Ruth Orkin

American · 1921–1985 · Photographer

Ruth Orkin was an American photographer, photojournalist, and filmmaker, with ties to New York City and Hollywood. Known for her photograph An American Girl in Italy (1951),… (Wikipedia)

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56lots offered2007–2026years recorded76%sold (42)$4.7kSign up free to seemedian price

1 work by Ruth Orkin with an auction history (offered more than once) →

1 work by Ruth Orkin coming up at auction · bid with the house ↓

Record prices

Show prices also in

American Girl in ItalyGrisebach · Nov 2007€27,370≈ $40,338≈ £19,563Sign up to see
The Card Players, New York CityPhillips · Oct 2021$32,760≈ £24,090≈ €28,334Sign up to see
American Girl in Italy, FlorencePhillips · Apr 2025$16,510≈ £12,754≈ €15,283Sign up to see

Ruth Orkin’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).

Coming up at auction

1 in forthcoming sales · bid with the house

Listed from the auction houses’ own websites; estimates are the houses’ own, not results.

ArtSell has recorded 55 auction results for Ruth Orkin between 2007 and 2026, of which 42 sold (76%). A further 1 lot was offered at auction without a published result. Recorded sale prices range from $485Sign up free to see to $40.3kSign up free to see. The highest price recorded is $40.3kSign up free to see for American Girl in Italy at Grisebach in November 2007. The most common medium is photographs (54 lots). Most results come from Phillips (37), Lempertz (4) and Grisebach (3).

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55 results · page 1 of 2

Holiday Lights at Tavern-on-the Green, Central Park and 5th Ave., 1976
Photograph
12 3/8 x 18 1/2 in. (31.4 x 47 cm)
Phillips · Apr 11, 2026 · Lot 236
$2,838≈ £2,111≈ €2,423Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–3,000View at Phillips ↗
Man in Rain, W. 88th St., N.Y.C., 1952
Photograph
12 1/2 x 8 3/8 in. (31.8 x 21.3 cm)
Phillips · Apr 11, 2026 · Lot 237
$3,354≈ £2,495≈ €2,864Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–5,000View at Phillips ↗
American Girl in Italy, 1951
Photograph
12 1/8 x 18 1/2 in. (30.8 x 47 cm.)
Bonhams · Apr 9, 2026 · Lot 56
$14,080≈ £10,489≈ €12,050Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $5,000–7,000View at Bonhams ↗
American Girl in Italy, Florence
Photograph
13¼ h x 19¼ w in (34 x 49 cm)
Rago Auctions · Nov 4, 2025 · Lot 251
$7,920≈ £6,062≈ €6,892Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–View at Rago Auctions ↗
Boy & Fence, Central Park Reservoir, 1954
Photograph
9 x 13 1/4 in. (22.9 x 33.7 cm)
Phillips · Oct 9, 2025 · Lot 312
$3,870≈ £2,894≈ €3,333Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $4,000–6,000View at Phillips ↗
American Girl in Italy, Florence, 1951
Photograph
8 1/2 x 12 7/8 in. (21.6 x 32.7 cm)
Phillips · Apr 2, 2025 · Lot 18
$16,510≈ £12,754≈ €15,283Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $5,000–7,000View at Phillips ↗
Tired Little Boy Outside Circus at Madison Square Garden, circa 1940
Photograph
image 12-5/8 x 8-1/2 in.
Brunk Auctions · Dec 3, 2024 · Lot 26
$1,100≈ £870≈ €1,046HammerSign up free to seeEst. $2,000–4,000View at Brunk Auctions ↗
American Girl in Italy, Florence, Italy, 1951
Photograph
32 x 47 3/8 in. (81.3 x 120.3 cm) Overall 48 x 63 1/4 in. (121.9 x 160.7 cm)
Phillips · Oct 9, 2024 · Lot 219
$9,525≈ £7,279≈ €8,693Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $10,000–15,000View at Phillips ↗
Robert Capa at Magnum luncheon, Paris 1951, 1951
Photograph · Paper
23,9 x 17,3 cm
OstLicht Photo Auction · Jun 5, 2024 · Lot 50
€900≈ $978≈ £765HammerSign up free to seeEst. €1,600–1,800View at OstLicht Photo Auction ↗
Man in Rain, W. 88th St., 1952
Photograph
12 5/8 x 8 1/4 in. (32.1 x 21 cm)
Phillips · Apr 5, 2024 · Lot 430
$4,445≈ £3,517≈ €4,100Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–5,000View at Phillips ↗

Also offered, result not published (1)

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

Ruth Orkin photographs (54)

Ruth Orkin: quick facts

What is the highest price paid for a work by Ruth Orkin at auction?

$40,338Sign up free to see, for American Girl in Italy at Grisebach (November 2007) — the highest price in ArtSell’s records.

What is a typical auction price for Ruth Orkin?

The median sale price is $4.7kSign up free to see across 42 priced sales. Prices vary by medium, size and date — see the price chart & statistics.

How many works by Ruth Orkin have sold at auction?

42 of 55 recorded lots sold between 2007 and 2026. 1 further lot was offered with no published result and is not counted.

Which auction houses sell Ruth Orkin?

Phillips, Lempertz and Grisebach account for the most recorded results. Phillips · Lempertz · Grisebach

About Ruth Orkin

Ruth Orkin was an American photographer, photojournalist, and filmmaker, with ties to New York City and Hollywood. Known for her photograph An American Girl in Italy (1951), she photographed many celebrities and personalities including Lauren Bacall, Doris Day, Ava Gardner, Tennessee Williams, Marlon Brando, and Alfred Hitchcock.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.