Erté Auction Prices and Value Guide

Erté auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 14,589 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Erté auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
Erté
Source records
14,589
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Erté

Erté, born Romain de Tirtoff in St. Petersburg in 1892, was a Russian-French artist and designer who became one of the defining visual voices of the Art Deco era. He adopted the pseudonym Erté from the French pronunciation of his initials, R.T. After studying in St. Petersburg and at the Académie Julian in Paris, he entered the world of haute couture and magazine illustration, producing celebrated cover designs and fashion illustrations for Harper's Bazaar over more than two decades. His work extended across costume and set design for film, theatre, and opera, as well as jewelry, graphic arts, and interior decoration. Erté's distinctive stylized figures, with their elongated forms and lavish ornamentation, came to epitomize the glamour of Art Deco design. He continued working into his nineties, creating bronze sculptures and limited-edition prints that brought his vision to new audiences. He died in Paris in 1990.

Art DecoFashion illustration and graphic designCostume and set designSculpture (bronze)Printmaking (serigraphs, lithographs)Elegant female figures and fashionTheatre and performance designArt Deco decorative motifs

Common works and media

Collectors and appraisers most often encounter Erté's work in the form of limited-edition serigraphs and lithographs featuring his signature Art Deco female figures, as well as patinated bronze sculptures produced from the 1960s onward. Original fashion illustrations in gouache or ink on paper—particularly those related to his Harper's Bazaar commissions or theatrical costume designs—are less common but highly desirable. Decorative posters, costume design studies, and jewelry designs also circulate in the secondary market. Works are typically signed Erté and, for editioned prints, numbered with edition size.

Market and appraisal context

Erté's work appears frequently at auction across several categories: original fashion illustrations and costume designs, limited-edition serigraphs and lithographs, bronze sculptures, and decorative posters. With over 14,500 recorded auction lots, the market for his work is broad and well-established. Original gouache or ink drawings from his Harper's Bazaar period are relatively scarce and tend to command higher prices than the editioned prints and bronzes produced later in his career. When assessing value, collectors should consider medium, edition size and numbering, condition, provenance documentation, and whether the work is a period original or a later reproduction. Posthumous or unauthorized editions exist, so publisher records and edition documentation are important for confident attribution.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Appraisal caveats

  • Erté produced a large volume of editioned prints and bronze sculptures in his later career, making attribution of common reproductions straightforward but original works more valuable
  • Posthumous editions and reproductions exist in the market; edition numbers and publisher documentation should be verified
  • The high total lot count (over 14,500 recorded) reflects a broad and active secondary market with wide price ranges

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 Erté

Artist value FAQ

How much is Erté 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 Erté artwork?

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