David Klein Auction Prices and Value Guide

David Klein auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 1,477 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

David Klein auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
David Klein
Source records
1,477
Market update
2026-02-06

David Klein market snapshot

David Klein shows deep auction liquidity with 327 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $840. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 33 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-11-19.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (53.8% · 134 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (44.6% · 111 sales)
  • $10,000+ (1.6% · 4 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$750
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
33
Median shift vs prior year
+9.2%
Latest recorded sale
2025-11-19

Artist context

About David Klein

Born

1918

Died

2005

Nationality

American

David Klein (1918–2005) was an American artist and illustrator whose career connected commercial art, graphic design, and popular visual culture. He produced imagery for advertising, Broadway theatrical productions, Hollywood films, the United States Army, and corporate clients. Collectors most often encounter his name in connection with the dynamic travel images developed for Trans World Airlines during the 1950s and 1960s. His poster work used bold graphic composition to communicate destinations, movement, and modern travel, while his broader output included illustration and promotional design. Auction records may therefore bring together original works, works on paper, printed posters, and editions under the same artist name. When identifying a David Klein work, the subject, intended commercial use, printing or publication history, signature, and condition can help distinguish an original design from a later or authorized reproduction.

Posters and graphic illustrationWorks on paper and printsPaintings, sculpture, mixed media, and editions appear in matched auction categoriesTravel and destination imageryTheatrical productions and Hollywood filmsCorporate advertising subjects

Common works and media

Commonly encountered David Klein material includes travel and advertising posters, graphic designs, works on paper, prints, editions, and original illustrations. The collected market record also includes paintings, sculpture, mixed media, and decorative-art categories, although those classifications should be checked against the individual lot. TWA-related travel imagery and designs connected to theatrical or corporate promotion are especially relevant identification contexts. Buyers should determine whether a work is an original artwork, a published poster, a limited edition, or a later reproduction, and should compare the physical object with its stated medium, dimensions, printing details, signature, and provenance.

Market and appraisal context

David Klein auction results should be compared by object type rather than treated as one uniform market. A travel poster, original illustration, painting, print, or edition may have a very different value profile. Appraisal commonly considers medium, dimensions, date, condition, restoration, surface quality, signature, inscriptions, edition information, provenance, exhibition or catalogue references, and attribution confidence. Subject matter and rarity can also matter, particularly for recognizable travel or advertising imagery. Appraisily’s collected records show a broad set of categories and public results, but auction data is incomplete and may reflect different fee conventions. Public comparables are useful evidence, not a substitute for examining the object and its documentation.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Fine art and paintings
  • Works on paper and prints
  • Sculpture and mixed media
  • Decorative art and editions

Value drivers

  1. Medium, size, date, and period within the artist's career
  2. Condition, restoration history, and surface quality
  3. Signature, inscriptions, edition details, and attribution confidence
  4. Provenance, exhibition history, and catalogue references
  5. Recent comparable auction sales for similar works
  6. Subject matter, rarity, and current market demand

Appraisal caveats

  • Public auction records are a starting point rather than a final appraisal.
  • Private sales, incomplete feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
  • Auction totals may include buyer premiums or fees depending on how the result was reported.
  • The public identity record is supported by authority files, but detailed biographical and art-historical documentation in the collected source pack is limited.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context is based on collected public records: medium confidence, adequate source quality.

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 David Klein

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is David Klein 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 David Klein artwork?

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