Nancy Kunoth Petyarre top ten paintings sold
The secondary public auction and marketplace values for senior Anmatyerre/Utopia artist Nancy Kunoth Petyarre (c. 1934/1938–2009) sit in an accessible tier for contemporary collectors. While her globally renowned sisters, Kathleen Petyarre and Gloria Petyarre, regularly command mid-to-high five-figure records, Nancy’s open public market sales primarily peak around $1,500 to $3,500 AUD, with her absolute largest premium gallery exhibition works listing up to $17,500 AUD. [1, 2]
Because her tracked public footprint spans roughly 66 recorded auction lots globally, an exclusive, sequential “top ten” ranking of hammer values is closely guarded behind paid databases. However, verified secondary market listings and milestone auction avenues highlight her top-valued pieces: [1]
Top Recorded Market & Auction Tiers
- Mountain Devil Lizard Dreaming (153cm x 102cm) — €1,800 – €2,000 (Auction Estimate Range)
A beautifully multi-layered synthetic polymer canvas tracking her sacred country. Large-scale works of this scale command her highest international public demand. [1] - Mountain Devil Lizard Dreaming (2008) — $1,700 AUD
A significant, cleanly documented 142 × 139 cm acrylic on linen work cleared via Lawsons. [1] - Mountain Devil Dreaming (2000) — $1,200 – $1,800 AUD (Realised Range)
A highly classic mid-sized canvas (90.5 x 90.5 cm) featuring her signature dense multi-colored dotting arrays, heavily traded on elite registries like Invaluable. - Yam Seed Dreaming (Vintage 1980s Composition) — $2,104 AUD
Featuring thousands of carefully applied dots in warm shades of yellow, ochre, white, red, and green against a dark background, this early canvas carried prestigious validation through Pamono. - Awelye Women’s Dreaming — $600 – $1,200 AUD
A staple of her classic repertoire representing the rhythmic parallel lines applied during traditional women’s ceremonies, cleared through regional platforms like Ozbid Auctions. [1]
Key Valuation Drivers & Gallery Pricing
The economic footprint of Nancy Kunoth Petyarre’s artwork relies entirely on canvas volume, execution era, and official provenance. Unlike some of her highly prolific sisters, she was less frequently encountered on the commercial market, making well-preserved early canvases from verified sources highly sought after. [1]
Her two predominant signature styles dictate her collector demand:
- Arnkerrthe (Mountain Devil Lizard) Camouflage: Fine, interlocking multi-colored fields that visually represent the texture and color-shifting skin of the sacred thorny lizard navigating her ancestral homelands. [1]
- Awelye: Bolder, parallel linear configurations representing ancestral ceremonial body paint applied to the skin during women’s ceremonies. [1]
While her works remain highly affordable at open auction, authenticated primary market paintings directly from prominent dealers like Mitchell Fine Art list premium canvases from $2,500 AUD to $17,500 AUD, while small cabinet-sized introductory pieces at Mbantua Aboriginal Art Gallery list between $365 AUD and $1,650 AUD. [1, 2, 3]
Would you like me to look into Nancy Kunoth’s involvement with the early Utopia batik movement before she transitioned to canvas, or are you trying to value a specific canvas size that you own?
Oct 10, 2026
Nancy Kunoth Petyarre (c. 1930 – 2009) Mountain Devil Lizard Dreaming
Millon & Associes
Passed
Aug 25, 2026
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE, (1934-2009), “Awelye Womens Dreaming”, Acrylic on canvas., 43cm x 38cm
Ozbid Auctions
Sold: AUD150
Aug 25, 2026
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE, (1934-2009), “Awelye Womens Dreaming”, Acrylic on belgian linen., 46cm x 36cm
Ozbid Auctions
Sold: AUD400
Aug 25, 2026
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE, (1934-2009), “Awelye Womens Dreaming”, Acrylic on linen., 45cm x 40cm
Ozbid Auctions
Sold: AUD300
Jun 23, 2026
Nancy Kunoth Petyarre, (c. 1938-2009), Mountain Devil Dreaming, 1999, acrylic on linen, 97 x 63 cm
Shapiro Auctioneers
Sold: AUD900
Jul 23, 2024
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938), Mountain Devil Lizard
Gibson’s
Sold: AUD300
Jun 11, 2024
Nancy Kunoth Petyarre (c1938 – 2009) Australia – Mountain Devil Dreaming A13196
Colville Auctions
Sold: AUD750
Jun 28, 2023
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938), Mountain Devil Dreaming 2001
Gibson’s
Sold: AUD440
Jun 22, 2023
Nancy Kunoth Petyarre, 1934-2009, Untitled
Abell Auction
Sold: $1,100
Apr 16, 2023
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938), Mountain Devil Dreaming 2001
Gibson’s
Sold: AUD800
Jul 29, 2022
Abell Auction
Sold: $800
Jul 29, 2022
Abell Auction
Sold: $650
Jun 20, 2022
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938) Mountain Devil Lizard
Gibson’s
Passed
Jun 05, 2022
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938) Body Painting 2004
Gibson’s
Sold: AUD900
Apr 11, 2022
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (c.1930-2011) Mountain Devil Lizard 1995 synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Leonard Joel
Sold: AUD1,500
Apr 10, 2022
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938) Mountain Devil Lizard
Gibson’s
Passed
Sep 14, 2020
Nancy Kunoth Petyarre (b.c.1938) Awelye (Body Painting) Acrylic on canvas
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Sold: AUD260
Aug 23, 2020
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE “Body Paint”
Ozbid Auctions
Sold: AUD700
Mar 06, 2017
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN c.1938) Mountain Devil Lizard Dreaming, 1990 acrylic on canvas
Leonard Joel
Sold: AUD420
Jun 06, 2015
Nancy Kunoth Petyarre (c.1930 – 2009) Awelye Acrylique sur toile
Millon & Associes
Passed
Jun 24, 2013
Nancy Kunoth PetyarreMountain Devil Lizard. 1998
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Sold: AUD317
Nov 25, 2012
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE MOUNTAIN DEVIL LIZARD
Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings
Passed
Mar 18, 2012
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE BODY PAINT 1995 synthetic
Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings
Passed
Mar 18, 2012
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE MY COUNTRY 1994 synthetic
Aboriginal Gallery of Dreamings
Sold: AUD500
Nov 10, 2011
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (born c1938) – Mountain Devil Lizard Dreaming 2008 acrylic on linen
Lawsons
Sold: AUD1,700
Oct 12, 2004
NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (BORN CIRCA 1938)
Christie’s
Sold: £3,585
![[ AUSTRALIAN / ABORIGINAL ART ] NANCY KUNOTH PETYARRE (1934 - ) Mountain Devil Lizard Dreaming, circa 2003 synthetic poly magnumser paint on linen. 95 x 140 cm](https://image.invaluable.com/static/noimage_noborder.png)
May 31, 2005
Lawsons
Sold: AUD4,560
Jan 28, 2025
John Moran Auctioneers
Sold: $396
Dec 04, 2010
Petyarre Nancy Kunoth (Aborigine b. 1934), Body Paint Dreaming, acrylic on canvas, 52-1/4 x 28 in
Weschler’s
Sold: $600
Dec 07, 2020
Jeannie Pitjara Petyarre (b.1956) Yam Dreaming, 2007 Acrylic on linen, unstretched
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Sold: AUD400
Sep 14, 2020
Jeannie Pitjara Petyarre (b.1956) Yam Dreaming, 2007 Acrylic on linen, unstretched
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Passed
Aug 04, 2026
ADA BIRD PETYARRE, (1930-2009), “Body Paint”, Acrylic on canvas., 53cm x 59cm
Ozbid Auctions
Sold: AUD425
Feb 19, 2023
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Sold: AUD600
Sep 08, 2014
Nancy Petyarre Kunoth c.1940 Awelye acrylic on linen
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Passed
Sep 08, 2014
Nancy Petyarre Kunoth c.1940 Awelye acrylic on linen
Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers
Passed
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