Lee Godie Auction Prices and Value Guide
Lee Godie auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 367 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Lee Godie auction prices: quick answer
Lee Godie auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Lee Godie
- Source records
- 367
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Lee Godie
Lee Godie (1908–1994) was an American self-taught painter and folk artist who became one of Chicago's most recognized outsider artists. Active from the late 1960s through the early 1990s, she produced a prolific body of work—including vivid paintings and hand-modified photographs—that she often sold directly on the streets of Chicago, near the Art Institute. Though she had no formal training, her work entered significant public and private collections and has been exhibited at institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Hayward Gallery in London. The Getty Union List of Artist Names classifies her as an American painter and folk artist, and she is widely regarded as a key figure in Chicago's self-taught art tradition.
Outsider ArtFolk ArtChicago Imagists circle (associated context)paintingmodified photographsdrawingportraitsself-portraitsurban Chicago life
Common works and media
Godie's most frequently encountered works include paintings on canvas, board, and paper—often portraits, figures, or urban scenes rendered in bold color. She also produced altered or hand-tinted photographs, sometimes adding paint or collage elements to existing photo-booth images or snapshots. Smaller works on paper and unframed pieces appear regularly in auction contexts. Collectors may also encounter drawings and mixed-media pieces incorporating found materials.
Market and appraisal context
Lee Godie's work appears regularly at auction, reflecting her prolific output and enduring collector interest. Because she created and sold many pieces informally, provenance documentation and attribution can vary. For appraisal purposes, the medium (oil or acrylic painting versus modified photograph or work on paper), condition, subject matter, documented provenance, and any exhibition or publication history are the primary factors that influence value. Comparable public auction records from outsider-art and American-folk-art sales provide useful benchmarks when available.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Appraisal caveats
- Godie produced a large volume of work and sold directly to passersby, so attribution and provenance documentation can vary widely.
- Market values for outsider and self-taught art are sensitive to institutional exhibition history and collector provenance.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress 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 Lee Godie 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 Lee Godie artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.