Jean Tinguely Auction Prices and Value Guide
Jean Tinguely auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 2,361 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Jean Tinguely auction prices: quick answer
Jean Tinguely auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Jean Tinguely
- Source records
- 2,361
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Jean Tinguely
Jean Tinguely (1925–1991) was a Swiss sculptor and kinetic artist whose motorized constructions rank among the most recognizable works of post-war European art. Born in Fribourg and active in Paris from the early 1950s, Tinguely built mechanical sculptures that moved, rattled, and sometimes self-destructed, extending the absurdist spirit of Dada into the age of mass production. His work satirized automation and the relentless output of industrial culture, using found metal parts, gears, belts, and painted elements to create machines that performed their own obsolescence. Tinguely was also active as a painter, collagist, and performance artist, and collaborated extensively with his second wife, Niki de Saint Phalle. Major museums including MoMA, Tate, and the Centre Pompidou hold his work in their collections. Collectors encounter Tinguely's pieces across a wide range of auction categories, from monumental outdoor sculpture to small-scale reliefs and works on paper.
Kinetic artDada (tradition and extension)Sculpture (motorized, kinetic)PaintingAssemblagePerformance artMechanical motion and automationSatire of technological overproduction
Common works and media
Collectors and appraisers most frequently encounter Tinguely's motorized kinetic sculptures and assemblages constructed from scrap metal, wire, wheels, and found industrial components. Other commonly seen work types include painted reliefs, collages, ink and mixed-media drawings, lithographic and screen prints, and small tabletop kinetic constructions. Monumental public sculptures, such as those installed in Basel and Paris, represent a distinct category. Editioned multiples and collaborative works with Niki de Saint Phalle also appear in the secondary market.
Market and appraisal context
Jean Tinguely maintains a deep and liquid secondary market spanning more than 27 years of continuous auction activity. The Appraisily auction record index catalogues 1,408 lots, of which 782 carry a realised price, with auction dates ranging from June 1999 through April 2026. Price dispersion is wide: recorded results range from €10 at the low end to €1,400,000 at the high, with a 25th percentile of €600, a median of €1,800, and a 75th percentile of €6,000. This spread reflects the broad range of media Tinguely produced — from editioned prints and small works on paper trading in the hundreds, to significant motorized kinetic sculptures that command six and seven figures at major houses. Liquidity remains active, with 86 priced lots in the most recent 12-month window and 106 in the prior 12 months. The top auction houses by volume are TGP Auction, Christie's, Artcurial, Sotheby's, Cornette de Saint-Cyr, Koller Auctions, and Galerie Fischer Auktionen AG, reflecting strong Swiss and French market centres alongside the international houses. Recent standout results at Christie's London in March 2026 include a gouache titled Vive la 6,9! at £30,480 and an oil on cardboard Untitled at £16,510, while editioned multiples, silkscreens, and works on paper at regional houses typically realise between €220 and €7,500.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Post-War & Contemporary Art
- Sculpture (motorized, kinetic)
- Works on Paper
- Prints & Multiples
- Painting
Value drivers
- Medium and complexity: motorized kinetic sculptures command the strongest interest; smaller assemblages, reliefs, and works on paper appear frequently at auction
- Provenance: works with documented exhibition history at major institutions or descent from the artist's estate carry additional weight
- Condition and mechanical function: for kinetic works, the operational state of motors and moving parts is a material factor
- Authenticity: the RKD and artist authority files support identity verification; confirmed cataloguing and archive records strengthen attribution
- Mechanical complexity and functionality: motorized kinetic sculptures with original working parts command significantly stronger results than static works or non-functional examples
- Medium and scale: monumental sculptures and complex assemblages sit at the top of the price range; works on paper, prints, and posters trade at the lower end
Appraisal caveats
- With over 2,300 auction records referenced in the Appraisily database, Tinguely's market is broad and results vary significantly by scale, medium, and period.
- Value depends on specific work characteristics, condition, provenance, and comparable public auction results; no general price range should be inferred from artist identity alone.
- Price data covers 782 priced lots out of 1,408 total records; unsold lots and lots without a recorded price are excluded from the distribution, so the observed median and percentiles reflect successful sales only.
- The maximum recorded price of €1,400,000 represents an extreme outlier; the 75th percentile is €6,000, meaning the vast majority of results fall well below six figures.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Tate 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 Jean Tinguely 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 Jean Tinguely artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.