This time next week, over one hundred pieces of outsider art will go to auction at Christie’s annual ‘Outsider Art’ auction in New York City. While I may never be able to afford these works, and while the idea of the artists who made these works never seeing the tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars that these will sell for next week is a bit of a bummer, they’re are quite a few jaw dropping works that are worth talking about here today.
Last year when I first wrote this article what jumped out to me is works by artists like Bill Traylor, Sam Doyle and Minnie Evans that were so unique and different than the oeuvre (I love this word) we’ve come to expect from these artists. This year is no different.
The only real difference between this year and last years is that this year the auction takes place on the Friday of the Outsider Art Fair, a business decision I could only assume is going to pay off handsomely for Christie’s as everyone who is anyone in the outsider art world will be in New York next weekend. Including me and my wife! Hooray!
While every work up for auction is a beauty and I would kill to own and hang in my office, there are fifteen that really jump out to me and made me audibly exclaim, “oh dear.”
From Bill Traylor to Clementine Hunter, to Raymond Masteron, Felipe Benito Archuleta , William Edmondson and a collaboration I didn’t know I needed in Judith Scott and Donald Mitchell, these are the can’t miss works at Christie’s outsider Art auction next week.
All artworks listed below are in no particular order with their title, year made, and materials used to create—an estimate of worth per Christie’s.
1. BILL TRAYLOR
The question here really is how high. While there were 1500 works of art created by Bill Traylor, the greatest artist of the 20th century, that most people haven’t heard of, his work is still a must-have for any collection. The preeminent self-taught Artist that stands out above the rest, this Traylor is particularly fun and unique, sure to make the buyer very happy.
Estimate: $30,000-$50,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $252,000 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $175,000 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $293,750 USD
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $507,000 USD
2. WILLIAM EDMONDSON
While you might normally look to Bill Traylor to highlight the bill, the show, the exhibit, or anywhere his work is included — this year, it has to be this phenomenal work of art from William Edmondson. In a recent interview, I learned that a work by Edmondson once sold for $785,000 back in 2016. Not only an auction record for Edmondson, but an auction record for any piece of outsider art. While I don’t think this fox will reach such heights, I wouldn’t be shocked if it got close and happened to be the most expensive work at the end of the day next week.
Estimate: $200,000-$400,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: no William Edmonson work in 2023 auction
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: no William Edmonson work in 2022 auction
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: no William Edmonson work in 2021 auction
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $175,000 USD
3. WILLIAM HAWKINS
Boy, do I dislike the color orange, but ohhhhhhh, I love the artwork of William Hawkins. Like most of these works, which is why they make my list and make me extremely excited to see them in person next week, I have never seen this work by my favorite artist before. Animals and buildings, two things that Hawkins is known for, the latter here, is a beautifully constructed, asymmetrical work of art with the greatest of color schemes. I wonder if this was a building in Ohio or one from a magazine clipping. Either way, it puts a smile on my face.
Estimate: $15,000-$30,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $40,320 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $52,500 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $12,500 USD
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $45,000 USD
4. CLEMENTINE HUNTER
Clementine Hunter, a self-taught memory painter from Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, painted scenes from her life as she saw it living and working on Melrose Plantation. While not the only funeral scene Hunter painted, this one is unlike the rest, or others painted by Hunter. The grayscale background makes this feel like a particularly sad and dreary day while also making the beautiful blue, red, and white flowers pop off the page. Don’t you just love the charming lack of depth and perspective combined with the classic simplistic people here on a mission to mourn? I can’t get enough of Clementine Hunter’s work.
Estimate: $4,000-$6,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $27,720 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $15,000 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $32,500 USD
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $21,250 USD
5. FELIPE BENITO ARCHULETA
This may be a bit of a selfish choice here, considering I may or may not own a Felipe Archuleta pig that is roughly the same size made in the same year, so needless to say I’m a bit curious to see how much this goes for. But besides that, how could you not love this thing! Archuleta, a self taught wood carver from New Mexico created dozens of animal sculptures have a vision from God told him he needed to spread the good word. I’m really glad he did and while I hope this goes for big bucks, I hope my wife doesn’t see it since I’m not sure I ever want to get rid of my Archuleta pig!
Estimate: $4,000-$8,000 USD
- 2020-2023 Highest Price Realised: no Felipe Benito Archuleta works in auction from 2020-2023
6. JUDITH SCOTT + DONALD MITCHELL
Two of Creative Growth Art Center’s most prolific and outstanding artists combing their superpowers for one super power, now this is a collaboration I didn’t no I needed. If you’ve seen the great documentary “What’s Under Your Hat?”, you could maybe imagine how this went. Donald was making something, left it on a table for a brief moment as he walked away, and then Judith walked up, grabbed it and started wrapping it in fiber and yarn to create another untitled cocoon like masterpiece. Maybe they decided to collaborate. But Judith was known for taking things and wrapping them up in her artworks. As Tom di Maria told me once, you never know what you’ll find in there, if you see flies, could be a ham and cheese sandwich. Whatever happened her, this work is magical and truly one of a kind.
Estimate: $8,000-$12,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: no Judith Scott or Donald Mitchell works in 2023 auction
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $40,000 USD (Judith Scott)
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $52,500 USD (Judith Scott)
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $27,500 (Judith Scott)
7. RAYMOND MATERSON
The story of Raymond Materson is incredible. The work of Raymond Materson is even more mind-blowing. A self-taught artist who started making these roughly playing card-sized works of art from sock threads and boxer shirts while in prison. He became famous in prison, trading his works for coffee and cigarettes, he is now out of prison and even more popular where he is representing by Andrew Edlin Gallery in New York City. His work is showcased around the country and sold for more than coffee and cigarettes. Materson is one of the only artists in this auction who is still alive and art-making.
Estimate: $5,000-$10,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $20,160 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $32,500 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $17,500 USD
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $9,375 USD
8. MINNIE EVANS
All of Minnie’s works are so stunningly warm and vibrant with color and expression. This work, great symmetry and imagery is another brilliant example of Minnie Evan’s religiosity come to life in her unmistakable crayon on paper drawings. Last year a work by Evans cracked the top ten in terms of highest price realized, behind some Bill Taylor’s, two works by Thornton Dial and one by Winfred Rembert and one by Henry Darger. We’ll see how high this one makes it this year.
Estimate: $5,000-$10,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $42,840 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $4,000 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $20,000 USD
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $32,500 USD
9. SAM DOYLE
Sam Doyle, known for his elaborate sometimes abnormal works of art on repurposed metal sliding, really outdid himself here. I recently learned that almost all of his works were inspired by the people in his community in South Carolina where he was born and raised. Unlike most self-taught and outsider artists, Doyle’s artistic skill was noticed early on by teachers and was harnessed at a young age. After years of working odds and ends jobs, he ultimately picked up a paint brush again and came up with countless gems like this one here.
Estimate: $12,000-$18,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $45,360 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $37,500 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: no Sam Doyle work in 2021 auction
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: no Sam Doyle work in 2020 auction
10. THORNTON DIAL
Last year, Jane Fonda’s work by Thornton Dial went for over $100,000. This year, you can’t find any provenance from the one and only Jane Fonda but you can still find this incredibly striking work by Thornton Dial featuring a tiger and nearly all black canvas with hits of browns, blues, and reds. Dial, a man who transcended the outsider art category and was fortunate to live long enough to see some success and recognition, has one of the most impressive ouerve of works I’ve ever seen and this one is no different. While it doesn’t have the Jane Fonda name attached to it, seeing this go for at least six figures would not be surprising.
Estimate: $25,000-$50,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $107,100 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $50,000 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: $150,000 USD
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $125,000 USD
1 1. DAVID BUTLER
While I have only been following the ins and outs of outsider art auctions for a few years, one thing that has stuck with me in that time is that if you think you’re getting a deal on David Butler’s work, you’re probably wrong. I vividly remember sitting in my classroom when my students were working on a papier-mâché project, watching the price of a piece by David Butler soar well past it’s original estimate. A few years ago at Christies it went for $62,500, last year $22,680 and while the estimate for this is a little more conservative, don’t say I didn’t tell you so that you may not be able to get a deal on this super fun David Butler piece.
Estimate: $6,000-$8,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $22,680 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $62,500 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: no David Butler work in 2021 auction
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: no Lee Godie work in 2020 auction
12. FRANK JONES
I was recently corresponding with someone on Instagram who was talking about how they bought a Frank Jones work at a thrift store in Stockholm of all places for only $35. Can you imagine? This is not the work. But if you ever see a work by Frank Jones and you can get it for under $1,000. Get it. Frank Jones started drawing in prison at the age of 60 while serving a life sentence for murder. His drawing materials started as remnants of accountant’s pencils and sheets of typing paper from trash cans around the prison, until he eventually started receiving attention for his complex drawings and was given colored pencils and better paper.
Estimate: $15,000-$20,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $18,900 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: no Frank Jones work in 2022 auction
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: no Frank Jones work in 2021 auction
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: no Frank Jones work in 2020 auction
13. ADOLF WÖLFLI
A double sided Adolf Wölfi? Sign me up.
Estimate: $30,000-$40,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: no Adolf Wölfli work in 2021 auction
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: no Adolf Wölfli work in 2022 auction
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: no Adolf Wölfli work in 2021 auction
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $25,625 USD
14. SISTER GERTRUDE MORGAN
Sister Gertrude Morgan had one mission for her artwork, to spread the Word of God. As a former street preacher from New Orleans turned poet, musician, and artist, Morgan sure did make it happen in her work. This one is not as overtly religious as most works, perhaps a children’s choir singing gospel songs. The composition and colors, and all the faces are so strikingly original and uniquely Morgan. Good luck not feeling the spirit after buying this and hanging it above your fireplace!
Estimate: $7,000-$10,000 USD
- 2023 Highest Price Realised: $27,720 USD
- 2022 Highest Price Realised: $16,250 USD
- 2021 Highest Price Realised: no Sister Gertrude Morgan work in 2021 auction
- 2020 Highest Price Realised: $10,000 USD
15. DOROTHY FOSTER
A newcomer to the Christie’s auction scene, Dorothy Foster’s works were found at an antique store and have since made a splash on the outsider art scene. Last year, her work was the face of the Outsider Art Fair and her small, meticulous and magical works continue to amaze and spread wonder. A couple hundred dollars for these would be a steal. I’ll take the over.
Estimate: $300-$500 USD
- 2020 – 2023 Highest Price Realised: no Dorothy Foster works ever sold at Christie’s
Stay tuned to @folkartwork on Instagram, the "This Week in Outsider Art" newsletter, and this website for photos and videos from Christie's viewing room in New York City.
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