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Sam Francis

Sam Francis

American · 1923–1994 · Painter, Printmaker

Samuel Lewis Francis was an American painter and printmaker. (Wikipedia)

Own a work by Sam Francis? Get a free auction estimate →

1,411lots offered2001–2026years recorded87%sold (1,190)$4.6kSign up free to seemedian price

16 works by Sam Francis with an auction history (offered more than once) →

4 works by Sam Francis coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

  1. Sam Francis, Deep Blue and Black, Hammer priceDeep Blue and BlackKornfeld · CHF 2,700,000≈ $2,430,297≈ £1,641,649≈ €1,964,353Sign up to see
  2. Sam Francis, Green, 1952, Oil on canvasGreenKornfeld · CHF 2,000,000≈ $2,155,400≈ £1,561,884≈ €1,829,711Sign up to see
  3. Sam Francis, Study for Moby Dick, 1958, Hammer priceStudy for Moby DickKornfeld · CHF 730,000≈ $748,907≈ £586,504≈ €670,643Sign up to see

Sam Francis’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

4 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house

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

ArtSell has recorded 1,367 auction results for Sam Francis between 2001 and 2026, of which 1,190 sold (87%). A further 44 lots were offered at auction without a published result. Recorded sale prices range from $63Sign up free to see to $2.4MSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $2.4MSign up free to see for Deep Blue and Black at Kornfeld in June 2010. The most common medium is lithographs (594 lots). Most results come from Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (298), Kornfeld (263) and Phillips (193).

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  1. Sam Francis, Untitled, 1979, acrylic and paper collage on paper
    Untitled, 1979
    Acrylic · Paper
    13 3/4 x 16 3/4 in (34.9 x 42.6 cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 22
    $14,080≈ £10,526≈ €12,264Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $12,000–18,000View at Bonhams ↗
  2. Sam Francis, Untiled (SFM81-106), 1981, unique monotype with woodcut, oil, dry pigment, watercolor and ink on paper
    Untiled (SFM81-106), 1981
    Print (other) · Paper
    30 1/4 x 42 3/8 in (76.8 x 107.7 cm)
    Bonhams · · Lot 61
    $11,520≈ £8,612≈ €10,034Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $8,000–12,000View at Bonhams ↗
  3. Sam Francis, Untitled, 1985, Acrylic on paper
    Untitled, 1985
    Acrylic · Paper
    25.5 x 21.7 cm (10 x 8.5 in)
    Ketterer Kunst · · Lot 1
    €10,184≈ $11,751≈ £8,716Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €5,000–View at Ketterer Kunst ↗
  4. Sam Francis, Sulfur Water (SF-86), 1967, lithograph in colors on BFK Rives
    Sulfur Water (SF-86), 1967
    Lithograph · Paper
    27¾ h x 18¾ w in (70 x 48 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 160
    $4,480≈ £3,314≈ €3,857Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  5. Sam Francis, La Primavera (Spring) (SF-070RC), 1988, etching and aquatint in colors on Fabriano
    La Primavera (Spring) (SF-070RC), 1988
    Etching
    38¾ h x 78¼ w in (98 x 199 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 161
    $11,520≈ £8,521≈ €9,917Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $7,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  6. Sam Francis, Living in Our Own Light (SF-251), 1976, lithograph in colors on Arches 88 in six parts
    Living in Our Own Light (SF-251), 1976
    Lithograph · Paper
    88 h x 108 w in (224 x 274 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 162
    $3,840≈ £2,840≈ €3,306Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $4,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  7. Sam Francis, Untitled (SF-236), 1978, lithograph on paper
    Untitled (SF-236), 1978
    Lithograph · Paper
    38¼ h x 28 w in (97 x 71 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 163
    $6,400≈ £4,734≈ €5,510Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  8. Sam Francis, Untitled (SF-324), 1975, lithograph on BFK Rives
    Untitled (SF-324), 1975
    Lithograph · Paper
    22 h x 30 w in (56 x 76 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 164
    $1,280≈ £947≈ €1,102Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $800–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  9. Sam Francis, Untitled (SF-261), 1981, lithograph on BFK Rives
    Untitled (SF-261), 1981
    Lithograph · Paper
    37 h x 27½ w in (94 x 70 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 165
    $960≈ £710≈ €826Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,500–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
  10. Sam Francis, An Other Set – Y (triptych) (from the Pasadena Box suite), 1964, lithograph in colors on Kochi rice paper mounted to board
    An Other Set – Y (triptych) (from the Pasadena Box suite), 1964
    Lithograph · Paper
    15½ h x 67¾ w x ½ d in (39 x 172 x 1 cm)
    Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · · Lot 166
    $5,376≈ £3,976≈ €4,628Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $5,000–View at Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) ↗
Also offered, result not published (44)

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

Sam Francis paintings (99)Sam Francis oil paintings (15)Sam Francis acrylic paintings (79)Sam Francis mixed media (5)Sam Francis works on paper (301)Sam Francis watercolors (53)Sam Francis gouaches (40)Sam Francis drawings (15)Sam Francis prints (841)Sam Francis etchings (84)Sam Francis aquatints (64)Sam Francis lithographs (594)Sam Francis screenprints (55)

Sam Francis: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by Sam Francis at auction?

$2,430,297Sign up free to see, for Deep Blue and Black at Kornfeld (June 2010) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Sam Francis?

The median sale price is $4.6kSign up free to see across 1,189 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Sam Francis have sold at auction?

1,190 of 1,367 recorded lots sold between 2001 and 2026. 44 further lots were offered with no published result and are not counted.

Which auction houses sell Sam Francis?

Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Kornfeld and Phillips account for the most recorded results. Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · Kornfeld · Phillips

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