> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/walter-whall-battiss · updated 2026-11-02

# Walter Whall Battiss (1906–1982)

## What is Walter Whall Battiss’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 305 auction results for Walter Whall Battiss at 5 houses since 2016. Over the last 24 months the median price was $299 including buyer’s premium (middle half $147–$589, n=63). The auction record is $25,439 for Mantis (Ant life) (2017, Bonhams). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mantis (Ant life), 1906 | Oil on canvas | $25,439 | Bonhams | Sep 2017 |
| 2 | 'Beasts, birds & bush', 1906 | Oil on canvas | $12,226 | Bonhams | Mar 2016 |
| 3 | Figures with urn, 1906 | Oil on canvas | $10,711 | Bonhams | Sep 2017 |
| 4 | African horse cart, 1906 | Oil on canvas | $8,747 | Bonhams | Mar 2017 |
| 5 | A port in North Africa, 1906 | Oil on board | $6,991 | Bonhams | Mar 2019 |
| 6 | In the clearing, 1906 | Oil on canvas | $5,958 | Bonhams | Mar 2026 |
| 7 | Walter Whall Battiss (South Africa, 1906 - 1982), Recto: Young Boy Playing a Cello, verso: African Figures with Cattle | Oil on canvas | $5,610 | Russell Kaplan Auctioneers | Jul 2025 |
| 8 | Untitled (oil and gouache on board), 1906 | Oil and gouache on board | $5,447 | Bonhams | Mar 2026 |
| 9 | Figures, 1906 | Oil on canvas | $5,229 | Bonhams | Mar 2021 |
| 10 | Walter Whall Battiss (South Africa, 1906 - 1982), Woman with a Dog | Gouache on paper | $1,892 | Russell Kaplan Auctioneers | Sep 2025 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 7 | $8,747 |
| Prints | 5 | $559 |
| Works on paper | 21 | $258 |
| Other | 109 | $211 |


Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 305 results from 5 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Walter Whall Battiss is a South African artist with 144 auction lots recorded since 2015, median price $218. 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 Walter Whall Battiss sold in 2026 for $743, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Walter Whall Battiss work worth?

Across 124 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Walter Whall Battiss work is $218.

The median Walter Whall Battiss print sells for $651 across 2 lots.

The median Walter Whall Battiss painting sells for $5,958 across 1 lots.

The median Walter Whall Battiss work on paper sells for $5,447 across 1 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 | 3 | $651 | $743 | 66.7% | 2026-04-28 |
| Paintings | 1 | $5,958 | $5,958 | — | 2026-03-19 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $5,447 | $5,447 | — | 2026-03-19 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 16 | $6,428† | $25,439 | — | 2026-03-19 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

Walter Whall Battiss's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (3 lots) median $651 with 66.7% sell-through. Paintings (1 lots) median $5,958, record $5,958. A typical Walter Whall Battiss painting sells for around 9.2× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 16 lots) the median is $6,428.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2026 | $5,958 |
| Works on Paper | 2026 | $5,447 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $743 |
| Prints & Editions | 2023 | $559 |

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 Walter Whall Battiss worth?

Across 124 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Walter Whall Battiss work is $218. The median Walter Whall Battiss print sells for $651 across 2 lots. The median Walter Whall Battiss painting sells for $5,958 across 1 lots. The median Walter Whall Battiss work on paper sells for $5,447 across 1 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 Walter Whall Battiss's auction record?

Walter Whall Battiss's auction record is $25,439, set in 2017.

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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, “Walter Whall Battiss auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/walter-whall-battiss (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.