Gertrude Abercrombie Auction Prices and Value Guide
Gertrude Abercrombie auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 445 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Gertrude Abercrombie auction prices: quick answer
Gertrude Abercrombie auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Gertrude Abercrombie
- Source records
- 445
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Gertrude Abercrombie
Gertrude Abercrombie (1909–1977) was an American painter based in Chicago, widely recognized as a central figure in the city's mid-century creative community. Born in Austin, Texas, and active from the 1930s through the 1970s, Abercrombie became known for enigmatic, dreamlike compositions that drew on surrealist traditions while remaining distinctly personal. She was called "the queen of the Bohemian artists" for her central role in Chicago's jazz and art circles, where she counted musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan among her close friends. Jazz improvisation deeply influenced her painting practice. Her work is held in major museum collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1936 she received the Joseph N. Eisendraht Prize. Abercrombie's paintings — often small-scale oils featuring moons, cats, solitary figures, and stark interiors — have gained increasing recognition in the decades since her death.
Chicago art scene, mid-20th century; associated with surrealist-influenced painting and bohemian creative circlesoil paintingdreamlike and surreal imagery; still life; landscapes; interiors; cats; solitary figures; moons and nocturnal scenes
Common works and media
Abercrombie worked primarily in oil on canvas and hardboard, often at modest scale. Her most commonly encountered works include dreamlike landscapes with moons and barren trees, interior scenes with cats or solitary female figures, still lifes, and portraits of jazz musicians. She also produced drawings and prints, though paintings dominate her auction record. Collectors may encounter works ranging from major gallery oils to smaller, more personal compositions. Signed works with clear provenance are standard; unsigned or unattributed pieces require expert authentication.
Market and appraisal context
Abercrombie's work has a well-established secondary-market presence, with over 400 auction lots recorded. Collectors and appraisers should consider several factors when evaluating a painting: authenticity and attribution, medium and support (oil on canvas or panel is typical), provenance and exhibition history, date of execution, condition, and subject matter. Works featuring her signature surrealist imagery — moons, solitary figures, cats, nocturnal landscapes — tend to attract the strongest collector interest. Institutional provenance or exhibition history, particularly ties to MoMA or other major collections, can significantly affect value. As with any mid-century American painter, comparable public auction results and expert attribution review are essential for appraisal.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Post-War and Contemporary Art
- American Art
Value drivers
- Provenance and exhibition history, particularly MoMA and other institutional holdings
- Condition and medium (oil on canvas or panel most common)
- Subject matter — dreamlike, surrealist compositions with recurring motifs tend to be most sought after
- Date of execution — works from her most recognized periods carry stronger market interest
Appraisal caveats
- Market context drawn from institutional records and biographical sources rather than recent auction results in this source pack. Comparable public auction records should be consulted for current valuation.
- 445 auction records referenced in the artist's Invaluable/Appraisily data, suggesting a substantial secondary-market footprint.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Library of Congress library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Wikidata library authority
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 Gertrude Abercrombie 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 Gertrude Abercrombie artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.