> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ralph-balson · updated 2026-11-03 # Ralph Balson (1890–1964) ## What is Ralph Balson’s work worth? {#value} As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 61 auction results for Ralph Balson at 9 houses since 2003. Over the last 24 months the median price was $51,604 including buyer’s premium (middle half $10,739–$51,842, n=5). The auction record is $566,940 for CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING (2017, Deutscher and Hackett). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database. **Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture** | # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | 1 | CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING, 1953 | Bronze | $566,940 | Deutscher and Hackett | Aug 2017 | | 2 | CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING, 1953 | Oil on composition board | $413,515 | Deutscher and Hackett | Aug 2017 | | 3 | Painting no. 36, 1956, 1890 | Oil on board | $177,229 | Bonhams | Jun 2018 | | 4 | NON-OBJECTIVE PAINTING, 1958 | Oil on composition board | $136,990 | Deutscher and Hackett | Aug 2012 | | 5 | CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING, 1953 | Oil on composition board | $96,918 | Deutscher and Hackett | Nov 2018 | | 6 | CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING, 1955 | Oil on composition board | $78,759 | Deutscher and Hackett | Aug 2018 | | 7 | CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING, 1955 | Oil on composition board | $77,534 | Deutscher and Hackett | Aug 2018 | | 8 | CONSTRUCTIVE PAINTING, c.1942 | Oil on card | $56,331 | Deutscher and Hackett | Nov 2024 | | 9 | CONSTRUCTIVIST PAINTING, c.1942 | Oil on card | $51,842 | Deutscher and Hackett | Nov 2024 | | 10 | Constructive Painting, 1942 | Oil on card | $51,604 | Deutscher and Hackett | Nov 2024 | **Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)** | Medium | Sales | Median | |---|---|---| | Paintings | 27 | $25,999 | | Other | 6 | $23,284 | **Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)** | Size | Sales | Median | |---|---|---| | Medium (50-120 cm) | 27 | $25,036 | | Large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $22,115 | Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 61 results from 9 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data) Ralph Balson is an Australian artist with 83 auction lots recorded since 2003, median price $20,774. 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 Ralph Balson sold in 2024 for $51,842, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. ## What is a Ralph Balson work worth? Across 61 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Ralph Balson work is $20,774. The median Ralph Balson painting sells for $20,813 across 51 lots. The median Ralph Balson work on paper sells for $4,434 across 2 lots. The median Ralph Balson print sells for $49 across 1 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Ralph Balson paintings typically sell for $8,598–$48,649 (the middle half of 40 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 | 1 | $49 | $49 | — | 2024-03-17 | | Paintings | 62 | $20,813†‡ | $566,940 | 82.3% | 2026-06-02 | | Works on Paper | 2 | $4,434‡ | $7,891‡ | — | 2022-05-17 | | Masterpieces (top of market) | 7 | $233,126† | $566,940 | — | 2023-05-02 | † hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. Ralph Balson's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (1 lots) median $49. Paintings (62 lots) median $20,813, record $566,940. A typical Ralph Balson painting sells for around 423× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 7 lots) the median is $233,126. ## Price by size ### Paintings | Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record | |---|---|---|---|---| | medium (50–120 cm) | 40 | $8,598–$48,649†‡ | $21,043†‡ | $566,940 | | large (over 120 cm) | 6 | $21,907–$27,961‡ | $23,252‡ | $136,990 | † 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 | 2017 | $566,940 | | Paintings | 2017 | $413,515 | | Works on Paper | 2022 | $7,891‡ | | Works on Paper | 2011 | $977 | | Prints & Editions | 2024 | $49 | ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. 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 Ralph Balson worth? Across 61 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Ralph Balson work is $20,774. The median Ralph Balson painting sells for $20,813 across 51 lots. The median Ralph Balson work on paper sells for $4,434 across 2 lots. The median Ralph Balson print sells for $49 across 1 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Ralph Balson paintings typically sell for $8,598–$48,649 (the middle half of 40 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 Ralph Balson painting? Based on 51 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ralph Balson painting is $20,813. 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 Ralph Balson's most expensive painting? The highest price recorded at auction for a Ralph Balson painting is $566,940. ### What is the average price of a medium Ralph Balson painting? Based on 40 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Ralph Balson painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $21,043, 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 Ralph Balson's auction record? Ralph Balson's auction record is $566,940, set in 2017. --- Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly. Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Ralph Balson auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ralph-balson (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.