James Lee Byars
American · 1932–1997 · Sculptor, Draughtsman
James Lee Byars was an American conceptual artist and performance artist specializing in installations and sculptures, as well as a self-considered mystic. He was best known… (Wikipedia)
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Record prices
The Figure of DeathPhillips · $761,000≈ £481,890≈ €666,433Sign up to see
ErosPhillips · $425,000≈ £269,124≈ €372,187Sign up to see
UntitledPhillips · $125,000≈ £79,572≈ €110,346Sign up to see
James Lee Byars’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).
Price trend
3 lot(s) offered at auction whose result the house did not publish are listed under “Also offered” on the results tab and excluded from these statistics.
By medium
| Medium | Offered | Sold | Sell-through | Average | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2 | 2 | 100% | $14.7kSign up | $14.7kSign up | $28.6kSign up |
| Mixed media | 2 | 2 | 100% | $14.7kSign up | $14.7kSign up | $28.6kSign up |
| Works on paper | 45 | 39 | 87% | $10.9kSign up | $5kSign up | $125kSign up |
| Watercolor | 3 | 1 | 33% | $13.2kSign up | $13.2kSign up | $13.2kSign up |
| Gouache | 1 | 1 | 100% | $755Sign up | $755Sign up | $755Sign up |
| Drawing | 20 | 18 | 90% | $16.4kSign up | $3.9kSign up | $125kSign up |
| Prints & multiples | 19 | 19 | 100% | $1.5kSign up | $1.3kSign up | $5.3kSign up |
| Etching | 1 | 1 | 100% | $2.4kSign up | $2.4kSign up | $2.4kSign up |
| Lithograph | 13 | 13 | 100% | $1.9kSign up | $1.5kSign up | $5.3kSign up |
| Print (other) | 5 | 5 | 100% | $465Sign up | $287Sign up | $1.3kSign up |
| Photography | 2 | 2 | 100% | $838Sign up | $838Sign up | $960Sign up |
| Photograph | 2 | 2 | 100% | $838Sign up | $838Sign up | $960Sign up |
| Sculpture | 3 | 3 | 100% | $152kSign up | $31.3kSign up | $425kSign up |
| Other | 20 | 20 | 100% | $47.1kSign up | $2.3kSign up | $761kSign up |
Medium classes are derived from the medium text as published by each house; “Other” includes lots whose medium wasn’t stated.
By year
| Year | Offered | Sold | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 6 | $1.9kSign up |
| 2024 | 6 | 6 | $1.3kSign up |
| 2023 | 14 | 14 | $1.7kSign up |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | $5.3kSign up |
| 2021 | 3 | 3 | $3.8kSign up |
| 2019 | 13 | 13 | $438Sign up |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | $11.3kSign up |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | $1.5kSign up |
| 2015 | 11 | 8 | $50kSign up |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | $4kSign up |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | $16.4kSign up |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | $4.2kSign up |
| 2010 | 1 | 1 | $7.3kSign up |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | $11kSign up |
| 2008 | 6 | 4 | $840Sign up |
| 2007 | 15 | 15 | $2.7kSign up |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 | $5kSign up |