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John Cage

John Cage

American · 1912–1992 · Painter, Printmaker

John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, visual artist and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical… (Wikipedia)

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53auction results2005–2026years recorded98%sold (52)$4.1kSign up free to seemedian price

2 works by John Cage coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

  1. John Cage, Extended Lullaby, acrylic, spruce brass, and twelve 36-note Reuge music box mechanismExtended LullabyRago Auctions · $40,320≈ £31,708≈ €37,230Sign up to see
  2. John Cage, 8R / 14, Bleistift auf Japanbütten8R / 14Lempertz · €23,800≈ $30,500≈ £16,347Sign up to see
  3. John Cage, 2R + 13.14 (where R=Ryoanji); R2/2 (where R=Ryoanji); R3 (where R=Ryoanji); R2/3 (where R=Ryoanji); R2/1 (where R= Ryoanji); and (R3) (where R=Ryoanji), 1983, Six drypoints, on J Whatman paper, with full margins,2R + 13.14 (where R=Ryoanji); R2/2 (where R=Ryoanji); R3 (where R=Ryoanji); R2/3 (where R=Ryoanji); R2/1 (where R= Ryoanji); and (R3) (where R=Ryoanji)Phillips · $17,500≈ £11,418≈ €15,893Sign up to see

John Cage’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).

Coming up at auction

2 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house

Listed from the auction houses’ own websites; estimates are the houses’ own, not results.

ArtSell has recorded 53 auction results for John Cage between 2005 and 2026, of which 52 sold (98%). Recorded sale prices range from $646Sign up free to see to $40.3kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $40.3kSign up free to see for Extended Lullaby at Rago Auctions in May 2024. Most results come from Wright (15), Phillips (15) and Grisebach (5).

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  1. John Cage, Lithograph B (from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel), 1969, lithograph in colors on black Fabriano
    Lithograph B (from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel), 1969
    Lithograph
    27¾ h x 39¼ w in (70 x 100 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 137
    $704≈ £520≈ €598Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–View at Wright ↗
  2. John Cage, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel (Plexigram III), 1969, screenprint in colors on Plexiglas, walnut
    Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel (Plexigram III), 1969
    Screenprint · Other support
    14½ h x 24 w x 14½ d in (37 x 61 x 37 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 138
    $2,304≈ £1,701≈ €1,956Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,500–View at Wright ↗
  3. John Cage, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel Plexigram II, 1969, screenprint in colors on Plexiglas, walnut
    Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel Plexigram II, 1969
    Screenprint · Other support
    14½ h x 24 w x 14½ d in (37 x 61 x 37 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 105
    $2,794≈ £2,072≈ €2,391Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  4. John Cage, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel (Plexigram III), 1969, screenprint in colors on Plexiglas, walnut
    Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel (Plexigram III), 1969
    Screenprint · Other support
    14½ h x 24 w x 14½ d in (37 x 61 x 37 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 196
    $4,064≈ £3,024≈ €3,451Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,500–View at Wright ↗
  5. John Cage, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel: Plexigram VI, 1969, The complete set of eight screenprints in colors, each on Rohm and Haas Plexiglas panels (two bronze tinted), installed on a stained and waxed walnut base, with accompanying publication To Describe the Process of Composition Used In Not Wanting To Say Anything About Marcel , all contained in the original black cardboard box
    Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel: Plexigram VI, 1969
    Screenprint · Board · ed. AP
    14 3/4 x 24 x 14 1/2 in. (37.5 x 61 x 36.8 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 361
    $2,322≈ £1,736≈ €2,001Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,500–3,500View at Phillips ↗
  6. John Cage, Accordion Folder Containing Plates, Drawings, Tracings, Photo Transparencies used in the Preparation of Signals 23, 1978
    Accordion Folder Containing Plates, Drawings, Tracings, Photo Transparencies used in the Preparation of Signals 23, 1978
    ed. 14/25
    Bonhams · · Lot 215
    $1,280≈ £946≈ €1,093Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–3,000View at Bonhams ↗
  7. John Cage, Plexigram III, from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel, 1969
    Plexigram III, from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel, 1969
    ed. 47/125
    portfolio box 14 7/8 x 24 1/8 x 2in (37.8 x 61.3 x 5.1cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 36
    $1,280≈ £934≈ €1,094Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–3,000View at Bonhams ↗
  8. John Cage, Lithograph A (from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel), 1969, lithograph in colors on black Fabriano
    Lithograph A (from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel), 1969
    Lithograph
    27⅝ h x 40⅛ w in (70 x 102 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 191
    $2,794≈ £2,119≈ €2,518Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–View at Wright ↗
  9. John Cage, Lithograph B (from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel), 1969, lithograph in colors on black Fabriano
    Lithograph B (from Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel), 1969
    Lithograph
    27¾ h x 39¼ w in (70 x 100 cm)
    Wright · · Lot 193
    $1,778≈ £1,349≈ €1,602Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–View at Wright ↗
  10. John Cage, Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel, Plexigram IV, 1969, Farbserigrafie auf 8 Plexiglasplatten. Auf Holzbasis. Im originalen Kasten
    Not Wanting to Say Anything About Marcel, Plexigram IV, 1969
    Screenprint
    37 x 61 x 37cm
    Van Ham · · Lot 94
    €2,112≈ $2,301≈ £1,776Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €1,500–View at Van Ham ↗

John Cage works on paper (13)John Cage drawings (10)John Cage prints (35)John Cage aquatints (7)John Cage lithographs (7)John Cage screenprints (9)

John Cage: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by John Cage at auction?

$40,320Sign up free to see, for Extended Lullaby at Rago Auctions (May 2024) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for John Cage?

The median sale price is $4.1kSign up free to see across 52 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by John Cage have sold at auction?

52 of 53 recorded lots sold between 2005 and 2026.

Which auction houses sell John Cage?

Wright, Phillips and Grisebach account for the most recorded results. Wright · Phillips · Grisebach

John Cage signature

26 catalogued lots by John Cage record a signature line. Most often: signed.

Form

  • signed16
  • signed and dated7
  • signed in pencil3
  • Signiert und datiert: Variations III 36 John Cage 1990. San Francisco, Crown Point Press, 1990 (mit dem Prägestempel) — Variations III 36, Grisebach, Jun 1, 2019
  • Signiert und datiert: Variations III 29 John Cage 1992. Crown Point Press, San Francisco 1992 (mit dem Prägestempel) — Variations III 29, Grisebach, Nov 30, 2012
  • Signiert und datiert: Variations III 53 John Cage 1992. Crown Point Press, San Francisco 1992 (mit dem Prägestempel) — Variations III 53, Grisebach, Jun 1, 2012

John Cage signature: all forms and examples →

About John Cage

John Milton Cage Jr. was an American composer, visual artist and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading figures of the post-war avant-garde. Critics have lauded him as one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was also instrumental in the development of modern dance, mostly through his association with choreographer Merce Cunningham, who was also Cage's romantic partner for most of their lives.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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