Betty Parsons

American · 1900–1982 · Painter, Printmaker

Betty Parsons was an American artist, art dealer, and collector known for her early promotion of Abstract Expressionism. She is regarded as one of the most influential and… (Wikipedia)

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40auction results2003–2026years recorded95%sold (38)$10kSign up free to seemedian price

1 work by Betty Parsons with an auction history (offered more than once) →

Record prices

Show prices also in

UntitledPhillips · Dec 2020$138,600≈ £104,281≈ €114,413Sign up to see
Three RedsRago Auctions · Sep 2022$48,750≈ £42,211≈ €48,799Sign up to see
Moveable FenceRago Auctions · May 2022$47,500≈ £37,997≈ €44,310Sign up to see

Betty Parsons’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

ArtSell has recorded 40 auction results for Betty Parsons between 2003 and 2026, of which 38 sold (95%). Recorded sale prices range from $708Sign up free to see to $139kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $139kSign up free to see for Untitled at Phillips in December 2020. The most common medium is acrylic paintings (10 lots). Most results come from Rago Auctions (26), Phillips (4) and Helmuth Stone Gallery (2).

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Longest side– Editioned With imagesReset

40 results

One Went Away, 1982
Acrylic · Panel
23 h x 21 w x 2¾ d in (58 x 53 x 7 cm)
Rago Auctions · Jul 29, 2026 · Lot 132
$15,960≈ £12,010≈ €14,025Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $10,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
Terracotta Sea, 1971
Oil · Canvas
7¾ h x 9¾ w in (20 x 25 cm)
Wright · Jul 16, 2026 · Lot 128
$4,256≈ £3,150≈ €3,712Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,200–View at Wright ↗
midwife
Acrylic · Paper
19 x 35.75 in
Helmuth Stone Gallery · Mar 8, 2026 · Lot 43
$4,725≈ £3,543≈ €4,087$3,750 + $975 premiumSign up free to seeEst. $4,000–8,000View at Helmuth Stone Gallery ↗
Untitled, 1950
Gouache · Paper
7 x 5 1/4 in (7.8 x 13.3 cm)
Bonhams · Feb 19, 2026 · Lot 4
$2,816≈ £2,094≈ €2,396Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–3,000View at Bonhams ↗
Untitled, 1978
Watercolor · Paper
10 3/4 x 5 3/4 in (23.3 x 14.6 cm)
Bonhams · Feb 19, 2026 · Lot 7
$2,816≈ £2,094≈ €2,396Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–3,000View at Bonhams ↗
Tug Boat Light House, 1970
painted wood construction · Panel
12¼ h x 15¾ w x 5¼ d in (31 x 40 x 13 cm)
Rago Auctions · Jan 28, 2026 · Lot 107
$7,920≈ £5,745≈ €6,614Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $7,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
Self Portrait, 1978
Mixed media
14⅞ h x 11⅞ w x 1⅞ d in (38 x 30 x 5 cm)
Rago Auctions · Nov 12, 2025 · Lot 150
$6,985≈ £5,324≈ €6,034Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $5,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
Twang, 1980
Mixed media
21½ h x 33¼ w x 3⅝ d in (55 x 84 x 9 cm)
Rago Auctions · Nov 12, 2025 · Lot 152
$8,890≈ £6,776≈ €7,680Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $10,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
Untitled (Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts), c. 1943
Watercolor · Paper
17¾ h x 23⅝ w in (45 x 60 cm)
Toomey & Co. · Oct 28, 2025 · Lot 147
$1,397≈ £1,052≈ €1,201Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–View at Toomey & Co. ↗
Tug Boat Light House, 1970
painted wood · Panel
12½ h x 15¾ w x 5¼ d in (32 x 40 x 13 cm)
Rago Auctions · Jul 30, 2025 · Lot 107
$19,050≈ £14,249≈ €16,526Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $8,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗

Betty Parsons paintings (21)Betty Parsons oil paintings (4)Betty Parsons acrylic paintings (10)Betty Parsons works on paper (8)Betty Parsons gouaches (4)

Betty Parsons: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by Betty Parsons at auction?

$138,600Sign up free to see, for Untitled at Phillips (December 2020) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Betty Parsons?

The median sale price is $10kSign up free to see across 38 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Betty Parsons have sold at auction?

38 of 40 recorded lots sold between 2003 and 2026.

Which auction houses sell Betty Parsons?

Rago Auctions, Phillips and Helmuth Stone Gallery account for the most recorded results. Rago Auctions · Phillips · Helmuth Stone Gallery

Betty Parsons signature

4 catalogued lots by Betty Parsons record a signature line. The most common placement is lower right (67% of lots that state a placement). Most often: signed and dated.

Placement

lower right2
on the reverse1

Form

signed and dated4

Signed and dated lower right "Betty Parsons / 1980" — midwife, Helmuth Stone Gallery, Mar 8, 2026
Signed and dated lower right "Betty Parsons / 1980" — midwife, Helmuth Stone Gallery, Nov 2, 2025
Signed, titled and dated "TOTEM-MATERIA-R Betty B Parsons 1980" on the reverse — Totem-Materia-R, Phillips, Sep 28, 2021

Betty Parsons signature: all forms and examples →

About Betty Parsons

Betty Parsons was an American artist, art dealer, and collector known for her early promotion of Abstract Expressionism. She is regarded as one of the most influential and dynamic figures of the American avant-garde.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.