Emerson S. Woelffer Auction Prices and Value Guide
Emerson S. Woelffer auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 438 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Emerson S. Woelffer auction prices: quick answer
Emerson S. Woelffer auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Emerson S. Woelffer
- Source records
- 438
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Emerson S. Woelffer
Emerson Seville Woelffer (1914–2003) was an American painter and educator recognized as a significant figure in Abstract Expressionism. Born in Chicago, he built a career spanning painting and arts education at leading institutions across the United States. Woelffer is particularly noted for his role in introducing modernist ideas to the Los Angeles art scene during his tenure at the Chouinard Art Institute, where he influenced a generation of West Coast artists. His work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, confirming his place within the broader narrative of post-war American abstraction. With 438 recorded auction appearances, collectors encounter Woelffer's paintings and works on paper with some regularity in the secondary market.
Abstract ExpressionismModernismpaintingdrawingabstract composition
Common works and media
Woelffer is best known for abstract paintings in oil on canvas, often featuring bold color and gestural mark-making. Works on paper, including drawings and prints, also appear with regularity at auction. Collectors may encounter both larger canvases from his mature period and smaller-scale works or studies. Editioned prints and works on paper can offer accessible entry points into his market.
Market and appraisal context
Emerson S. Woelffer's secondary-market footprint is modest but active. The Appraisily auction record index shows 5 priced lots spanning 2008–2025, with realized prices ranging from $1,200 to $26,400 USD. The median is $3,250 and the interquartile spread is narrow ($1,700–$3,500), indicating that most works trade in a stable mid-hundreds to low-thousands band. A single outlier—$26,400 at Barridoff Auctions in August 2008—likely reflects a larger or historically significant canvas and sits well above the typical range. Recent activity is thin: only one lot sold in the trailing twelve months ($1,700 at Curated Gallery Auctions, October 2025), down from two the prior year. Auction appearances are concentrated at regional American houses (Abell Auction, Hill Auction Gallery, Barridoff Auctions, Curated Gallery Auctions) with occasional placement at Rago Arts and Auction Center. Woelffer's work is catalogued primarily as painting and drawing within Post-War and Contemporary Art or American Art categories. His institutional presence—work held by the Museum of Modern Art, New York—provides a credible floor of recognition, but the auction sample is small and dominated by regional rather than international houses, which limits the reliability of price-trend extrapolation.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Post-War and Contemporary Art
- American Art
- Paintings
- Works on Paper
- Drawings
Value drivers
- [object Object]
Appraisal caveats
- Market data specific to Woelffer is limited in the source pack; appraisal should reference recent comparable auction results from major houses.
- Woelffer's auction presence may be thinner than better-known Abstract Expressionist peers, so small sample sizes can skew price comparisons.
- [object Object]
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
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.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Emerson S. Woelffer 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 Emerson S. Woelffer artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.