Abraham Rattner Auction Prices and Value Guide

Abraham Rattner auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 899 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Abraham Rattner auction prices: quick answer

Abraham Rattner auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Abraham Rattner
Source records
899
Market update
2026-02-16

Artist context

About Abraham Rattner

Abraham Rattner (1895–1978) was an American painter born in Poughkeepsie, New York, recognized for his vividly colored compositions and recurring engagement with religious themes. After serving as a camouflage artist with the U.S. Army in France during World War I, Rattner moved to Paris in 1920, where he lived and worked for two decades before returning to New York City in 1940. His time in Paris placed him alongside European modernists, and his mature work blends figurative painting with a distinctive use of saturated color. Rattner's paintings are held in major museum collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Collectors most often encounter his oil paintings and watercolors, which range from biblical narratives to figurative abstractions.

ModernismOil paintingWatercolorDesignReligious and biblical themes

Common works and media

Rattner's most commonly encountered works at auction and in collections include oil paintings on canvas and panel, watercolors on paper, and drawings. His subjects range widely but are dominated by biblical and religious narratives, figurative compositions, and abstracted landscapes. Prints and design works are also known. Works span much of the twentieth century, from his early Paris years through his later New York period.

Market and appraisal context

Abraham Rattner's secondary market is well established, with 333 auction lots recorded from 1991 through early 2026 and 127 lots with published realized prices. Auction activity has increased year over year (24 lots in the most recent 12 months vs. 13 in the prior period), suggesting steady collector interest. His work has appeared at major houses including Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams, and Hindman, as well as numerous regional specialists such as RoGallery, Nadeau's Auction Gallery, Clarke Auction Gallery, and Millea Bros. Price dispersion is wide: the interquartile range spans $100–$1,638 USD with a median of $325 and a ceiling of $23,000. Oil paintings with figurative or religious subjects command the strongest results—Hindman sold 'Figure with Wings and Mask, 1950' for $6,000 in December 2023. By contrast, individual lithographs such as the well-circulated 'Fire' (1937, Verve) routinely trade between $20 and $125, reflecting high edition availability. Portfolios like 'In the Beginning…' have realized $325–$850 depending on condition and completeness. Watercolors and drawings show a broad range from $15 to several hundred dollars, influenced heavily by subject matter, size, and inscriptions.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Oil painting
  • Watercolor
  • Lithograph
  • Drawing
  • Print portfolio

Value drivers

  1. Oil paintings and watercolors are the most commonly encountered work types at auction
  2. Religious and figurative subjects predominate his mature output
  3. Provenance linking to his Paris period (1920–1940) or major exhibitions may affect value
  4. Medium is the strongest price differentiator: oil paintings on canvas consistently outperform prints, drawings, and works on paper
  5. Subject matter matters—biblical and religious compositions (e.g., 'Study for Crucifixion') and figurative works attract more competitive bidding than generic abstractions
  6. Date of execution: works from the mature Paris and early New York periods (1920s–1950s) tend to carry more weight than later pieces

Appraisal caveats

  • Attribution should be verified against catalogue raisonné or expert opinion; the artist's style overlaps with mid-century American modernists
  • Some sources disagree on the artist's birth year (1893 vs. 1895), which may affect dating of early works
  • Auction prices reflect the secondary market and may not represent retail or insurance replacement values, which are typically higher
  • The $23,000 maximum price is an outlier; the vast majority of lots trade below $2,000, and the median is $325

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

Data basis

This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for Abraham Rattner

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Abraham Rattner worth?

Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.

Can Appraisily value my Abraham Rattner artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.