Price databaseBrowseSell your artwork
Watchlist
Joseph Cornell

Joseph Cornell

American · 1903–1972 · Painter, Sculptor

Joseph Cornell was an American visual artist and filmmaker, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. Influenced by the Surrealists, he was also an… (Wikipedia)

Own a work by Joseph Cornell? Get a free auction estimate →

48lots offered2005–2026years recorded87%sold (40)$11.7kSign up free to seemedian price

Record prices

  1. Joseph Cornell, Untitled (HÔTEL DE L'ÉTOILE, SUZANNE MILLER), circa 1960, ink, pencil, printed paper and photograph collage on boardUntitled (HÔTEL DE L'ÉTOILE, SUZANNE MILLER)Phillips · $269,000≈ £186,249≈ €236,484Sign up to see
  2. Joseph Cornell, Cassiopeia #2, 1960-1961, painted wood and glass, printed paper collage, metal rods, clay pipe, cork ball, marble, mirror, driftwood and nails in a wood box constructionCassiopeia #2Phillips · $177,800≈ £140,365≈ €168,339Sign up to see
  3. Joseph Cornell, Untitled (Parrot Collage; Grand Hotel de la Pomme d’Or), 1954-1955, box constructionUntitled (Parrot Collage; Grand Hotel de la Pomme d’Or)Phillips · $150,000≈ £120,443≈ €139,965Sign up to see

Joseph Cornell’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).

All filters
Longest side–Reset

47 results · page 2 of 2

Sign up free to see all prices. You’ve seen the free realized prices for this month. Artist, title, date, house, medium, size and estimates stay visible to everyone. Create a free account · Sign in
  1. Joseph Cornell, (American, 1903-1972), ink on note card and collage on paper
    (American, 1903-1972)
    Mixed media · Paper
    8 1/2 x 5 3/4in (22 x 15cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 143
    $588≈ £336≈ €492Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–1,500View at Bonhams ↗
  2. Joseph Cornell, Untitled, 1970, conch shell, book page clipping and pink salt stones in plastic Whitman Dollar container
    Untitled, 1970
    conch shell, book page clipping and pink salt stones in plastic Whitman Dollar container
    2 1/2 x 1 3/4 in. (6.4 x 4.4 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 169
    Unsold / did not meet reserveEst. $5,000–7,000View at Phillips ↗
  3. Joseph Cornell, The Garden Party, 1970, paper collage, pencil and watercolor on paperboard
    The Garden Party, 1970
    Watercolor · Board
    12 x 9 in. (30.5 x 22.9 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 170
    Unsold / did not meet reserveEst. $7,000–10,000View at Phillips ↗
  4. Joseph Cornell, Untitled, 1932-40, printed paper on cardboard box and metal fragments
    Untitled, 1932-40
    Print (other) · Board
    3.8 x 3.8 x 1.6 cm (1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 0 5/8 in.)
    Phillips · · Lot 95
    Unsold / did not meet reserveEst. £4,000–6,000View at Phillips ↗
  5. Joseph Cornell, Sandsifter Box, 1952, wood box construction with acrylic, cork, glass, lead, metal, printed paper collage and blue glass beads
    Sandsifter Box, 1952
    Acrylic · Panel
    14 x 7 1/2 x 4 1/8 in (36.5 x 19 x 10.5 cm)
    Phillips · · Lot 132
    Unsold / did not meet reserveEst. $180,000–250,000View at Phillips ↗
  6. Joseph Cornell, Untitled (Buddha at Sundown), 1958, paper collaged on printed paper laid on Masonite
    Untitled (Buddha at Sundown), 1958
    Print (other) · Board
    14 1/2 x 10 3/4 in. (36.8 x 27.3 cm.)
    Phillips · · Lot 194
    Unsold / did not meet reserveEst. $20,000–30,000View at Phillips ↗
  7. Joseph Cornell, Collage (Putti), circa 1950-60, paper collaged on printed paper laid on Masonite
    Collage (Putti), circa 1950-60
    Print (other) · Board
    11 7/8 x 9 in. (30.2 x 22.9 cm.)
    Phillips · · Lot 195
    Unsold / did not meet reserveEst. $20,000–30,000View at Phillips ↗
Also offered, result not published (2)

Lots by Joseph Cornell that were offered at auction where the house did not publish whether they sold. Not counted in any statistics.

Joseph Cornell paintings (8)Joseph Cornell mixed media (7)Joseph Cornell works on paper (10)Joseph Cornell prints (13)Joseph Cornell screenprints (6)Joseph Cornell photographs (6)

Joseph Cornell signature

19 catalogued lots by Joseph Cornell record a signature line. The most common placement is on the reverse (67% of lots that state a placement). Most often: signed.

Placement

  • on the reverse10
  • lower right4
  • lower left1

Form

  • signed18
  • signed and dated1
  • Signed "Joseph Cornell" on a label affixed to the reverse; inscribed "Henry Geldzahler" on the reverse — Untitled, Phillips, Sep 26, 2026
  • Signed in mirror image “Joseph Cornell” on a label affixed to the reverse — Cassiopeia #2, Phillips, Nov 20, 2024
  • Signed and titled ""Lead-clue to the Houdini Disappearing Elephant act" Joseph Cornell." on the reverse — Lead-clue to the Houdini Disappearing Elephant act, Phillips, Sep 28, 2022

Joseph Cornell signature: all forms and examples →

About Joseph Cornell

Joseph Cornell was an American visual artist and filmmaker, one of the pioneers and most celebrated exponents of assemblage. Influenced by the Surrealists, he was also an avant-garde experimental filmmaker. He was largely self-taught in his artistic efforts, and improvised his own original style incorporating cast-off and discarded artifacts. He lived most of his life in relative physical isolation, caring for his mother and his disabled brother at home, but remained aware of and in contact with other contemporary artists.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related artists — American, born 1878–1928

More American artists of the same period