Beatrice Wood Auction Prices and Value Guide

Beatrice Wood auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 738 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Beatrice Wood auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
Beatrice Wood
Source records
738
Market update
2026-02-16

Artist context

About Beatrice Wood

Beatrice Wood (1893–1998) was an American ceramicist, potter, and painter whose career spanned nearly the entire twentieth century. Born in San Francisco, she studied art and theater in Paris before settling in New York, where she became a key participant in the Dada movement alongside Marcel Duchamp and Henri-Pierre Roché. In 1917 the trio founded The Blind Man, one of the landmark Dada publications in the United States. Wood later shifted focus to ceramics in the 1930s, developing a distinctive luster-glaze technique that became her signature. She lived and worked for decades in the Ojai Valley of California, continuing to produce art well past her hundredth year. Known as the "Mama of Dada," Wood remains significant both as a modernist figure and as a studio potter whose work is held by major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Dadaceramicspotterysculpturepaintingluster-glaze ceramics

Common works and media

Wood's most frequently encountered works are hand-thrown or sculpted ceramic vessels, bowls, vases, and plates finished with metallic luster glazes in iridescent gold, copper, and green tones. She also produced figural sculptures, tiles, and mixed-media drawings. Earlier in her career she created drawings, prints, and collage works associated with the New York Dada circle. Editioned prints and published ephemera related to The Blind Man magazine are collectible but uncommon.

Market and appraisal context

Beatrice Wood maintains a deep and liquid secondary market with 495 auction lots recorded from 2002 through April 2026, of which 409 carry realized prices. Her work trades regularly at established houses including Bonhams, Rago Arts and Auction Center, Heritage Auctions, Sotheby's, and Christie's, alongside regional specialists such as Los Angeles Modern Auctions, John Moran Auctioneers, Clars Auctions, California Auctioneers, and Toomey & Co. The price distribution ranges from $35 at the low end to $20,000 at the top, with a median of $1,500 and an interquartile spread of $800–$3,125. Liquidity is strong: 55 lots appeared in the most recent 12-month window (down modestly from 66 in the prior period), indicating consistent collector demand. Luster-glaze chalice forms, figural vessels, and teapots dominate recent results, with chalice forms at Rago achieving $2,400–$7,500 and large figural chalices reaching the upper tier. Heritage Auctions and Rago are the most frequent contemporary venues.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Post-War and Contemporary Ceramics
  • Modern and Contemporary Art
  • ceramics
  • pottery
  • sculpture

Value drivers

  1. Luster-glaze pottery is the most recognized and collected medium
  2. Dada movement association and connection to Marcel Duchamp enhance historical significance
  3. With 738 auction records, Wood has a well-established secondary market presence
  4. Provenance tied to Ojai Valley studio or documented exhibition history adds value
  5. Form type: chalice forms with figural elements command the strongest prices ($2,400–$7,500+), followed by teapots and tea services ($750–$4,600), with simple bowls and plates at the lower end
  6. Glaze quality: luster-glaze earthenware with pronounced iridescence consistently outperforms matte-glaze works; condition of the luster surface is a primary value driver

Appraisal caveats

  • Attribution should be confirmed against documented ceramics signatures and marks, as Wood's luster glazes have been widely reproduced and inspired by other makers.
  • Later-life works are more abundant; earlier Dada-era works and ephemera are significantly rarer and command stronger premiums.
  • Condition of ceramic works, particularly luster glazes, materially affects value.
  • Of 495 recorded lots, 86 lack realized prices, meaning bid results, withdrawn lots, or post-sale data gaps are present in the record set

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 Beatrice Wood

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Beatrice Wood 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 Beatrice Wood artwork?

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