Emil James Bisttram Auction Prices and Value Guide
Emil James Bisttram auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 388 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Emil James Bisttram auction prices: quick answer
Emil James Bisttram auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Emil James Bisttram
- Source records
- 388
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Emil James Bisttram market snapshot
Emil James Bisttram shows solid auction liquidity with 85 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $2,629. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 8 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-11-08.
Realized price distribution
- Under $1,000 (14.5% · 10 sales)
- $1,000 to $10,000 (69.6% · 48 sales)
- $10,000+ (15.9% · 11 sales)
- Median sale (last 12 months)
- $2,767
- Sales recorded (last 12 months)
- 8
- Median shift vs prior year
- 0.0%
- Latest recorded sale
- 2025-11-08
Artist context
About Emil James Bisttram
Born
1895
Died
1976
Nationality
Hungarian-American
Also known as
Emil Bisttram
Emil James Bisttram (1895–1976) was a Hungarian-American artist associated with modernist and abstract art in the United States. Authority records describe him as both a painter and printmaker, while biographical sources connect his career with New York and Taos, New Mexico. He is also identified as a co-founder of the Transcendental Painting Group, an important context for interpreting his abstract work. Bisttram's documented production extended beyond easel painting and prints to public murals and preparatory mural studies, including civic projects concerned with justice. Collectors may therefore encounter his name across several kinds of objects rather than within a single uniform body of work. Establishing the medium, date, subject, physical history, and relationship to his broader modernist practice is especially useful when identifying or comparing a work attributed to Bisttram.
ModernismAbstract artTranscendental Painting GroupPaintingPrintmakingMurals and mural studiesAbstract compositionsJustice and civic themes in public mural projects
Common works and media
Works encountered in appraisal and auction contexts include paintings, works on paper, and prints. Documented public projects also establish Bisttram's work in murals and mural studies, including civic imagery concerning justice, while abstract compositions reflect his modernist and Transcendental Painting Group context. Auction records additionally place some attributed objects in sculpture, mixed-media, decorative-art, and edition categories; these less concentrated categories require careful verification of medium and authorship.
Market and appraisal context
Auction evidence for Bisttram spans paintings, works on paper and prints, as well as smaller groups described as sculpture, mixed media, decorative art, or editions. A credible appraisal should compare the object with public sales of genuinely similar works rather than applying one artist-wide price benchmark. Medium, dimensions, date, condition, restoration, signature or inscriptions, attribution confidence, provenance, exhibition history, and catalogue references can all affect comparability. Subject matter, rarity, and current demand also deserve consideration. Public results are only a starting point because private transactions, incomplete feeds, fee treatment, and later attribution changes may not be reflected in the available data.
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
- Medium, dimensions, date, and period within the artist's career
- Condition, restoration history, and surface quality
- Signature, inscriptions, edition details, and attribution confidence
- Provenance, exhibition history, and catalogue references
- Recent public auction results for works comparable in type and characteristics
- Subject matter, rarity, and current demand
Appraisal caveats
- Public auction records provide comparable evidence but do not constitute a complete appraisal.
- Private sales, incomplete auction feeds, and later attribution changes may not appear in the available record set.
- Reported auction totals may include buyer premiums or other fees, so comparisons should use consistent price definitions.
- Authentication, condition, and restoration can materially affect a work's appraisal context.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context is based on collected public records: medium confidence, adequate source quality.
- Wikidata library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- IdRef library authority
- National Gallery of 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 Emil James Bisttram 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 Emil James Bisttram artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.