Josef Albers (1888–1976)
Josef Albers is an American/German artist with 307 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $4,205. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.
A work by Josef Albers sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $5,628 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Josef Albers record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Josef Albers on OpeningBid →What is a Josef Albers work worth?
Across 275 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Josef Albers work is $4,205.
The median Josef Albers print sells for $2,848 across 174 lots.
The median Josef Albers painting sells for $387,052 across 62 lots.
The median Josef Albers work on paper sells for $21,405 across 6 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Josef Albers prints typically sell for $1,492–$5,493 (the middle half of 103 sold lots).
Medium (50–120 cm) Josef Albers prints typically sell for $1,590–$8,137 (the middle half of 59 sold lots).
Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
Price breakdown by category
| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 181 | $2,848†‡ | $120,247 | 96.1% | 2026-08-30 |
| Paintings | 63 | $387,052‡ | $1.6M | — | 2026-05-26 |
| Works on Paper | 6 | $21,405 | $116,100 | — | 2010-03-11 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 1 | $2,161 | $2,161 | — | 2011-09-20 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 52 | $462,907‡ | $1.6M | — | 2026-05-26 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Josef Albers's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (181 lots) median $2,848 with 96.1% sell-through. Paintings (63 lots) median $387,052, record $1,552,870. A typical Josef Albers painting sells for around 136× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 52 lots) the median is $462,907.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 103 | $1,492–$5,493†‡ | $2,817†‡ | $56,620 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 59 | $1,590–$8,137†‡ | $4,117†‡ | $120,247 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 24 | $30,524–$447,678 | $239,766 | $770,393 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 34 | $295,456–$778,571‡ | $539,635‡ | $1.6M |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2006 | $1.6M |
| Paintings | 2007 | $1.3M |
| Prints & Editions | 2012 | $120,247 |
| Works on Paper | 2008 | $116,100 |
| Prints & Editions | 2007 | $88,856 |
| Works on Paper | 2009 | $87,434 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2011 | $2,161 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Josef Albers worth?
Across 275 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Josef Albers work is $4,205. The median Josef Albers print sells for $2,848 across 174 lots. The median Josef Albers painting sells for $387,052 across 62 lots. The median Josef Albers work on paper sells for $21,405 across 6 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Josef Albers prints typically sell for $1,492–$5,493 (the middle half of 103 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Josef Albers prints typically sell for $1,590–$8,137 (the middle half of 59 sold lots). Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is the average price of a Josef Albers print?
Based on 174 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Josef Albers print is $2,848. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is Josef Albers's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Josef Albers print is $120,247.
What is the average price of a Josef Albers painting?
Based on 62 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Josef Albers painting is $387,052. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Josef Albers's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Josef Albers painting is $1,552,870.
What is the average price of a small Josef Albers print?
Based on 103 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Josef Albers print (small (under 50 cm)) is $2,817, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is the average price of a medium Josef Albers print?
Based on 59 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Josef Albers print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $4,117, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.
What is Josef Albers's auction record?
Josef Albers's auction record is $1,552,870, set in 2006.
See the full Josef Albers record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Josef Albers on OpeningBid →