Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891)
What is Shibata Zeshin’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 100 auction results for Shibata Zeshin at 17 houses since 2002. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,424 including buyer’s premium (middle half $494–$8,383, n=11). The auction record is $275,000 for A RECTANGULAR LACQUER TRAY WITH DECORATION OF AUTUMN GRASSES AND MOON (2019, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A RECTANGULAR LACQUER TRAY WITH DECORATION OF AUTUMN GRASSES AND MOON | Gold | $275,000 | Christie's | Mar 2019 |
| 2 | THE NARROW ROAD TO SHU, 1807 | Hanging scroll | $275,000 | Christie's | Mar 2019 |
| 3 | Landscapes, plants and animals of four seasons, 1807 | Twelve paintings for an accordion album; lacquer on paper or lacquer and gold leaf on paper | $137,500 | Christie's | Sep 2021 |
| 4 | Pine tree and cranes, 1807 | Six-panel miniature screens | $118,750 | Christie's | Apr 2016 |
| 5 | A RECTANGULAR LACQUER TRAY | Silver | $93,750 | Christie's | Mar 2019 |
| 6 | 臼と杵図, 1885 | Lacquer | $74,754 | Bonhams | Nov 2011 |
| 7 | Dated 1866, 1866 | Colour on paper | $51,777 | Bonhams | Nov 2011 |
| 8 | A Lacquer Inro with Shoki the Demon-Queller and an Oni (Demon), and a Netsuke with a Sake-Bottle, 1886 | Lacquer | $42,600 | Bonhams | Nov 2022 |
| 9 | flower vase with a trailing branch of boke (chaenomeles japonica, also known as Japanese quince) blossoms, 1807 | Lacquer | $41,884 | Bonhams | Nov 2011 |
| 10 | Long-tailed Rooster, 1807 | Gold | $40,000 | Christie's | Sep 2020 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Works on paper | 27 | $6,875 |
| Other | 45 | $5,573 |
| Paintings | 8 | $2,312 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 16 | $7,793 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 18 | $7,458 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 39 | $5,573 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 100 results from 17 houses · How we compute these figures
Shibata Zeshin is a Japanese artist with 170 auction lots recorded since 2000, median price $3,500. 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 Shibata Zeshin is recorded as sold in 2026 for $10,108; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Shibata Zeshin record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Shibata Zeshin on OpeningBid →What is a Shibata Zeshin work worth?
Across 100 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Shibata Zeshin work is $3,500.
The median Shibata Zeshin work on paper sells for $8,726 across 32 lots.
The median Shibata Zeshin print sells for $295 across 18 lots.
The median Shibata Zeshin painting sells for $1,634 across 9 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 | 30 | $295†‡ | $5,573 | 60% | 2026-06-16 |
| Paintings | 16 | $1,634‡ | $118,750 | 56.3% | 2026-05-30 |
| Works on Paper | 51 | $8,726‡ | $275,000 | 62.7% | 2026-05-30 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2 | $9,703† | $18,980 | — | 2024-11-14 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 5 | $137,500 | $275,000 | — | 2021-09-21 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Shibata Zeshin's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (30 lots) median $295 with 60% sell-through. Paintings (16 lots) median $1,634, record $118,750. A typical Shibata Zeshin painting sells for around 5.5× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 5 lots) the median is $137,500.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 12 | $234–$1,252†‡ | $295†‡ | $5,573 |
† 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) | 9 | $3,750–$14,181‡ | $6,250‡ | $137,500 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 10 | $6,219–$21,250‡ | $8,955‡ | $275,000 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 12 | $5,361–$25,517 | $9,037 | $51,777 |
‡ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2019 | $275,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2021 | $137,500 |
| Paintings | 2016 | $118,750 |
| Paintings | 2013 | $28,585 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2015 | $18,980 |
| Prints & Editions | 2014 | $5,573 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $1,546 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2024 | $425† |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Shibata Zeshin worth?
Across 100 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Shibata Zeshin work is $3,500. The median Shibata Zeshin work on paper sells for $8,726 across 32 lots. The median Shibata Zeshin print sells for $295 across 18 lots. The median Shibata Zeshin painting sells for $1,634 across 9 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 Shibata Zeshin work on paper?
Based on 32 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Shibata Zeshin work on paper is $8,726. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Shibata Zeshin's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Shibata Zeshin work on paper is $275,000.
What is the average price of a Shibata Zeshin print?
Based on 18 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Shibata Zeshin print is $295. 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 Shibata Zeshin's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Shibata Zeshin print is $5,573.
What is the average price of a Shibata Zeshin painting?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Shibata Zeshin painting is $1,634. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Shibata Zeshin's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Shibata Zeshin painting is $118,750.
What is the average price of a small Shibata Zeshin print?
Based on 12 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Shibata Zeshin print (small (under 50 cm)) is $295, 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 large Shibata Zeshin work on paper?
Based on 12 sold lots, the median auction price of a large Shibata Zeshin work on paper (large (over 120 cm)) is $9,037, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
What is Shibata Zeshin's auction record?
Shibata Zeshin's auction record is $275,000, set in 2019.
See the full Shibata Zeshin record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Shibata Zeshin on OpeningBid →