> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/karel-appel · updated 2026-11-02 # Karel Appel (1921–2006) Karel Appel is a Dutch artist with 508 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $1,392. 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 Karel Appel sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $1,625 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. ## What is a Karel Appel work worth? Across 420 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Karel Appel work is $1,392. The median Karel Appel print sells for $637 across 314 lots. The median Karel Appel painting sells for $41,359 across 81 lots. The median Karel Appel work on paper sells for $9,450 across 58 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel prints typically sell for $391–$985 (the middle half of 270 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel paintings typically sell for $19,562–$61,346 (the middle half of 50 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 | 371 | $637†‡ | $15,340 | 84.6% | 2026-10-24 | | Paintings | 90 | $41,359†‡ | $564,282 | 90% | 2026-04-15 | | Works on Paper | 61 | $9,450†‡ | $129,803 | 95.1% | 2024-06-13 | | Sculpture & Installation | 4 | $15,633† | $58,698 | — | 2024-05-27 | | Photography | 4 | $3,202 | $5,550 | — | 2004-05-26 | | Masterpieces (top of market) | 26 | $113,775 | $564,282 | — | 2026-04-15 | † hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. Karel Appel's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (371 lots) median $637 with 84.6% sell-through. Paintings (90 lots) median $41,359, record $564,282. A typical Karel Appel painting sells for around 65× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 26 lots) the median is $113,775. ## Price by size ### Prints & Editions | Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record | |---|---|---|---|---| | small (under 50 cm) | 18 | $497–$1,637†‡ | $709†‡ | $3,539 | | medium (50–120 cm) | 270 | $391–$985†‡ | $601†‡ | $15,340 | † 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 | |---|---|---|---|---| | medium (50–120 cm) | 50 | $19,562–$61,346†‡ | $34,250†‡ | $172,779 | | large (over 120 cm) | 22 | $59,205–$222,496‡ | $103,136‡ | $564,282 | † hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. ### Works on Paper | Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record | |---|---|---|---|---| | small (under 50 cm) | 14 | $2,219–$11,835†‡ | $3,814†‡ | $18,689 | | medium (50–120 cm) | 32 | $6,456–$29,691†‡ | $15,817†‡ | $59,312 | † hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ 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 | 2015 | $564,282 | | Paintings | 2026 | $447,433 | | Works on Paper | 2006 | $129,803 | | Works on Paper | 2015 | $107,587 | | Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $58,698 | | Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $25,156 | | Prints & Editions | 2006 | $15,340 | | Prints & Editions | 2006 | $14,160 | The highest recorded result in each medium. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a Karel Appel worth? Across 420 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Karel Appel work is $1,392. The median Karel Appel print sells for $637 across 314 lots. The median Karel Appel painting sells for $41,359 across 81 lots. The median Karel Appel work on paper sells for $9,450 across 58 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel prints typically sell for $391–$985 (the middle half of 270 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Karel Appel paintings typically sell for $19,562–$61,346 (the middle half of 50 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 Karel Appel print? Based on 314 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Karel Appel print is $637. 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 Karel Appel's most expensive print? The highest price recorded at auction for a Karel Appel print is $15,340. ### What is the average price of a Karel Appel painting? Based on 81 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Karel Appel painting is $41,359. 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 Karel Appel's most expensive painting? The highest price recorded at auction for a Karel Appel painting is $564,282. ### What is the average price of a Karel Appel work on paper? Based on 58 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Karel Appel work on paper is $9,450. 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 Karel Appel's most expensive work on paper? The highest price recorded at auction for a Karel Appel work on paper is $129,803. ### What is the average price of a medium Karel Appel print? Based on 270 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Karel Appel print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $601, 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 Karel Appel painting? Based on 50 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Karel Appel painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $34,250, 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 Karel Appel's auction record? Karel Appel's auction record is $564,282, set in 2015. --- Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly. Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Karel Appel auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/karel-appel (updated 2026-11-02). Historical auction data, not investment advice. Prices are premium-inclusive USD where the buyer's premium is recorded. Figures marked † are hammer prices (buyer's premium not included); ‡ marks a price whose basis is not yet verified. Non-USD results are converted at the sale month's rate.