American, b. 1944
Albert Paley
288results on record
84%sell-through
$6,300median result (USD, incl. premium; 94% observed, 6% estimated from hammer)
$56,250record in our coverage
Drawn from 288 recorded results (245 sold · 43 passed) across 8 auction houses, 2005–2026. 3 upcoming lots on the ledger. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 94% observed, 6% estimated from hammer method · log scale
Where does a value land in this market?
The same figure also answers the seller's question: which house clears a work like this, and for how much — expected proceeds by house, from the sell-through the rest of this page is built on.
Every sold result for this market, low to high (log scale) — the dashed line is the median. Enter a value to see where it lands.
By medium where medium is recorded or stated in the catalog line
| Medium | Results | Sell-through | Median result (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ceramics & design | 154 | 86% | $7,560 |
| sculpture | 7 | 75% | $18,750 |
| other | 5 | 100% | $6,400 |
Medium is recorded for 166 of 288 results (58%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with George Nakashima Albert Paley George Nakashima
| Metric | Albert Paley | George Nakashima |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $6,300 | $17,500 |
| Record price | $56,250 | $822,400 |
| Results on record | 288 | 2,903 |
| Years active at auction | 2005–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: George NakashimaPaul EvansHarry BertoiaPierre Jeanneret
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
75/ 100
- Sell-through84%
- Meets estimate53%
- Market depth288 results
How readily and near-estimate this market clears — sell-through, estimate reliability, and depth, blended into one score. "Meets estimate" is the share of sold lots hammering at or above the low estimate, over catalogs that print a real appraisal: a house whose printed low is a starting bid would meet its estimate on every lot, so those lots are excluded from this term only — their prices and outcomes still count in the other two. Method →
Where this artist sells best
| House | Results | Sell-through | Median | vs. estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rago | 207 | 86% | $6,048 | — |
| Wright | 25 | 84% | $7,800 | — |
| Sotheby's | 22 | 29% | $12,000 | 1.03× |
| Freeman's | Hindman | 15 | 93% | $6,638 | 0.75× |
| Bonhams | 12 | 75% | $3,750 | 0.64× |
| Christie's | 2 | — | $15,625 | — |
| Heritage Auctions | 3 | 67% | $8,750 | — |
| Phillips | 2 | 50% | $8,820 | — |
The same artist across every house we cover — hammer-vs-estimate side by side. A dash in the estimate column can mean withheld rather than unpublished: the house publishes no hammer price, or its printed low is a starting bid rather than an appraisal. Method →
Prices realized 291 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 43 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026·09 | Plant stand | $7,000–$10,000 | upcoming | Rago | ||
| 2026·09 | Dragon's Back dining table | $15,000–$20,000 | upcoming | Rago | ||
| 2026·09 | Star maquette award | $2,000–$3,000 | upcoming | Rago | ||
| 97 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2026·05 | Tall Plant Stand, 1988 | $8,000–$12,000 | Freeman's | Hindman | |||
| 2026·05 | Forged fireplace tools | $3,000–$5,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·05 | Exceptional Balcony Railing for a Private Residence | $20,000–$30,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·05 | Forged andirons, pair | $4,500–$6,500 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Table lamp | $3,000–$4,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Table lamps, pair | $5,000–$7,500 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Dragon's Back dining table | $10,000–$15,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Door handles for Peter Joseph's arbitrage firm | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Early floor-standing candelabrum | $5,000–$7,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Door handles for Peter Joseph's arbitrage firm | $4,500–$6,500 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Table lamp | $3,000–$4,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Arabesque Parabolic floor lamp | $9,000–$12,000 | Rago | |||
| 2026·01 | Tuft candleholder | $700–$900 | Wright | |||
| 2025·11 | Chrysalis Vessel, 1994 | forged and fabricated steel, stainless steel | $8,000–$12,000 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2025·11 | Millennium candleholder, 2002 | forged and fabricated steel with a blackened finish, removable brass bobeches | $1,200–$1,800 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2025·11 | Pair of Comet candleholders, 2001 | forged mild steel with a blackened patina, removable brass bobeches | $1,500–$2,500 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2025·11 | Collection of three candleholders | $3,000–$5,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·10 | Dragon's Back Table | USA, 1998 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2025·10 | Meridian table | $7,000–$10,000 | Wright | |||
| 2025·09 | Corona lamp | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·09 | Masterworks sideboard | $12,000–$18,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·07 | Animal Sculpture , 1984 | steel, limestone | $12,000–$15,000 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2025·06 | Objet d'Art occasional table | $5,000–$7,000 | Wright | |||
| 2025·05 | Table Lamp | $2,500–$3,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Menorah | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Andirons, pair | $2,500–$3,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Table Lamp | $2,500–$3,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Corona lamp | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Parabolic reading lamp | $8,000–$12,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Plant stand | $6,000–$8,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·05 | Star maquette award | $6,000–$9,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Rare New Leaf table | $6,000–$8,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Corona lamp | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Burning Bones Press #31 | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Parabolic reading lamp | $8,000–$12,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Early brooch | $4,000–$6,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Breakfast table | $7,000–$10,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Dragon's Back floor lamp | $10,000–$15,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Meridian table | $7,000–$10,000 | Rago | |||
| 2025·01 | Andirons, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·12 | Dragon’s Back floor lamp | $7,000–$9,000 | Wright | |||
| 2024·10 | Candleholder | $3,000–$5,000 | Wright | |||
| 2024·10 | Brooch | $10,000–$15,000 | Wright | |||
| 2024·09 | Corona lamp | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Millennium floor lamp | $5,000–$7,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Andirons, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Plant stand | $6,000–$8,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Parabolic reading lamp | $8,000–$12,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Monumental Chrysalis Vessel | $7,000–$9,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Breakfast table | $7,000–$10,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Forged fireplace tools | $3,000–$4,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Lectern | $8,000–$12,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Partner's desk for Rosecliff, Inc., New York | $15,000–$25,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·09 | Meridian table | $9,000–$14,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·05 | Round End Table | $7,000–$9,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·05 | Dragon's Back floor lamp | $6,000–$8,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·05 | Eclipse candleholders, pair | $3,000–$4,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·03 | Tuft candleholders, pair | $1,000–$2,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·03 | Spike bookends, pair | $1,000–$2,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·03 | Candleholder | $500–$800 | Rago | |||
| 2024·03 | White House candleholder | $500–$800 | Rago | |||
| 2024·01 | Breakfast table | $9,000–$14,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·01 | Door handles from Rosecliff, Inc., New York | $3,000–$5,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·01 | Millennium candleholders, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·01 | Parabolic reading lamp | $9,000–$14,000 | Rago | |||
| 2024·01 | Exceptional queen-sized bed | $15,000–$20,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Untitled (Burning Bones Press) | $1,500–$2,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Occasional table | $4,000–$6,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Trellis lamp | $4,000–$6,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Parabolic reading lamp | $9,000–$14,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Ginkgo candleholders, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Nebuli candleholder | $1,500–$2,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Shark with Angelfish | $20,000–$30,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·09 | Meridian table | $10,000–$15,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·07 | Proposal for a Sculpture for the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, Houston | $1,000–$1,500 | Rago | |||
| 2023·06 | Pair of Sunrise Candleholders, 1993 designed for the American Ballet Theater edition 20/50 | forged and fabricated steel, brass | $2,500–$3,500 | Freeman's | Hindman | ||
| 2023·05 | Revolving door push plates, set of four | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Water bucket for the Gannett Fireplace Hood | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Console table | $9,000–$12,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Comet table lamp | $5,000–$8,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Candleholder | $2,500–$3,500 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Plant stand | $7,000–$10,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Ribbon bookends, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Rectilinear coffee table | $6,000–$9,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Andirons, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Forged fireplace tools | $3,000–$4,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Settee | $15,000–$20,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Garden Gate #2 | $15,000–$20,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Menorah | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Vortex table | $4,000–$6,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Forged fireplace surround | $10,000–$15,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Millennium floor lamp | $6,000–$9,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Millennium candleholders, pair | $2,000–$3,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·05 | Garden Gate #1 | $15,000–$20,000 | Rago | |||
| 2023·03 | Two "Dragon's Back" Torchieres | $15,000–$20,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2023·03 | Two Plant Stands | $20,000–$30,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2023·01 | Menorah | $3,500–$4,500 | Rago | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.