baskets, reed, cane — $384Sign up free to see, Wright, Aug 11, 2026
- Beaded safari chairs, pair, beaded upholstery, wood — $3,810Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 5, 2026
- Collection of four passport masks, carved wood, rope — $445Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 3, 2025
- Collection of six passport masks, carved wood, earthenware — $445Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 3, 2025
- Fetish figures, set of three, carved wood — $64Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 3, 2025
- Collection of three objects, carved wood — $264Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 3, 2025
Questions about African prices
What is a African sculpture worth?
Based on 47 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by African have sold for a median of $508, and half of them sold between $318 and $969. For sculptures alone the median is $508 (39 sales). 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 African sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $3,810 for “Beaded safari chairs, pair” at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) in March 2026.
How often do African works sell at auction?
100% of the 47 lots recorded between 2009 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a African sculpture?
Request a free auction estimate on ArtSell: send photos and details, and our specialists will reply with an estimate. There is no obligation.
ArtSell has recorded 47 auction results for African between 2009 and 2026, and 47 of them sold (100%).
Sell a African sculptureAll African auction resultsPrice chartAfrican sculptureFree auction estimate