William Sylvester Carter Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William Sylvester Carter Art Value Price Guide

Mar. 15, 2025
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Dancers
Est: $500 - $700
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Dancers 1970 10 x 15 inches (image) signed Provenance: private collection, Connecticut
Black Art Auction
Dec. 14, 2024
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, untitled, Couple
Est: $700 - $900
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 untitled, Couple 1954 mixed media (pastel, watercolor, and ink) 10-1/4 x 12-3/4 inches signed and dated Provenance: private collection, Chicago, IL
Black Art Auction
Dec. 14, 2024
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Chicago Street Scene
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Chicago Street Scene 1950-1960 mixed media on paper 10-1/2 x 14-1/4 inches signed Provenance: private collection, Chicago, Illinois A great, early image by this Chicago painter.
Black Art Auction
Nov. 10, 2024
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) Oil on Masonite
Est: $500 - $700
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) Oil on Masonite 1984, signed lower right, depicting two figures, in a gold-tone wood frame Property from: an Estate, Chicago (Chatham), Illinois Category: Fine Art > Paintings Estimated Sale Time: 11:27 am CST Shipping Status: Leonard Auction, Inc. will provide direct shipping for this lot. Please visit our website for a shipping estimate. Last modified: November 8, 2024, 12:38 pm
Leonard Auction
Apr. 04, 2024
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Portrait of a Man).
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Portrait of a Man). Charcoal and pastels on thick wove paper, 1985. 508x406 mm; 20x16 inches. Signed and dated in charcoal, lower right. Provenance: acquired directly from the artist; private collection, New York.
Swann Auction Galleries
Feb. 22, 2024
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER, WC, RECLINING NUDE
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
William Sylvester Carter, WC, Reclining Nude. Provenance: Private Philadelphia Estate. Frame: 20.5" x 28.5" Scene: 11.5" x 19.5"
Ashcroft and Moore
Jan. 25, 2024
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER, WC, RECLINING NUDE
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Sylvester Carter, WC, Reclining Nude. Provenance: Private Philadelphia Estate. Frame: 20.5" x 28.5" Scene: 11.5" x 19.5"
Ashcroft and Moore
Jan. 04, 2024
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER, WC, RECLINING NUDE
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Sylvester Carter, WC, Reclining Nude. Provenance: Private Philadelphia Estate. Frame: 20.5" x 28.5" Scene: 11.5" x 19.5"
Ashcroft and Moore
Dec. 02, 2023
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Portrait of William McBride, Jr
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Portrait of William McBride, Jr 1947 oil on canvas 35 x 29 inches signed This is an extremely important, early work by a Chicago artist of another Chicago artist. The two were friends and contemporaries, working on the South side of the city, notably at the South Side Community Art Center.
Black Art Auction
Nov. 14, 2023
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER, WC, RECLINING NUDE
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Sylvester Carter, WC, Reclining Nude. Provenance: Private Philadelphia Estate. Frame: 20.5" x 28.5" Scene: 11.5" x 19.5"
Ashcroft and Moore
Oct. 19, 2023
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Flowers)
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Flowers) Watercolor on thick wove paper, circa 1950. 762x660 mm; 30x26 inches. Signed in pencil, lower right. Provenance: private collection, Chicago.
Swann Auction Galleries
Oct. 19, 2023
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Portrait of a Woman).
Est: $6,000 - $9,000
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Portrait of a Woman). Oil on linen canvas, 1948. 637x508 mm; 26 1/2x20 inches. Signed and dated twice in oil, center right and lower right. Provenance: private collection, Michigan. Untitled (Portrait of a Woman) is a striking portrait of a well dressed young woman set in a surrealist landscape. Landscape and figure painter William S. Carter was born in St. Louis, MI. He moved to Chicago in 1930 and studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at the University of Illinois. In cooperation with the Harmon Foundation, in the summer of 1940, Carter was included in a group of young WPA-era artists in the important Exhibition of the Art of the American Negro at the Tanner Galleries, assembled by Alonzo Aden for the American Negro Exposition in Chicago. In 1943, he joined the Illinois Art Project of the Works Progress Administration and worked with artists such as Charles White, Eldzier Cortor, Earl Walker and Charles Davis. Carter's works are found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the DuSable Museum of African American History and the South Side Community Art Center, all in Chicago, and the Clark-Atlanta University Art Galleries.
Swann Auction Galleries
Jul. 26, 2023
William Sylvester Carter, Landscape
Est: $800 - $1,200
William Sylvester Carter Landscape oil on panel 5.75 h x 9.375 w in (15 x 24 cm) Signed to lower right 'Wm Carter'. This work will ship from Chicago, Illinois.
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Jul. 01, 2023
WILLIAM CARTER, ROLAND HAYES - AMERICAN BELOVED TENOR, ACRYLIC, WATERCOLOR AND PENCIL
Est: $2,500 - $3,000
Artist: William Carter, American (1909 - 1996) Title: Roland Hayes - American Beloved Tenor Portfolio: Year: 1979 Medium: Acrylic, Watercolor and Pencil, signed and dated l.r. Image Size: 25.5 x 16 inches Size: 30 in. x 20 in. (76.2 cm x 50.8 cm) Frame Size: 33 x 23 inches
RoGallery
Jun. 28, 2023
CARTER, William Sylvester (American, 1909-1996) Portrait of...
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
CARTER, William Sylvester (American, 1909-1996) Portrait of William McBride Jr. 1947. Oil on canvas. 35 x 29”. Frame: 46 x 41”. This surreal tribute from one artist to another is an exceptional work. Both artists biographies are worth noting. Carter was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He moved to Chicago in 1930 to study art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois. He worked for the Illinois Federal Art Project (WPA) from 1937-1939, during which time he met and worked with many fellow artists including Eldzier Cortor and Charles White. Carter’s work can be found in the collections of the South Side Community Center, the Art Institute of Chicago, the DuSable Museum of African American Art, and the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art. William McBride Jr. (1912-2000) was an artist, designer and collector. McBride began his career in the 1930s in the circles of black art collectives and artistic opportunities afforded by the Works Progress Administration. He would ultimately leave his mark in Chicago as a driving force behind the South Side Community Art Center. McBride distinguished himself as a teacher, a cultural and political activist, and as a collector of African art and artwork by black artists of his generation. Third party shipping required.
Potter & Potter Auctions Inc.
May. 20, 2023
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Faces
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Faces c. 1960 tempera on paper 10-1/2 x 16-1/2 inches signed
Black Art Auction
May. 20, 2023
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, untitled, abstract
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 untitled, abstract 1981 tempera on paper 14 x 19 inches signed and dated
Black Art Auction
Apr. 06, 2023
WILLIAM S. CARTER (1909 -1986) Untitled (Flowers)
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
WILLIAM S. CARTER (1909 -1986) Untitled (Flowers) Watercolor on thick wove paper, circa 1950. 762x660 mm; 30x26 inches. Signed in pencil, lower right. Provenance: private collection, Chicago.
Swann Auction Galleries
Nov. 19, 2022
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Head
Est: $400 - $600
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Head c. 1950-1960 pencil drawing 7-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, untitled, Figure in Repose
Est: $500 - $700
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 untitled, Figure in Repose 1986 ink drawing 8-1/2 x 10 inches signed and dated
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William Sylvester Carter, Landscape with Stream (untitled)
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter Landscape with Stream (untitled) c. 1940 oil on masonite 22 x 27 inches signed Provenance: Susan C. Woodson, The Woodson Family Historical Collection, Chicago, IL
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William Carter, 1909-1986, Houses
Est: $800 - $1,200
William Carter 1909-1986 Houses c. 1940 oil on board 9 x 12 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Nov. 19, 2022
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Still Life (two vases)
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Still Life (two vases) 1962 oil on board 24 x 30 inches signed and dated
Black Art Auction
Jun. 17, 2022
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996), "The Family"
Est: $700 - $1,000
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) "The Family", 1956 oil on canvas board signed and dated lower right. Framed. 20" x 24", framed 21" x 25-1/4"
New Orleans Auction Galleries
Jun. 04, 2022
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Floral Still Life
Est: $700 - $900
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Floral Still Life 1980 watercolor on paper 20 x 15 inches signed and dated Provenance: the artist to a private collection, Chicago, IL.
Black Art Auction
Jun. 04, 2022
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Still Life with Fruit and Bottles
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Still Life with Fruit and Bottles c. 1973 oil on canvas 13 x 17 inches signed and dated Provenance: the artist to a private collection, Chicago.
Black Art Auction
Mar. 31, 2022
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Harlequin Figure).
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Untitled (Harlequin Figure). Tempera on wove paper, circa 1950. 508x381 mm; 20x15 inches. Signed in ink, lower right. Provenance: private collection, Chicago. A landscape and figure painter, William S. Carter was born in St. Louis in 1909. He moved to Chicago in 1930 and studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at the University of Illinois. In cooperation with the Harmon Foundation, in the summer of 1940, Carter was included in a group of young WPA-era artists in the important Exhibition of the Art of the American Negro at the Tanner Galleries, assembled by Alonzo Aden for the American Negro Exposition in Chicago. In 1943, he joined the Illinois Art Project of the Works Progress Administration and worked with artists such as Charles White, Eldzier Cortor, Earl Walker and Charles Davis. Carter's works are found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the DuSable Museum of African American History and the South Side Community Art Center, all in Chicago, and the Clark-Atlanta University Art Galleries.
Swann Auction Galleries
Jan. 29, 2022
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996), "The Family"
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) "The Family", 1956 oil on canvas board signed and dated lower right. Framed. 20" x 24", framed 21" x 25-1/4"
New Orleans Auction Galleries
Dec. 12, 2021
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996), "The Family"
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) "The Family", 1956 oil on canvas board signed and dated lower right. Framed. 20" x 24", framed 21" x 25-1/4"
New Orleans Auction Galleries
Dec. 04, 2021
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Untitled , Cubist Figures
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Untitled , Cubist Figures 1974 gouache on paper 15 x 11 inches signed and dated
Black Art Auction
Jul. 17, 2021
William Carter, 1909-1996, Three Figures, oil on masonite, 24 x 20 inches (image)
Est: $2,500 - $4,500
William Carter 1909-1996 Three Figures oil on masonite 1958 signed and dated William Sylvester Carter was born in St. Louis, MO and moved to Chicago in 1930 to study art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois. In order to earn room and board, Carter worked as a janitor at the Palette and Chisel Club (an all-white club, to which he became an honorary member in 1986). He was among the artists represented in the American Negro Exposition assembled by Alonzo Aden, with the Harmon Foundation and the WPA in Chicago, 1940. Carter was awarded first prize for a work in watercolor. The same year, he exhibited at Howard University Gallery of Art. Carter also worked for the WPA in Illinois in 1943, and taught art at the historic South Side Community Art Center. Carter worked in many styles and addressed virtually any subject matter from the traditional portrait to completely non-objective compositions. Although Carter humorously and vehemently vowed until the day he died (at 87) he was too young to have a painting style, this colorful, cubist-influenced work is a fine example of a style in which he worked regularly. Carterâs work, The Card Game, 1950, was included in the exhibition, They Seek A City, Chicago and the Art of Migration (p.87) which was held at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013. 24 x 20 inches (image) Harold Woodson, Jr. ; the historical Woodson Family Collection (Harold Woodson, Jr., Susan Cayton Woodson, and Horace Cayton), Chicago. Acquired directly from the artists.
Black Art Auction
May. 22, 2021
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, untitled, Cubist Figures
Est: $2,500 - $4,500
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 untitled, Cubist Figures c. 1960 oil on masonite 24 x 20 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Feb. 07, 2021
William Sylvester Carter painting
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
William Sylvester Carter Nude painting (American, 1909-1996) oil on canvas signed 23.75" x 17.5" overall: 28" x 22"
Treadway Gallery
Feb. 06, 2021
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Cubist City
Est: $600 - $800
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Cubist City 1995 pen on paper 7 x 10-1/2 inches signed, and dated.
Black Art Auction
Feb. 06, 2021
William Sylvester Carter, 1909-1996, Portrait of a Young Man
Est: $1,500 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909-1996 Portrait of a Young Man c. 1960s oil on paper 11-1/2 x 8 inches signed
Black Art Auction
Feb. 06, 2021
William Carter, 1909-1996, Horse Drawn Cart and Houses
Est: $800 - $1,200
William Carter 1909-1996 Horse Drawn Cart and Houses c. 1950 watercolor on paper signed 9-1/2 x 12 inches (image)
Black Art Auction
Nov. 14, 2020
William Carter, 1909-1996, Three Figures, oil on masonite, 24 x 20 inches (image)
Est: $2,500 - $4,500
William Carter 1909-1996 Three Figures oil on masonite 1958 signed and dated William Sylvester Carter was born in St. Louis, MO and moved to Chicago in 1930 to study art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois. In order to earn room and board, Carter worked as a janitor at the Palette and Chisel Club (an all-white club, to which he became an honorary member in 1986). He was among the artists represented in the American Negro Exposition assembled by Alonzo Aden, with the Harmon Foundation and the WPA in Chicago, 1940. Carter was awarded first prize for a work in watercolor. The same year, he exhibited at Howard University Gallery of Art. Carter also worked for the WPA in Illinois in 1943, and taught art at the historic South Side Community Art Center. Carter worked in many styles and addressed virtually any subject matter from the traditional portrait to completely non-objective compositions. Although Carter humorously and vehemently vowed until the day he died (at 87) he was too young to have a painting style, this colorful, cubist-influenced work is a fine example of a style in which he worked regularly. Carterâ€™s work, The Card Game, 1950, was included in the exhibition, They Seek A City, Chicago and the Art of Migration (p.87) which was held at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013. 24 x 20 inches (image)
Black Art Auction
May. 20, 2020
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) Women in Interior
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
William Sylvester Carter (American, 1909-1996) Women in Interior oil on masonite signed Wm. Carter and dated (lower center); signed and dated (lower right) 30 x 23 3/4 inches. Provenance: Acquired directly from the artist Property from the Collection of Kenneth and Shirley Butler, Chicago, Illinois
Hindman
May. 16, 2020
William Sylvester Carter, 1909 - 1996, Still Life with Purple Plum, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 32 inches
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Sylvester Carter 1909 - 1996 Still Life with Purple Plum Oil on Canvas 1950 Signed Provenance: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, San Francisco, CA Literature: The Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Tyler Fine Art, 2019; 34. Selections from the Melvin Holmes Collection of African American Art, Tyler Fine Art, 2019, 81. 18 x 32 inches
Black Art Auction
Mar. 08, 2020
Attributed to William Sylvester Carter, (American, 1909-1996), Woman, 1951, oil on board, 8 1/4" x 11 5/8"
Est: $600 - $800
initialed and dated lower right
Toomey & Co. Auctioneers
Jan. 30, 2020
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Bouquet.
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Bouquet. Oil on board, 1971. 914xd610 mm; 36x24 inches. Signed and dated in oil, lower right. Provenance: the Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., Chicago. Landscape and figure painter William S. Carter was born in St. Louis in 1909 and moved to Chicago in 1930. He studied art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and at the University of Illinois. In cooperation with the Harmon Foundation, in the summer of 1940, Carter was included in the important Exhibition of the Art of the American Negro at the Tanner Galleries, assembled by Alonzo Aden for the American Negro Exposition in Chicago. In 1943, he joined the Illinois Art Project of the Works Progress Administration alongside Charles White, Eldzier Cortor, Earl Walker and Charles Davis. Carter's works are found in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the DuSable Museum of African American History and the South Side Community Art Center, all in Chicago, and in the Clark-Atlanta University Art Galleries.
Swann Auction Galleries
Jan. 30, 2020
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Figure.
Est: $400 - $600
WILLIAM SYLVESTER CARTER (1909 - 1986) Figure. Charcoal and pencil on wove paper, 1971. 432x305 mm; 17x12 inches. Signed and dated in pencil, lower right. Provenance: the Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., Chicago.
Swann Auction Galleries
Sep. 21, 2019
William Sylvester Carter Oil on Board Double Sided
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter (1909-1996). Oil on board depicting a group of vases. Signed and dated '64 along the lower right. The verso is additionally painted with an ancient Egypt themed sketch. Unframed; height: 24 1/2 in x width: 30 1/4 in. Framed; height: 32 in x width: 37 1/4 in. SKU: 01913 Follow us on Instagram: @revereauctions
Revere Auctions
Sep. 21, 2019
William Sylvester Carter (1909-1996), Landscape
Est: $400 - $800
William Sylvester Carter (1909-1996), Landscape watercolor on paper, signed and dated 1940 at lower right, matted and framed under glass. SS 9.75 x 12 in.; DOA 20.5 x 21.25 in. Additional high-resolution photos are available at LelandLittle.com
Leland Little Auctions
Jul. 18, 2019
William Sylvester Carter Oil on Board Double Sided
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
William Sylvester Carter (1909-1996). Oil on board depicting a group of vases. Signed and dated '64 along the lower right. The verso is additionally painted with an ancient Egypt themed sketch. Unframed; height: 24 1/2 in x width: 30 1/4 in. Framed; height: 32 in x width: 37 1/4 in. SKU: 01913 Follow us on Instagram: @revereauctions
Revere Auctions
Apr. 04, 2019
WILLIAM S. CARTER (1906 - 1996) Untitled (Carnations).
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
WILLIAM S. CARTER (1906 - 1996) Untitled (Carnations). Watercolor on thick wove paper, circa 1950. 610x457 mm; 24x18 inches. Signed in watercolor, lower right. Provenance: private collection, Washington DC (2003).
Swann Auction Galleries
Dec. 11, 2018
William Sylvester Carter (American 1909 - 1996) oil on board, Boxing Match 16 x 12 inches
Est: $2,000 - $3,000
William Sylvester Carter (American 1909 - 1996) oil on board, Boxing Match 16 x 12 inches
Bill Hood & Sons Arts & Antiques Auctions
Oct. 21, 2018
(Attributed to) William Carter (American, 1909-1996) Mixed Media
Est: $100 - $150
(Attributed to) William Carter (American, 1909-1996) Mixed Media Undated, unsigned, mixed media depicting the human body and abstract patterns Condition: Good, artwork showing warping underneath the glass; not examined out of the frame(s) Height: 13.00 inches, Width: 19.25 inches (sight) Frame Size: 18.00 inches by 24.00 inches Category: Fine Art > American Paintings Shipping Status: Leonard Auction, Inc. will provide direct shipping for this lot. Approximate Sale Time: 1:21 pm CST Links to High Resolution Images: Image #1 Image #2 Image #3 Image #4 Image #5
Leonard Auction