Walter Battiss
South African · 1906–1982 · Painter, Printmaker
Walter Whall Battiss was a South African artist, also known as the creator of the "Fook Island" concept. (Wikipedia)
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Record prices
African FiguresStrauss & Co · ZAR 2,562,200≈ $294,217≈ £185,287≈ €231,031Sign up to see
Rock Art Composition IIStrauss & Co · ZAR 2,046,240≈ $152,077≈ £122,405≈ €137,477Sign up to see
Medley No. 1Strauss & Co · ZAR 1,250,480≈ $118,120≈ £69,315≈ €86,484Sign up to see
Walter Battiss’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).
Lots sold
730
of 905 offered · 2009–2026
Sell-through
81%
sold ÷ offered
Price trend
Showing 575 of 730 priced sales (evenly sampled; every year’s high and low included). Medians use all sales.
By medium
| Medium | Offered | Sold | Sell-through | Average | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 225 | 156 | 69% | $21.2kSign up | $12.7kSign up | $294kSign up |
| Oil | 221 | 153 | 69% | $21.4kSign up | $12.7kSign up | $294kSign up |
| Mixed media | 3 | 2 | 67% | $18.8kSign up | $18.8kSign up | $31.2kSign up |
| Works on paper | 250 | 206 | 82% | $2.3kSign up | $1.5kSign up | $21.2kSign up |
| Watercolor | 117 | 91 | 78% | $3kSign up | $2.3kSign up | $21.2kSign up |
| Gouache | 10 | 9 | 90% | $3.4kSign up | $3.5kSign up | $5.4kSign up |
| Pastel | 3 | 2 | 67% | $1.5kSign up | $1.5kSign up | $1.9kSign up |
| Drawing | 96 | 83 | 86% | $1.6kSign up | $1kSign up | $15.8kSign up |
| Prints & multiples | 405 | 350 | 86% | $1.5kSign up | $1kSign up | $54.9kSign up |
| Etching | 9 | 9 | 100% | $604Sign up | $401Sign up | $1.5kSign up |
| Engraving | 2 | 2 | 100% | $912Sign up | $912Sign up | $1.1kSign up |
| Drypoint | 1 | 1 | 100% | $363Sign up | $363Sign up | $363Sign up |
| Lithograph | 49 | 40 | 82% | $582Sign up | $422Sign up | $1.7kSign up |
| Screenprint | 277 | 246 | 89% | $1.9kSign up | $1.4kSign up | $54.9kSign up |
| Woodcut / linocut | 59 | 47 | 80% | $711Sign up | $554Sign up | $3.5kSign up |
| Print (other) | 8 | 5 | 63% | $815Sign up | $423Sign up | $2.5kSign up |
| Sculpture | 14 | 11 | 79% | $1.5kSign up | $994Sign up | $5kSign up |
| Other | 11 | 7 | 64% | $1.4kSign up | $1.9kSign up | $2.3kSign 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 78 | 65 | $1kSign up |
| 2025 | 187 | 164 | $1.2kSign up |
| 2024 | 101 | 74 | $948Sign up |
| 2023 | 55 | 43 | $986Sign up |
| 2022 | 83 | 54 | $1.4kSign up |
| 2021 | 26 | 20 | $1kSign up |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 | $1.4kSign up |
| 2019 | 48 | 28 | $2.7kSign up |
| 2018 | 31 | 26 | $1.4kSign up |
| 2017 | 48 | 38 | $1.7kSign up |
| 2016 | 55 | 50 | $2.5kSign up |
| 2015 | 37 | 34 | $2.1kSign up |
| 2014 | 33 | 28 | $4.2kSign up |
| 2013 | 37 | 32 | $2.2kSign up |
| 2012 | 12 | 12 | $3.3kSign up |
| 2011 | 40 | 34 | $3.1kSign up |
| 2010 | 14 | 13 | $5.7kSign up |
| 2009 | 16 | 11 | $5.7kSign up |