What is a Diane Arbus photograph worth?
1923–1971 · Price guide from past auction results
Half of the 216 works by Diane Arbus with a published auction price sold between $7,605Sign up free to see and $21,293Sign up free to see, and the median is $10,668Sign up free to see. For photographs alone, the median is $10,668Sign up free to see across 216 sales. In the last five years the median was $8,855Sign up free to see across 94 sales. These are past auction results, not a valuation: medium, size, condition and provenance all change what a particular work brings.
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Diane Arbus prices by medium
- Auction results
- 271
- Sold rate
- 80%
- Active at auction
- 2007–2026
- Median price
- $10.7kSign up free to see
- Record price
- $603kSign up free to see Identical Twins Cathleen (l) and Colleen, Roselle, N.J., Phillips, Apr 2013
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 216 | $7.6k–$21.3kSign up free to see | $10.7kSign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Phillips (196), Bonhams (17), Grisebach (17)
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Typical range is the middle half of priced sales (USD at the sale-date rate). Past auction results, not a valuation.
Prices by size
| Size (longest side) | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 30 cm) | 57 | $8.8k–$35.6kSign up free to see | $15.5kSign up free to see |
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 157 | $7.5k–$16.5kSign up free to see | $10kSign up free to see |
Recent Diane Arbus sales
- Child in a Beret, New York City, Gelatin silver print on Agfa paper, printed 1962 by Neil Selkirk — $3,844Sign up free to see, Lempertz, Jun 5, 2026
- Penelope Tree in her Living Room, New York City, Gelatin silver print on Agfa paper, printed 1989 by Neil Selkirk — $3,252Sign up free to see, Lempertz, Jun 5, 2026
- Baseball Game in Central Park, New York City, Gelatin silver print on Agfa paper, printed 1980 by Neil Selkirk — $4,435Sign up free to see, Lempertz, Jun 5, 2026
- Girl in a Party Dress, New York City, Gelatin silver print on Agfa paper, printed 1962 by Neil Selkirk — $4,435Sign up free to see, Lempertz, Jun 5, 2026
- Kids in the surf, Coney Island, N.Y., Gelatin silver print, printed by Diane Arbus between 1958 and 1959, flush-mounte — $32,250Sign up free to see, Phillips, Apr 11, 2026
- Boy above a Crowd, N.Y.C., Gelatin silver print, printed 1956 — $11,610Sign up free to see, Phillips, Apr 11, 2026
- The human pincushion, Ronald C. Harrison, N.J., Gelatin silver print, printed by Diane Arbus between 1962 and 1965 — $15,480Sign up free to see, Phillips, Apr 11, 2026
- Girl in a watch cap, N.Y.C., Gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Selkirk — $12,900Sign up free to see, Phillips, Apr 11, 2026
Questions about Diane Arbus prices
What is a Diane Arbus photograph worth?
Based on 216 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by Diane Arbus have sold for a median of $10,668, and half of them sold between $7,605 and $21,293. For photographs alone the median is $10,668 (216 sales). Medium, size, condition, subject and provenance all affect the price of a particular work; these are past auction results, not a valuation.
What is the most expensive work by Diane Arbus sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $602,500 for “Identical Twins Cathleen (l) and Colleen, Roselle, N.J.” at Phillips in April 2013.
How often do Diane Arbus works sell at auction?
80% of the 271 lots recorded between 2007 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a Diane Arbus photograph?
Request a free auction estimate on ArtSell: send photos and details, and our specialists will reply with an estimate. There is no obligation.
ArtSell has recorded 271 auction results for Diane Arbus between 2007 and 2026, and 216 of them sold (80%).
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