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Cecil Beaton, China 1944: A destitute boy with a wicker basket in the Poor People's Refuge in Changsa

Cecil Beaton

British · 1904–1980

Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton was a British photographer, designer, and diarist. Renowned for his elegant and often theatrical style, Beaton's work appeared in leading… (Wikipedia)

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149lots offered2007–2026years recorded96%sold (141)$1.2kSign up free to seemedian price

Record prices

  1. Cecil Beaton, Francis Bacon in his studio, 1960, Gelatin silver print with paint from Francis Bacon's studio on the recto and versoFrancis Bacon in his studioPhillips · £31,250≈ $45,688≈ €40,803Sign up to see
  2. Cecil Beaton, Katharine Hepburn as Coco Chanel, 1969, watercolor and gouache on paperKatharine Hepburn as Coco ChanelBonhams · $20,480≈ £15,778≈ €18,961Sign up to see
  3. Cecil Beaton, A portrait of the Duchess of Windsor, Watercolour and pencil on paperA portrait of the Duchess of WindsorBonhams · £13,440≈ $16,773≈ €15,613Sign up to see

Cecil Beaton’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

ArtSell has recorded 147 auction results for Cecil Beaton between 2007 and 2026, of which 141 sold (96%). A further 2 lots were offered at auction without a published result. Recorded sale prices range from $121Sign up free to see to $45.7kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $45.7kSign up free to see for Francis Bacon in his studio at Phillips in May 2016. The most common medium is photographs (58 lots). Most results come from Bonhams (101), Lempertz (7) and Toovey's (6).

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  1. Cecil Beaton, Costume design for My Fair Lady, watercolour on paper
    Costume design for My Fair Lady
    Watercolor · Paper
    34 x 26.5cm (13 3/8 x 10 7/16in).
    Bonhams · · Lot 40
    £3,840≈ $5,131≈ €4,476Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £800–1,200View at Bonhams ↗
  2. Cecil Beaton, Greta Garbo, Photograph
    Greta Garbo
    Photograph
    Sight: 11.75" h x 11.75" w
    Clarke Auction Gallery · · Lot 91
    $500≈ £375≈ €439HammerSign up free to seeEst. $400–600View at Clarke Auction Gallery ↗
  3. Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol and Candy Darling, 1969, Gelatin silver print
    Andy Warhol and Candy Darling, 1969
    Photograph
    14 x 7 1/2 in. (35.6 x 19.1 cm.)
    Bonhams · · Lot 221
    $1,216≈ £906≈ €1,041Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $1,000–1,500View at Bonhams ↗
  4. Cecil Beaton, Greta Garbo, 1946, Gelatinesilberabzug
    Greta Garbo, 1946
    Photograph
    24,5 x 19,5cm
    Van Ham · · Lot 243
    €4,356≈ $5,083≈ £3,818Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €1,500–View at Van Ham ↗
  5. Cecil Beaton, The Queen with her Maids of Honour, 2 June 1953, Bromide print, mounted to card, the card signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
    The Queen with her Maids of Honour, 2 June 1953
    Print (other) · Board
    image 23.9cm x 18.7cm
    Bonhams · · Lot 20
    £5,120≈ $6,718≈ €5,800Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £700–1,000View at Bonhams ↗
  6. Cecil Beaton, Lady Anne Coke on her wedding day to Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, with her bridesmaids: Catherine Tennant and Juliet Harvey, 21 April 1956, Silver gelatin print, mounted to card, the card signed 'Beaton' (lower left) and with photographer's ink-stamp credit to reverse of the card
    Lady Anne Coke on her wedding day to Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, with her bridesmaids: Catherine Tennant and Juliet Harvey, 21 April 1956
    Photograph · Board
    image 23.9 x 18.5cm
    Bonhams · · Lot 24
    £1,408≈ $1,848≈ €1,595Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £200–300View at Bonhams ↗
  7. Cecil Beaton, Lady Anne Coke on her wedding day to Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, 21 April 1956, Silver gelatin print, mounted to card, the card signed 'Beaton' (lower left) and with photographer's ink-stamp credit to reverse of the card
    Lady Anne Coke on her wedding day to Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, 21 April 1956
    Photograph · Board
    image 23.75 x 18.75cm
    Bonhams · · Lot 25
    £3,584≈ $4,703≈ €4,060Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £200–300View at Bonhams ↗
  8. Cecil Beaton, Untitled, a watercolour for 'The Importance of Being Earnest'
    Untitled
    Watercolor
    Sworders · · Lot 207
    £800≈ $1,072≈ €919HammerSign up free to seeEst. £800–1,200View at Sworders ↗
  9. Cecil Beaton, A Broadway Fantasy, watercolour, pen and ink and pencil on paper
    A Broadway Fantasy
    Watercolor · Paper
    43 x 43cm (16 15/16 x 16 15/16in).
    Bonhams · · Lot 43
    £5,120≈ $6,917≈ €5,865Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £2,000–3,000View at Bonhams ↗
  10. Cecil Beaton, A design for Midas, circa 1922-23, watercolour, gouache and pen and ink
    A design for Midas, circa 1922-23
    Watercolor
    51 x 39.25cm (20 1/16 x 15 7/16in).
    Bonhams · · Lot 1
    £640≈ $864≈ €759Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £800–1,200View at Bonhams ↗
Also offered, result not published (2)

Lots by Cecil Beaton that were offered at auction where the house did not publish whether they sold. Not counted in any statistics.

Cecil Beaton works on paper (76)Cecil Beaton watercolors (41)Cecil Beaton gouaches (14)Cecil Beaton drawings (18)Cecil Beaton prints (5)Cecil Beaton photographs (58)

Cecil Beaton: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by Cecil Beaton at auction?

$45,688Sign up free to see, for Francis Bacon in his studio at Phillips (May 2016) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Cecil Beaton?

The median sale price is $1.2kSign up free to see across 141 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Cecil Beaton have sold at auction?

141 of 147 recorded lots sold between 2007 and 2026. 2 further lots were offered with no published result and are not counted.

Which auction houses sell Cecil Beaton?

Bonhams, Lempertz and Toovey's account for the most recorded results. Bonhams · Lempertz · Toovey's

About Cecil Beaton

Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton was a British photographer, designer, and diarist. Renowned for his elegant and often theatrical style, Beaton's work appeared in leading publications such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He gained international acclaim for his portraits of celebrities, royalty, and socialites, as well as his work in fashion, theatre, and film. Though he is best known for his celebrity portraits, Beaton was also one of the most prolific photographers of life during World War II, taking over 7,000 photographs between 1940 and 1945 in Britain as well as in China and Africa.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

In museum collections

  • Cecil Beaton, China 1944: A destitute boy with a wicker basket in the Poor People's Refuge in ChangsaChina 1944: A destitute boy with a wicker basket in the Poor People's Refuge in Changsa, 1944
    Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
  • Cecil Beaton, Queen Elizabeth II on her Coronation DayQueen Elizabeth II on her Coronation Day, 1953
    Royal Collection · Public domain

Biography and museum images →

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