Sell a Pre-Columbian sculpture
Get a free auction estimate for your Pre-Columbian from an ArtSell specialist. Pre-Columbian has 17 recorded auction lots, 94% of them sold, most often at Toomey & Co.. Half of the priced sales fell between $377Sign up free to see and $1,008Sign up free to see.
Record price: $5,200Sign up free to see for Poncho, Rago Auctions, July 2021.
Past auction results, not a valuation. Condition, size, subject, date and provenance decide what a particular work brings. Full price guide: what is a Pre-Columbian sculpture worth? →
Recent Pre-Columbian results
- Collection of thirteen objects — $399Sign up free to see, Wright, Aug 2026
- Collection of objects — $665Sign up free to see, Wright, Apr 2026
- Collection of six animalian vessels and objects — $198Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 2025
- Collection of nine figures and fragments — $132Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 2025
- Collection of eight vessels — $318Sign up free to see, Wright, Dec 2025
- Standing bird — $699Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Jul 2025
Where Pre-Columbian sells
| Auction house | Lots | Sold | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toomey & Co. | 6 | 6 | $725Sign up free to see |
| Wright | 6 | 6 | $347Sign up free to see |
| Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) | 3 | 2 | $885Sign 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 Pre-Columbian 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 →
Pre-Columbian 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 Pre-Columbian appraisal →
Selling Pre-Columbian: questions
How do I sell a Pre-Columbian 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 Pre-Columbian at auction?
ArtSell has recorded 17 Pre-Columbian lots between 2018 and 2026, and 94% of them sold; 13 priced sales came in the last five years.
What have Pre-Columbian sculptures sold for?
Half of the 16 priced sales were between $377 and $1,008 (median $553); the record is $5,200. 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.
Pre-Columbian price guideAll Pre-Columbian auction resultsPre-Columbian 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