Market Reports
Bridget Riley’s prints are among the most sought-after in the British post-war market. With small edition sizes and a consistent history of sales growth, her works continue to attract serious collector interest. Auction records have been set three years in a row, and demand remains high across both public and private markets. This guide outlines everything you need to know to sell a Riley print strategically and confidently in 2025.
Is Now a Good Time to Sell a Bridget Riley Print?
If you’re considering selling a Riley print, the current market presents a strong window of opportunity. Over the past five years, Riley’s top auction prices have steadily climbed:
- Untitled (Oval Image) sold for £82,550 in 2024
- Green Dominance / Blue Dominance / Red Dominance achieved £70,849 in 2023
- Untitled (Based on Movement in Squares) realised £63,500 in early 2025
These recent sales confirm that collectors are willing to pay a premium for standout works – particularly those tied to key series or strong provenance. While early black-and-white prints and Fragment editions remain collector favourites, they are increasingly hard to source in good condition. As a result, well-preserved examples often generate intense interest when brought to market.
At the same time, seller success is not limited to early works. Demand is rising for Riley’s later coloured compositions – especially horizontal, vertical, zig-zag, and rhomboid structures from the 1980s onward. These editions tend to be more accessible to a broader pool of buyers and reflect a shift in collector taste. Importantly, complete sets are extremely rare in Riley’s market, making the 2023 sale of all three Dominance prints in a single auction a highly notable event. It underscored the premium that can be achieved when works from a single collection are presented together – something sellers should consider if holding multiple works from the same series.
Public Auction vs. Private Sale: What Works Best for Sellers?
While public auction sets headline prices and benchmarks, many of Riley’s most successful transactions happen through private sales. Her long-standing gallery representation through Cristea Roberts, Sprüth Magers, and David Zwirner has helped foster a well-established base of collectors who often prefer to buy discreetly.
For sellers, this means the private market can often deliver better outcomes – offering more control over timing, pricing, and presentation. Works in fragile condition, niche colourways, or from lesser-known series can often benefit from tailored outreach and one-to-one buyer matching, rather than being exposed at public auction. If you’re unsure where your print sits in the current market, try our Instant Valuation tool for a data-led estimate based on recent public and private sales. It’s fast, free, and powered by our live market algorithm.
2025 Market Overview: What's Selling Now?
After a peak year in 2024 – where 96 works sold publicly for over £900,000 – sales volume has contracted in 2025, with just 49 lots sold and £424,400 achieved (as of Q3). A reflection of macro market relaities, but also a tightening of supply. Riley prints remain scarce at auction, and buyers are still competing for the best examples.
This selective landscape benefits sellers with the right works. If your print is backed by good condition, clear provenance, and ties to key periods or galleries, there is a motivated collector audience ready to engage – especially via private channels.
What Drives Riley Print Value in 2025?
In 2025, Riley prints have sold at auction for between £6,000 and £65,000, with most falling in the £15,000–£30,000 range. Works like Fête (£27,940) and RA2 (£24,000), both from the 1980s, outperformed expectations – highlighting strong demand for colour-rich compositions.
Most seller opportunities today lie in Riley’s mid- to late-career output. Her Lozenges series is one of her largest and most varied print collections, offering diversity in scale, colourway, and edition sizes, which in turn creates creates wide pricing flexibility. Smaller works from this series typically achieve under £10,000, while larger examples can command £20,000 or more.
If you’re planning to sell, identifying where your print sits within current market trends – by series, size, palette, and condition – can have a significant impact on your return. For a real-time, data-led estimate, get in touch with one of our specialists for a free valuation and tailored advice.
Key Institutional Signals Backing Riley’s Market
Some of Riley’s biggest institutional moments have taken place in the past five years – strengthening her visibility and deepening demand across the secondary market. These include the Hayward Gallery retrospective in 2019, her Bridget Riley: Drawings exhibition at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles in 2023, and her ceiling commission at the British School at Rome, also in 2023.
These milestones have reinforced her long-term cultural relevance and introduced her work to a new generation of collectors – many of whom enter the market through prints. For deeper insights on collector behaviour download our 2025 Print Collector's Survey.
Riley is also a consistent presence at major global art fairs – including Frieze, London Art Fair, and London Original Print Fair – all of which help sustain buyer interest and keep her market active year-round. For sellers, this ongoing institutional and curatorial spotlight contributes to both market depth and long-term value retention.
How Do You Authenticate A Bridget Riley Print?
The Bridget Riley Foundation And Its Role in Authentication
The Bridget Riley Foundation, established in 2011 as a registered charity, aims to support and promote the visual arts. Currently, the Foundation does not authenticate or attribute works of art. Instead, it focuses on research, education, and maintaining archives.
Riley's work is extensively documented in various catalogues and art publications. A key reference is the Bridget Riley: Complete Prints 1962-2012 catalogue raisonné, which provides a comprehensive listing of her print works over sixty years. First published in 2012 and revised in 2020, this catalogue is now complemented by The Complete Paintings 1946–2017, a five-volume set published in 2018. For those looking to sell a Riley print, it is essential that the print is listed and verified within these catalogues in order to be recognised by the secondary market. Although not available online, these catalogues can be found in many local libraries.
Provenance of Riley Prints
If you’re looking to sell a Bridget Riley print, having a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) or original purchase receipt can significantly enhance its value and saleability. Riley’s galleries typically issue a receipt at the point of sale, which functions as a COA and supports provenance.
If you no longer have documentation, some verification may still be possible via the catalogue raisonné – but its absence can limit market confidence. Before listing your work, it’s best to speak with a specialist to understand what documentation is required to support a successful sale.
Has Your Bridget Riley Print Been Kept In Good Condition?
Riley’s prints are created on high-quality wove paper, making them relatively resilient. However, maintaining them in optimal condition is essential for achieving the best possible price. Before selling, inspect your print for signs of damage such as scratches, tears, foxing (brown spots caused by mould or minerals), fading, or warping from humidity. If you’re unsure whether restoration is the right choice, read real stories from conservators in our article Is That Print Worth Buying? to understand how condition impacts value – and when expert intervention can make a difference.
Selling Your Bridget Riley print With MyArtBroker
At MyArtBroker, we specialise in helping collectors sell high-value Riley prints through private sales backed by live market data, expert guidance, and 0% seller fees. Whether you’re selling a rare early monochrome or a Lozenge print in today’s active market, we provide the tools and expertise to maximise your return.
Free Valuations and Real-Time Market Insights
We offer complimentary, no-obligation valuations for all Riley prints. Every valuation is backed by our live Trading Floor data, so you can see what works by Riley are in demand, wanted, or recently sold. For deeper insights, our MyPortfolio tool lets you track performance over time, with access to historical pricing, past auction results, and collector interest levels – free of charge.
How a Private Sale Works
Unlike public auctions or peer-to-peer platforms, we operate through secure, private sales. There are no fees for sellers – we take a small commission from buyers only. Our team handles every part of the process, from insurance and shipping to marketing and negotiation, giving you full peace of mind with none of the admin.
We focus on works valued at £10,000 and above, ensuring your print receives the specialist attention it deserves. For lower-value works, our team will still provide expert advice and, if needed, recommend alternative trusted routes to sale.
Strategic Advisory and Collector Matching
If your Riley print is a rare format, niche colourway, or sits outside our core network of buyers, we may recommend a tailored route through one of our trusted partners. This is part of our broader advisory service – available free of charge – and ensures your print is matched with the right collector or institution.
Why Sellers Trust Us
With a network of over 30,000 collectors actively buying and selling prints, we’re able to match works with serious buyers quickly and discreetly. Our specialist team understands the nuances of Riley’s market – by series, condition, and timing – and will guide you every step of the way.
