> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/katsukawa-shun-ei · updated 2026-11-03

# Katsukawa Shun'ei (1762–1819)

## What is Katsukawa Shun'ei’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 29 auction results for Katsukawa Shun'ei at 7 houses since 2000. Over the last 24 months the median price was $3,655 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,316–$5,848, n=9). The auction record is $65,791 for The actor Kataoka Nizaemon VII in the role of Shirodayu (2025, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

**Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The actor Kataoka Nizaemon VII in the role of Shirodayu | Woodblock print | $65,791 | Sotheby's | Jun 2025 |
| 2 | Tachibanaya Chusha (The actor Ichikawa Yaozo II as Tachibanaya Chusha), 1762 | Woodblock print | $8,125 | Christie's | Sep 2021 |
| 3 | (Lots 456-461), 1819 | Woodblock print | $7,591 | Bonhams | Nov 2012 |
| 4 | Hamagaseki, Goshonoura and Yuzuruha, 1762 | Woodblock print | $7,500 | Christie's | Sep 2021 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dancer Performing Kikujido (The Chrysanthemum Boy), 1792 | Woodcuts | $18,750 | Christie's | Sep 2020 |
| 2 | The wrestler Kachozan, 1790 | Woodcuts | $6,930 | Christie's | Mar 2022 |
| 3 | The actor Segawa Kikunojo, 1762 | Woodcuts | $6,048 | Christie's | Sep 2023 |
| 4 | An actor in a Chinese role wielding a hoe beneath plum blossom, 1790 | Woodcuts | $5,848 | Sotheby's | Jun 2025 |
| 5 | The actor Nakamura Nakazo I in the role of a swordsman, 1790 | Woodcuts | $5,848 | Sotheby's | Jun 2025 |
| 6 | The actor Yamamura Giemon II in an Osaka Play (Osaka-chu no shibai, Yamamura Giemon), 1792 | Woodcuts | $5,848 | Sotheby's | Jun 2025 |

**Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Prints | 11 | $5,848 |
| Other | 15 | $3,500 |

**Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 26 | $3,703 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 29 results from 7 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Katsukawa Shun'ei is a Japanese artist with 37 auction lots recorded since 2000, median price $3,578. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page.

A work by Katsukawa Shun'ei sold in 2025 for $65,791, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Katsukawa Shun'ei work worth?

Across 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Katsukawa Shun'ei work is $3,578.

The median Katsukawa Shun'ei print sells for $3,655 across 28 lots.

The median Katsukawa Shun'ei work on paper sells for $580 across 1 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Katsukawa Shun'ei prints typically sell for $1,681–$5,998 (the middle half of 26 sold lots).

Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 28 | $3,655† | $65,791 | — | 2026-09-24 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $580 | $580 | — | 2025-06-13 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 26 | $1,681–$5,998 | $3,703 | $65,791 |

Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $65,791 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $18,750 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $580 |

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 Katsukawa Shun'ei worth?

Across 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Katsukawa Shun'ei work is $3,578. The median Katsukawa Shun'ei print sells for $3,655 across 28 lots. The median Katsukawa Shun'ei work on paper sells for $580 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Katsukawa Shun'ei prints typically sell for $1,681–$5,998 (the middle half of 26 sold lots). Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is the average price of a Katsukawa Shun'ei print?

Based on 28 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Katsukawa Shun'ei print is $3,655. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Katsukawa Shun'ei's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Katsukawa Shun'ei print is $65,791.

### What is the average price of a small Katsukawa Shun'ei print?

Based on 26 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Katsukawa Shun'ei print (small (under 50 cm)) is $3,703, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

### What is Katsukawa Shun'ei's auction record?

Katsukawa Shun'ei's auction record is $65,791, set in 2025.

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Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Katsukawa Shun'ei auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/katsukawa-shun-ei (updated 2026-11-03).

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.
