What is a Shelby Lee Adams photograph worth?
b. 1950 · Price guide from past auction results
Half of the 12 works by Shelby Lee Adams with a published auction price sold between $390Sign up free to see and $1,000Sign up free to see, and the median is $550Sign up free to see. For photographs alone, the median is $550Sign up free to see across 12 sales. In the last five years the median was $550Sign up free to see across 12 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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Shelby Lee Adams prices by medium
- Auction results
- 12
- Sold rate
- 100%
- Active at auction
- 2022–2026
- Median price
- $550Sign up free to see
- Record price
- $1.4kSign up free to see Children at Topmost, Lempertz, May 2025
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 12 | $390–$1kSign up free to see | $550Sign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Lempertz (4), Brunk Auctions (3), Rago Auctions (2)
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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) | 3 | $326–$389Sign up free to see | $333Sign up free to see |
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 8 | $552–$1.1kSign up free to see | $964Sign up free to see |
Recent Shelby Lee Adams sales
- Appalachian Dracula with Grandma, Leatherwood, Kentucky, T52 Polaroid Polapan 4x5 film Type 52 — $333Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Jul 30, 2026
- The Boys at Tompost, Gelatin silver print — $1,330Sign up free to see, Lempertz, Jun 5, 2026
- Selected Images (comprising 'Lloyd Dean Holding Great-Grand Baby', 'Noble Boys on 4-Wheelers', 'Walter's Trailer', and 'Three Sisters'), Four chromogenic prints; each signed — $282Sign up free to see, Bonhams, Sep 18, 2025
- Bert Sitting in Front of Bed, unique Polaroid Type 52 PolaPan print — $318Sign up free to see, Rago Auctions, Jun 10, 2025
- Sloan's porch, unique Polaroid Type 52 PolaPan print — $445Sign up free to see, Rago Auctions, Jun 10, 2025
- Erik with Spike the Rooster, Gelatin silver print — $929Sign up free to see, Lempertz, May 30, 2025
- Paul with Mother and Bucket, Gelatin silver print — $1,000Sign up free to see, Lempertz, May 30, 2025
- Children at Topmost, Gelatin silver print — $1,429Sign up free to see, Lempertz, May 30, 2025
Questions about Shelby Lee Adams prices
What is a Shelby Lee Adams photograph worth?
Based on 12 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by Shelby Lee Adams have sold for a median of $550, and half of them sold between $390 and $1,000. For photographs alone the median is $550 (12 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 Shelby Lee Adams sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $1,429 for “Children at Topmost” at Lempertz in May 2025.
How often do Shelby Lee Adams works sell at auction?
100% of the 12 lots recorded between 2022 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a Shelby Lee Adams 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 12 auction results for Shelby Lee Adams between 2022 and 2026, and 12 of them sold (100%).
Sell a Shelby Lee Adams photographAll Shelby Lee Adams auction resultsPrice chartShelby Lee Adams photographsFree auction estimate