Sam Szafran Auction Prices and Value Guide

Sam Szafran auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 402 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Sam Szafran auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
Sam Szafran
Source records
402
Market update
2026-02-16

Sam Szafran market snapshot

Sam Szafran shows deep auction liquidity with 340 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $3,000. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 19 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-12-04.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (21.8% · 55 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (47.2% · 119 sales)
  • $10,000+ (31.0% · 78 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$11,000
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
19
Median shift vs prior year
+100.0%
Latest recorded sale
2025-12-04

Artist context

About Sam Szafran

Sam Szafran (1934–2019) was a French painter, pastelist, watercolorist, and draftsperson known for his intensely personal figurative works. Born on November 19, 1934, Szafran built a career centered on pastel and watercolor, media in which he developed a distinctive handling of light, atmosphere, and densely composed interior scenes. His work is held in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and he is documented in major artist databases including the Getty Union List of Artist Names, the RKD (Netherlands Institute for Art History), and VIAF. Szafran's output — characterized by recurring subjects rendered with a heavily worked, almost obsessive surface quality — has earned him a recognized place in post-war French art, and collectors regularly encounter his work at international auction.

pastelwatercolorpaintingdrawing

Common works and media

Sam Szafran is most commonly encountered at auction as a pastelist and watercolorist. His pastels — often large-format, densely worked figurative compositions — represent the core of his market presence. Watercolors and drawings also appear with some frequency. Oil paintings are less common but do come to market. Prints and multiples may also be found. Subjects in his auction-record profile are predominantly figurative interiors and studio scenes. Collectors evaluating Szafran works should consider medium, dimensions, signature, date, provenance history, and condition, particularly for works on paper where fading or handling damage can significantly affect value.

Market and appraisal context

Szafran's work appears regularly at auction, with over 400 recorded lots, reflecting sustained secondary-market interest. Pastels and large-scale watercolors are the media most closely associated with his auction profile, though paintings, prints, and drawings also surface. Collectors should note that medium, scale, date, provenance, and condition are the primary factors affecting valuation for Szafran works. Museum representation at institutions such as MoMA underpins collector confidence. As with all post-war works on paper, condition reports and authentication are essential steps before purchase or appraisal.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Value drivers

  1. Medium is a key factor: pastels and large-scale watercolors by Szafran tend to command stronger results than smaller works on paper
  2. Museum representation at MoMA and other institutions supports collector confidence
  3. With 400+ auction records tracked, Szafran has an established secondary-market presence

Appraisal caveats

  • Exact death date is not confirmed in the available source pack; only the death year (2019) is attested via Wikidata.
  • No specific movement affiliation could be confirmed from the available source excerpts; movement-based attribution should be corroborated with additional museum or scholarly sources.
  • Valuation guidance here is general; specific appraisal requires examination of provenance, condition, edition details, and comparable realized prices.

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 Sam Szafran

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Sam Szafran 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 Sam Szafran artwork?

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