Erté Artwork Value
What's my Erté artwork worth?
Get a free valuation from photos. Learn the real secondary market value of Erté serigraphs, bronzes, and gouaches — plus how to authenticate and sell your piece.
At-a-glance: Erté (Romain de Tirtoff)
Known as the "Father of Art Deco," Erté was one of the 20th century's most prolific decorative artists. His elegant designs shaped fashion, theatre, and illustration for over seven decades — but the sheer volume of his late-career print editions means today's secondary market looks very different from the gallery prices of the 1980s and 1990s.
Bio
Name: Romain de Tirtoff (Erté)
Years Active: 1912–1990
Nationality: Russian-born, French
Style
Art Deco, fashion illustration, theatrical costume and set design. Signature look: elongated figures draped in luxurious fabrics, feathers, and jewels with geometric precision.
What to look for
Pencil signature lower right on prints, Sevenarts Ltd foundry stamp on bronzes, edition numbers matching catalogue raisonné records, embossed seals on serigraphs.
What Erté works do people actually own?
Erté designed over 200 covers for Harper's Bazaar (1915–1937), costumes for the Folies-Bergère and Ziegfeld Follies, and hundreds of fashion illustrations. But most Erté works in private hands today are serigraphs and bronzes produced after his career revival in the late 1960s. Like Dalí and Chagall, Erté generated a huge volume of limited-edition prints — and understanding the difference between originals and prints is essential for realistic expectations.
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Serigraphs (screenprints) — $200–$800 (most); up to $2,500 for key images
Erté began producing serigraphs around age 75 in 1967 and continued until his death in 1990. Editions were typically 300, and hundreds of different images were produced. Original retail prices of $3,000–$12,000 created unrealistic expectations — today most sell for $200–$800 at auction due to market oversaturation. Artist proofs, the Alphabet and Number series, and embossed editions perform better, occasionally reaching $1,000–$2,500.
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Bronze sculptures — $1,500–$12,000
From 1980 onward, Erté produced approximately 146 bronze editions through Sevenarts Ltd in London, many based on his earlier gouache designs. Edition sizes ranged from 150 to 500. Smaller tabletop pieces sell for $1,500–$4,000; larger, more iconic figures like "Rigoletto" or "Femme de Luxe" reach $5,000–$12,000. Condition of patina and cold-painted enamel details matters significantly.
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Original gouaches — $5,000–$60,000+
Erté's original gouache paintings — fashion illustrations, costume designs, and especially Harper's Bazaar cover art — are the most valuable works. A 1933 Bazaar cover sold for $8,125 at Swann Galleries, while a 1922 cover realized $45,000 at the same house. These are genuinely rare and seldom appear at auction, unlike his prints.
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Alphabet and Number series — $500–$3,000 (prints); $2,000–$8,000 (bronzes)
Among Erté's most recognized works, each letter and numeral is formed from stylized human figures. Originally conceived as gouaches in the 1920s–1960s, they were published as serigraph suites in 1976–1977 (editions of 350) and later as small bronzes. Complete Alphabet print sets in good condition command premiums over individual letters.
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Jewelry and wearable art — $1,000–$15,000
Erté designed 328 pieces of jewelry, documented in the Art à Porter catalogue raisonné (1991). Gold and enamel brooches, pendants, and rings appear periodically at auction and through estate sales. Values depend heavily on materials, condition, and documentation linking pieces to catalogue entries.
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Exhibition posters and unsigned prints — $50–$300
Photomechanical reproductions of Erté images are extremely common and hold minimal value. These include museum exhibition posters, book plates, and unsigned offset lithographs. They are decorative but not investment-grade. A free appraisal can quickly clarify whether your piece falls in this category.
The honest reality: if you purchased an Erté serigraph from a gallery in the 1980s or 1990s, it is very likely worth a fraction of what you paid. Upload your piece for a candid, research-backed estimate based on current auction data.
How to verify Erté authenticity
Because Erté produced such a high volume of work in his final decades, outright forgeries are less common than with artists like Dalí. The bigger risk is misattribution — unsigned reproductions sold as originals, or inflated descriptions of common prints. Before getting a valuation, gather these details:
- Check the catalogue raisonné: Eric Estorick's Erté: The Last Works — Graphics / Sculpture (1992) documents prints and bronzes from his final creative period; Art à Porter (1991) covers the 328 jewelry designs
- Examine the signature: Authentic serigraphs are hand-signed "Erté" in pencil, typically lower right, with an edition number lower left (e.g., 187/300). The signature should show natural pencil pressure variation, not a printed or stamped appearance
- For bronzes: Look for the Sevenarts Ltd foundry stamp, Erté's incised or stamped signature, a date, and an edition number. All should correspond to documented editions in the catalogue raisonné
- For serigraphs: Genuine screenprints have a slightly raised ink texture you can feel with your fingernail. Photomechanical reproductions are flat and may show halftone dot patterns under magnification — our original vs print guide explains these tests
- Contact the Erté Estate: The Estate of Erté (erteofficial.com) is the definitive authority on authentication. Sevenarts Ltd holds the intellectual property rights and trademark
Upload photos of the front, back, signature, and any stamps or labels for a preliminary assessment.
FAQ: Erté artwork questions answered
Most Erté serigraphs sell for $200–$800 at auction today, a steep drop from original retail prices of $3,000–$12,000. The market is oversaturated because Erté produced hundreds of serigraph editions — often in runs of 300 — from 1967 until his death in 1990. Artist proofs, embossed serigraphs, and iconic images like the Alphabet series or Number series hold value better, sometimes reaching $1,000–$2,500.
Authentic Erté bronzes were produced by Sevenarts Ltd in London and bear the foundry stamp, Erté's signature, a date, and an edition number. Cross-reference the title and edition size against the catalogue raisonné by Eric Estorick. The Erté Estate (erteofficial.com) is the definitive authority on authenticity — contact them if you have any doubts before getting a valuation.
Original gouache paintings — especially Harper's Bazaar cover designs from 1915–1937 — are by far the most valuable, selling for $5,000–$60,000+ at auction. These are rare because most remain in institutional or major private collections. Among more commonly owned works, large-scale bronze sculptures from limited editions tend to hold value better than serigraphs.
An original Erté serigraph (screenprint) will be hand-signed in pencil — typically lower right — and numbered from a stated edition, usually out of 300. The ink sits on the paper surface with a slightly raised texture you can feel. Photomechanical reproductions lack this texture, often have no pencil signature, and may show halftone dot patterns under magnification. Our original vs print artwork guide explains these differences in detail.
Three factors drove the decline. First, Erté was enormously prolific in his final decades — producing hundreds of serigraph editions in runs of 300, flooding the market. Second, aggressive gallery marketing in the 1980s and 1990s sold these prints at inflated retail prices of $3,000–$12,000, creating unrealistic expectations. Third, as those original buyers resell, supply far outstrips collector demand, pushing auction prices to $200–$800 for most prints.
For serigraphs valued under $1,000, online auction platforms or consignment through Art Deco specialty dealers are your best options. Bronzes and higher-value works ($1,000–$10,000) suit regional auction houses or specialist decorative arts sales. For original gouaches valued above $10,000, consign to major houses like Sotheby's, Christie's, or Bonhams. Our selling guide covers how to choose the right channel for your price range.
How to sell Erté artwork
Ready to sell your artwork? Here's the process for Erté pieces, whether you own a serigraph, bronze, or original gouache.
Get a valuation
Upload photos and we'll identify your piece, assess its condition and authenticity markers, and provide a realistic market value based on recent auction results — not outdated gallery retail prices. Expect a response within 24–48 hours.
Set realistic expectations
If you own a serigraph purchased at gallery retail, be prepared for a significant gap between what you paid and current market value. Bronzes and original gouaches hold value better. We'll give you an honest assessment so you can make an informed decision about whether selling makes sense.
Choose the right channel
Under $1K (most serigraphs): Online auctions, Art Deco specialty dealers, or decorative arts consignment shops.
$1K–$10K (bronzes, key prints): Regional auction houses or specialist decorative arts sales.
$10K+ (original gouaches): Sotheby's, Christie's, Bonhams, or Artcurial for major works.
Prepare documentation
Gather any original purchase receipts, certificates of authenticity, and provenance records. For bronzes, photograph the Sevenarts foundry stamp and edition number. For prints, document the pencil signature, edition number, and any publisher embossments. Complete documentation helps buyers bid with confidence.
Ready to get a free Erté valuation?
Upload photos of your artwork — front, back, signature, and any stamps or labels — and receive a research-backed estimate with honest guidance on what your piece is actually worth in today's market.