KV-RW © Josef Albers 1967
Josef Albers
45 works
Key Takeaways
Josef Albers' prints, especially from the Homage To The Square series, can command high prices, often exceeding £100,000 at auction. Authenticating these prints involves examining provenance, signature, edition number, and consulting resources like the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. Albers' distinctive colour theories mean any discrepancies in colour can indicate forgeries. Proper storage and handling are crucial to maintaining the print's value; prints should be kept in acid-free portfolios or framed with UV-protective glass.
Josef Albers was at the forefront of both the Bauhaus movement and American abstract art. His precise, geometric style and rigorous exploration of visual perception made him one of the most influential artists and educators of the 20th century. For those looking to sell an Albers’ print, this guide will help you navigate the market.
Albers is best known for his seminal work, Homage to the Square, a series of paintings exploring colour interaction through nested squares. His printmaking career, spanning five decades, was equally significant, producing striking portfolios that deepened his exploration of theories on colour and form. This groundbreaking study culminated in his 1963 book, Interaction of Color, which remains a cornerstone text in art education. His innovative teaching methods and theories continue to influence artists and designers worldwide, cementing his legacy beyond his artwork.
How Much do Josef Albers Prints Sell For?
Josef Albers is celebrated for his groundbreaking exploration of colour theory and geometric abstraction - a focus that continued in his printmaking. Albers' prints command impressive prices at auction, reflecting their artistic significance and the artist's exacting technique. His Homage To The Square series, with nested squares and meticulous colour interactions, is one of his most iconic. Albers’ printmaking technique was revolutionised by printmaker Kenneth Tyler in 1970. Before their collaboration, Albers had been layering his coloured squares by printing one on top of another, but Tyler perfected a method of such precise alignment that Albers would be able to print each of his squares onto white paper, just as he painted on a canvas. This meant there was no risk of colours showing through from the squares underneath, allowing him to perfect his ability to exemplify the power of colour theory.
His highest-selling prints are almost entirely from the Homage to the Square series (within which he created 1,000 original paintings), with prices for mint-quality collections exceeding £100,000 in the past five years. Albers’ portfolio of 10 prints, Homage To The Square: Edition Keller Ia-Ik (1970) sold for over £90,000 in April 2024, while another portfolio of 10 prints, Homage To The Square (1962), sold for over £60,000 a year before, in April 2023, demonstrating how this high demand for Albers’ prints is encouraging prices up at auction. Holding the record for highest-value Albers print sold at auction is a collection of 12 prints, SP (Homage to the Square) (1967), which sold for £153,521 at Lempertz in June 2022, far exceeding its £35,000-£50,000 estimate.
Prints from Albers’ other series, such as Structural Constellation, still achieve high values at auction. In 2017, Duo H (1966) sold for over £30,000 at Christie’s. Part of his Gray Instrumentation series, Gray Instrumentation II (1975) sold for over £29,000 at Christie’s in 2020.
These results underscore the significant market for Albers' limited edition prints. As his works continue to be lauded for their innovative approach to colour and form, their value at auction remains strong, appealing to both seasoned collectors and newcomers to the art market.
SP-J © Josef Albers 1971How Do You Authenticate a Josef Albers Print?
Verifying that your print is genuine is the only way to secure those high-value auction sales.We always recommend consulting an appraiser with knowledge of Albers’ work, who can ensure that the provenance and signature of your print are valid. Colour was a key part of Albers’ work; in fact, it was his motivation for creating much of his art. As a result, discrepancies in the colours used in a print can be clear indications that a print or painting is a forgery.
For expert advice, consider contacting the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation. They have a comprehensive record of all of Albers’ work, and can examine everything from the signature to the print’s colours, paper quality, and printing technique.
Provenance
Assessing the provenance of an Albers print involves tracing its history through documentation - this can involve checking receipts from past owners and sales, examining exhibition catalogues, and checking any certificates of authenticity that were released with the original print. Keeping any documentation that you have is therefore crucial. Certificates of authenticity will have been produced by the original printing or publishing house; however, in the absence of a certificate, many publishers used stamps or chop marks to indicate the place and date of the print’s creation. In the case of Albers, these publishing houses might be Gemini G.E.L. or Ives-Sillman, Inc.
Edition and Signature
Albers used a distinctive signature on his work. It is usually found in the lower right corner, with the edition number on the lower left. Many of his works were also accompanied by pencil annotations, demonstrating Albers’ thought process when putting together colour palettes - these can take the form of circles, lines, and arrows, or very small scribbled words in the margins.
Browse Josef Albers prints on the Trading Floor and find out more about the print market growth on the MAB100 Print Index.
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Has Your Josef Albers Print Been Kept in Good Condition?
The highest sales values are achieved by prints that are free from signs of damage and deterioration. It is essential, therefore, that your print has been stored and handled correctly. Ideally, this would involve keeping it inside an acid-free portfolio or folder, away from dust, sunlight, and humidity, and only ever handling it while wearing clean cotton gloves. However, if you want to keep your print on display, ensure it is out of direct sunlight and framed with UV protective glass. Any mounting should be done carefully, as glue and tape can permanently damage a print’s paper.
To assess the condition of your print, consider the following factors. Check for discolouration, particularly yellowing or foxing, which can occur due to improper storage or exposure to light. Examine the paper for any creases, tears, or fold marks, as these can severely diminish the print's worth. Look closely at the colours; they should remain vibrant and true to Albers' original intentions, without any fading or bleeding. The edges of the print should be crisp and clean, without any chipping or fraying. If there are any notes in pencil, ensure they have not been smudged.
Any restoration work should be professionally done and minimal. Remember, prints in pristine condition command the highest prices, so proper care is crucial. If you're uncertain about your print's condition, consider consulting a professional conservator who specialises in works on paper. They can provide expert advice on preservation and, if necessary, recommend appropriate restoration techniques. MyArtBroker can help you get started.
When is the Best Time to Sell My Josef Albers Prints?
The optimal time to sell your Josef Albers print often coincides with events that heighten interest in his work. Major retrospectives, such as the 2017 exhibition Josef Albers: Sunny Side Up at David Zwirner Gallery, London, can spark renewed enthusiasm and potentially drive up prices.
Anniversary years can be good times to sell. For example, 2023 was the 60th anniversary of Albers' seminal book Interaction of Color, and 2024 was the 90th anniversary of Albers' arrival in America - both of which could have played a part in why Albers’ print index more than doubled in those years.
One of the best ways to judge the best time to sell, however, is by tracking the sales of similar prints or portfolios and keeping an eye on auction results for Albers’ work. For instance, if a rare Homage to the Square portfolio comes to market, it might boost interest in individual prints from the series. There was, for example, a flurry of high-value sales of Homage to the Square portfolios in 2018, and then again in 2023.
Lastly, consider the broader art market trends. Strong performances in the wider abstract art or Bauhaus markets could indicate a favourable climate for selling Albers' prints.
MyArtBroker offers advanced art tech tools to help you determine the optimal time to sell. Our MyPortfolio service features an AI-powered value indicator that provides real-time valuations of individual prints based on both public and private sales data. Combined with our complimentary valuations, we can help ensure your print achieves maximum value by selling at the perfect moment.
Ways to Sell with MyArtBroker
At MyArtBroker, our specialists provide a free market valuation for your artwork, offering a level of transparency unmatched in today’s market. In addition to our valuations, through our online Trading Floor, you can access real-time insights into works by the artist you’re looking to sell, including pieces that are most in demand, wanted, or currently for sale: allowing sellers to trust the valuation that they are provided.
Additionally, the MyPortfolio collection management service grants you free access to our comprehensive print market database. This resource allows you to review auction histories for the specific work you’re looking to sell, including hammer prices, values paid, and seller returns. In a fluctuating market, this historical data is invaluable - and often comes at a cost elsewhere - offering insights into past and current values to further inform decisions based on market timing and conditions. In addition to our specialists guidance, you have concrete data.
Our approach is tailored to align with the unique attributes of each artwork, and offer optimal results:
How a Private Sale Works
Unlike peer-to-peer platforms, which lack specialised expertise, authenticity guarantees, and legal infrastructure for high-value sales, MyArtBroker operates through private sales ensuring a secure and seamless transaction process. We charge sellers 0% to sell, and take a small commission from our buyers, absorbing essential aspects including insurance, shipping, and marketing - at no extra cost to the seller. There is no magic to it, we’re a lean specialised business with less overheads than traditional models meaning we can do better for our clients.
Our revenue is derived from buyer commissions only, which are individually negotiated upon offer, and we aim to give the client the best return in the market place. By focusing on high-value artworks in excess of £10,000, we provide specialised care and expertise, ensuring each piece receives the attention it deserves, while simultaneously maximising returns with our clients. For works that fall below this threshold speak to the team about a recommendation, we offer market advisory free of charge. Our goal at MyArtBroker is to offer a seamless solution, setting us apart in the art market.
Advisory and Recommendations
In cases for artists and artworks, where our existing network of collectors isn’t the best fit due to value, medium or condition we collaborate with reputable partners to facilitate its sale. Carefully tailoring your artwork to the right party. This tailored approach is especially important as it considers the unique attributes of each artwork, providing sellers with the best possible outcome in today’s shifting art market. You can discuss this approach with us without charge as part of our advisory service.
Such recommendations are on a case-by-case basis, and ensures broader exposure and takes advantage of our knowledge of where a work will do best.
Josef Albers Collection Management with MyPortfolio
In addition to our live trading floor, MyArtBroker's MyPortfolio serves as a collection management system, empowering collectors to curate and oversee their prints and editions collection. This feature grants users access to our print market database, uniquely tied to our proprietary algorithm, SingularityX. This algorithm scans and analyses both public auction and private sales data to determine real time valuations of individual print works, factoring in various aspects such as condition, colour, and other factors affecting value.
Read What Powers MyArtBroker's Technology? In Conversation With Stuart Jamieson, Financial Quant to learn more about our algorithm.
Emerging art tech tools are vital in navigating the current, and evolving, digital art market landscape. For instance, by adding Josef Albers prints from our website to the MyPortfolio dashboard, users gain insight into unique sale opportunities and observe market performance and fluctuations as they happen, streamlining the sales process effortlessly. Our pioneering technology has revolutionised art portfolio management, making it more accessible and equipping users with data-driven insights for informed decisions. MyArtBroker harnesses cutting-edge technology driven by data, coupled with a team of industry experts, to deliver an exceptional experience. Our professionals work closely with clients, utilising the MyPortfolio dashboard, to provide personalised guidance for creating a profitable art collection. By merging technology and expertise, we are committed to offering unparalleled curation and customer service.
Josef Albers
45 works
