James Earle Fraser Auction Prices and Value Guide

James Earle Fraser auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 293 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

James Earle Fraser auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
James Earle Fraser
Source records
293
Market update
2026-02-06

James Earle Fraser market snapshot

James Earle Fraser shows solid auction liquidity with 124 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $1,000. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 9 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2026-01-22.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (49.1% · 52 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (39.6% · 42 sales)
  • $10,000+ (11.3% · 12 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$1,000
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
9
Median shift vs prior year
+53.8%
Latest recorded sale
2026-01-22

Artist context

About James Earle Fraser

James Earle Fraser (1876–1953) was an American sculptor and medalist whose public commissions are embedded in some of the most recognized monuments in Washington, D.C. Born in Winona, Minnesota, Fraser trained at the Art Institute of Chicago before studying in Paris at the Académie Julian, the École des Beaux-Arts, and the Académie Colarossi. After returning to the United States he spent two formative years in the Cornish, New Hampshire studio of Augustus Saint-Gaudens before establishing his own New York City atelier in 1902. He taught at the Art Students League of New York from 1906 to 1911. Working primarily in bronze, Fraser produced portrait busts, allegorical figures, and large-scale civic monuments. His wife, Laura Gardin Fraser, was also a distinguished sculptor. Over a career spanning roughly 1900 to 1949, Fraser became one of the prominent practitioners of American monumental sculpture.

American Beaux-Arts sculpture traditionbronzeportraitsallegory

Common works and media

Bronze portrait busts, allegorical figural sculptures, reduced-scale casts of public monuments, commemorative medals, and coin designs. Fraser's subjects lean toward portraiture and classical allegory, executed almost exclusively in cast bronze. Table-top reductions of his civic commissions are the form most frequently encountered at auction.

Market and appraisal context

Fraser's work appears regularly at auction, most often as bronze sculptures—ranging from table-top reductions of his public monuments to portrait busts and allegorical figures. Collectors should consider edition, foundry marks, patina condition, and whether a bronze is a lifetime cast or later reissue. Provenance from the artist's estate or from Laura Gardin Fraser's holdings can support attribution. Monumental maquettes and unique plaster studies are less common but carry significance when documented. His numismatic designs are collected separately under coin and medal conventions rather than fine-art sculpture markets.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Appraisal caveats

  • Reduced-scale bronze casts of monumental works may exist in multiple authorized editions; edition size and foundry records affect value
  • Attribution of unsigned studio studies requires connoisseurship or expert authentication
  • Fraser's medallic and numismatic work (including coin designs) is catalogued separately from his fine-art sculpture and follows different market conventions

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 James Earle Fraser

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is James Earle Fraser 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 James Earle Fraser artwork?

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