Sell a James Butler sculpture
Get a free auction estimate for your James Butler from an ArtSell specialist. James Butler has 10 recorded auction lots, 90% of them sold, most often at Strauss & Co. Half of the priced sales fell between $1,008Sign up free to see and $2,677Sign up free to see.
Record price: $9,276Sign up free to see for Young Girl, Strauss & Co, June 2015.
Past auction results, not a valuation. Condition, size, subject, date and provenance decide what a particular work brings. Full price guide: what is a James Butler sculpture worth? →
Recent James Butler results
- Untitled — $1,849Sign up free to see, Sworders, Dec 2025
- Nude on Bed — $1,393Sign up free to see, Strauss & Co, Oct 2025
- Untitled — $749Sign up free to see, Sworders, Oct 2021
- Untitled — $166Sign up free to see, Sworders, Jun 2020
- Nude Asleep on a Chair — $2,158Sign up free to see, Strauss & Co, Oct 2019
- Girl, Matress and Carpet — $2,733Sign up free to see, Strauss & Co, Nov 2017
Where James Butler sells
| Auction house | Lots | Sold | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strauss & Co | 6 | 5 | $2.7kSign up free to see |
| Sworders | 3 | 3 | $749Sign up free to see |
| Ketterer Kunst | 1 | 1 | $1kSign up free to see |
Free auction estimate
How selling at auction works
- Send photos for a free estimate. A photo of the front, plus the signature, the back and any labels if you can. Add the size and anything you know about where the work came from.
- Get an auction estimate. A specialist compares the work with recorded auction results and replies with an estimate range: what the work could reasonably bring at auction, not a guarantee or a formal appraisal.
- Agree terms and a reserve. If you decide to sell, you sign a consignment agreement that sets the commission, any fees and the reserve (the confidential minimum price below which the work will not sell).
- Ship or hand over the work. The work goes to the house for inspection, cataloguing and photography. Condition and authorship are checked before it is offered.
- The sale. The work is offered in a scheduled sale, online or in the room. Buyers pay a buyer’s premium on top of the hammer price; that is the buyer’s cost, not yours.
- Get paid. After the buyer pays, the house settles with you: the hammer price minus the seller’s commission and any agreed fees.
Typical timeline
- Estimate: usually a few days after you send photos.
- Consignment to sale: commonly 6–12 weeks, because houses build sales around themes and seasons and need time to catalogue and market each lot.
- Payment: usually about 30–35 days after the sale, once the buyer has paid.
What selling costs
- Seller’s commission: a percentage of the hammer price. At many houses it falls roughly between 10% and 25%, often lower for higher-value works, and it is frequently negotiable.
- Possible fees: some houses charge for photography, insurance, shipping or an unsold-lot fee. Ask which apply before you sign.
- Buyer’s premium: paid by the buyer on top of the hammer price. Prices in our results include it where the house publishes it.
What to have ready for your James Butler estimate
- A straight-on photo of the whole front, in daylight, without glare (frame on is fine)
- A close-up of the signature, monogram or any stamp
- The back: canvas or board, stretcher, labels, gallery or exhibition stickers, inscriptions
- Height and width (and depth for sculpture), without the frame if you can
- Medium if you know it: oil, acrylic, watercolor, print, bronze…
- How you acquired it: purchase receipts, gallery invoices, letters, family history, past appraisals
- Condition notes: tears, flaking, stains, restoration, foxing on paper
- For prints: the edition number (e.g. 23/100) and any blindstamp
How to photograph art for an estimate →
James Butler appraisal for insurance or an estate
Not selling, but need a documented value? A free auction estimate is for selling; insurers, executors and charities usually need a formal written appraisal. Need an appraisal for insurance? Request a written James Butler appraisal →
Selling James Butler: questions
How do I sell a James Butler sculpture?
Send photos of the front, signature and back with the size for a free auction estimate. If you decide to sell, you consign the work to an auction house under a written agreement that sets the commission and reserve; the house catalogues, markets and sells it, then pays you after the buyer pays.
Is there demand for James Butler at auction?
ArtSell has recorded 10 James Butler lots between 2006 and 2025, and 90% of them sold; 2 priced sales came in the last five years.
What have James Butler sculptures sold for?
Half of the 9 priced sales were between $1,008 and $2,677 (median $1,849); the record is $9,276. These are past auction results, not a valuation of your work.
How much does it cost to sell at auction?
The seller pays a commission on the hammer price, at many houses roughly 10% to 25% and often negotiable for higher-value works, plus any agreed fees such as photography, insurance or shipping. The estimate itself is free.
How long does it take?
An estimate usually takes a few days. From consignment to sale is commonly 6 to 12 weeks, and payment usually follows about a month after the sale.
James Butler price guideAll James Butler auction resultsJames Butler sculpture
Seller guides
How to sell art at auctionSell a paintingSell a printSell a sculptureSelling inherited art and estatesHow to photograph art for an estimateAppraisal vs. auction estimateWhere to sell artArt appraisal for insurance