Ken Done Auction Prices and Value Guide

Ken Done auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 227 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Ken Done auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
Ken Done
Source records
227
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Ken Done

Ken Done (born 1940, Sydney) is an Australian painter and designer whose vivid, colour-saturated images of Australian landmarks and coastal life have made him one of the country's most recognisable living artists. He entered the National Art School in East Sydney at age fourteen, studying there from 1954 to 1959, and after a period abroad returned to Sydney in 1969 to devote himself to painting full-time from 1975. While the public often associates Done with his widely sold Done Design brand of clothing and homewares, his primary practice has always been painting. Art critic John McDonald has described him as "a very serious artist." Done continues to exhibit actively, with recent shows at Australian institutions including HOTA on the Gold Coast, and his official studio produces limited edition prints alongside original works in oil and acrylic on linen.

Contemporary Australian artOil and acrylic on linenLimited edition printsDesign for clothing and homewaresAustralian landmarksReefs and marine subjectsBeaches and coastal scenes

Common works and media

Original paintings in oil and acrylic on linen featuring reef, harbour, and Australian landmark subjects; limited edition screen prints and giclée prints sold through the artist's studio; poster editions; collaborative design works such as the Ken Done x Saturdays NYC collection; illustrated books including Poems from Home (2026). Collectors may also encounter earlier design-era textiles and homewares bearing Done motifs, which are commercial rather than fine-art pieces.

Market and appraisal context

Ken Done's work spans both fine art and commercial design, which means collectors encountering his pieces should first establish whether they hold an original painting, a limited edition print, or licensed merchandise. Original oil and acrylic paintings on linen form the top tier of his market. Limited edition prints, sold through his official studio, can carry value depending on edition size, date, and provenance. Done Design-branded clothing and homewares are commercial products and should not be appraised as fine art. Provenance, condition, exhibition history, and clear distinction between fine art and design output are the key factors in any Done appraisal.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Post-War and Contemporary Art
  • Australian Art
  • Prints and Multiples

Value drivers

  1. Medium: original oil and acrylic paintings carry higher value than prints or design reproductions
  2. Edition: limited edition prints may retain value depending on edition size and provenance
  3. Provenance and exhibition history: works exhibited at major Australian institutions (e.g., HOTA) may carry additional interest
  4. Attribution: the Done Design brand encompasses both fine art and commercial product lines; distinguishing original artwork from licensed design merchandise is essential for appraisal

Appraisal caveats

  • Done's commercial design output (clothing, homewares) is widely distributed and not equivalent in value to original paintings
  • No major-auction-house source was available in the source pack; comparable public auction records should be consulted for specific valuation

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 Ken Done

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Ken Done 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 Ken Done artwork?

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