In 2000, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Benkei II (1955), offered in the Indian Miniatures The Travel Sale - India and The Far East Modern and Contemporary South Asian Paintings by Sotheby's, which concluded on 08 June 2000 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹8,94,768 ($19,981). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2004, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of White Bougainvillaea (1956), offered in the Indian and Southeast Asian Art: Including 20th Century Indian Paintings by Christie's, which concluded on 23 September 2004 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹30,19,407 ($65,725). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 1995, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Evenfall (1962), offered in the Islamic and Indian Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 27 April 1995 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹1,86,171 ($5,931). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

Between 1961 and 1964, Sabavala attempted to break away from the suffocating formality of Synthetic Cubism; and in this, he found a remedial alternative in the work of Lyonel Feininger, who had died in 1956. Moving gradually from Lhote’s austerity of line to Feininger’s glissando Cubism, he softened his paintings; the indispensable presence of illumination became his subject: “Through Feininger’s pure, precise and yet very delicate and personal renderings of cloud and boat and sea, I discovered the joys of extending form into the beauty and clarity of ligHe.”

In 2025, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Journey of the Magi (1963), offered in the Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art by Sotheby's, which concluded on 17 March 2025 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹23,72,89,328 ($2,734,000). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Tree (1965), offered in the International Modern & Contemporary Art: Including Arab Indian, Iranian and Western Art by Christie's, which concluded on 24 May 2006 at Dubai, achieving a sale price of ₹54,87,600 ($120,000). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2021, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Embarkation (1965), offered in the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 22 September 2021 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹11,73,46,134 ($1,590,000). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2005, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Black Lilies (1966), offered in the Winter Online Auction: Modern and Contemporary Indian Art by Saffronart, which concluded on 08 December 2005 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹35,09,000 ($75,739). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2012, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Vespers I (1968), offered in the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art by Bonhams, which concluded on 07 June 2012 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹2,15,82,446 ($391,373). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2014, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Flight Into Egypt - I (1971), offered in the Live Auction: Modern Indian Art by Saffronart, which concluded on 04 September 2014 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹3,00,00,000 ($496,245.08). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2005, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Off Tree And Tree (1978), offered in the Modern and Contemporary Paintings by Nine Masters: Spring Online Auction by Saffronart, which concluded on 02 March 2005 at Online, achieving a sale price of ₹32,31,265 ($73,942). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2020, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of The Peasants (1981), offered in the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 23 September 2020 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹7,11,23,971.8 ($966,000). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.