> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/tess-jaray · updated 2026-11-02

# Tess Jaray (b. 1937)

## What is Tess Jaray’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 31 auction results for Tess Jaray at 15 houses since 2009. Over the last 24 months the median price was $416 including buyer’s premium (middle half $264–$1,269, n=6). The auction record is $45,717 for Lofty Grey (2019, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lofty Grey, 1961 | Oil paint | $45,717 | Christie's | Apr 2019 |
| 2 | Only Under a Dark Sky, 1937 | Painting | $2,897 | Bonhams | Sep 2020 |
| 3 | Red Drop, 2006 | Painting | $2,107 | Christie's | Nov 2019 |
| 4 | Abstract composition, 1937 | Oil on canvas | $1,831 | Bonhams | Mar 2015 |
| 5 | Blue Window, 2008 | Painting | $1,459 | Christie's | Nov 2019 |
| 6 | Untitled, 1999 | Movement (YBAs) | $1,307 | Olympia Auctions | Jun 2024 |
| 7 | Untitled, 1966 | Pencil | $972 | Christie's | Nov 2019 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thorns 5, 1937 | Screenprint | $3,801 | Bonhams | Dec 2020 |
| 2 | Constructions | 9 etchings on wove with colour | $1,521 | Roseberys London | Sep 2025 |
| 3 | Constructions | Screenprints on wove | $1,512 | Roseberys London | Feb 2025 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 5 | $2,107 |
| Prints | 15 | $375 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $723 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 9 | $344 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 31 results from 15 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Tess Jaray is a British (modern) artist with 39 auction lots recorded since 2009, median price $541. 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 Tess Jaray sold in 2025 for $1,521, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Tess Jaray work worth?

Across 30 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Tess Jaray work is $541.

The median Tess Jaray print sells for $349 across 20 lots.

The median Tess Jaray painting sells for $2,107 across 6 lots.

The median Tess Jaray work on paper sells for $972 across 3 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 | 26 | $349†‡ | $3,801 | 76.9% | 2026-06-11 |
| Paintings | 8 | $2,107 | $45,717 | 75% | 2022-03-16 |
| Works on Paper | 3 | $972 | $1,307 | — | 2024-06-12 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Tess Jaray's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (26 lots) median $349 with 76.9% sell-through. Paintings (8 lots) median $2,107, record $45,717. A typical Tess Jaray painting sells for around 6.0× the price of a typical print.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 11 | $324–$1,165‡ | $539‡ | $3,801 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 9 | $127–$344†‡ | $175†‡ | $543‡ |

† 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 | 2019 | $45,717 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $3,801 |
| Paintings | 2020 | $2,897 |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $1,521 |
| Works on Paper | 2024 | $1,307 |
| Works on Paper | 2019 | $972 |

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 Tess Jaray worth?

Across 30 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Tess Jaray work is $541. The median Tess Jaray print sells for $349 across 20 lots. The median Tess Jaray painting sells for $2,107 across 6 lots. The median Tess Jaray work on paper sells for $972 across 3 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 Tess Jaray print?

Based on 20 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Tess Jaray print is $349. 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 Tess Jaray's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Tess Jaray print is $3,801.

### What is the average price of a small Tess Jaray print?

Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Tess Jaray print (small (under 50 cm)) is $539, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Tess Jaray's auction record?

Tess Jaray's auction record is $45,717, set in 2019.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Tess Jaray auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/tess-jaray (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.
