What is a W. Eugene Smith photograph worth?
1918–1978 · Price guide from past auction results
Half of the 57 works by W. Eugene Smith with a published auction price sold between $1,024Sign up free to see and $7,144Sign up free to see, and the median is $3,024Sign up free to see. For photographs alone, the median is $3,024Sign up free to see across 57 sales. In the last five years the median was $2,016Sign up free to see across 39 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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W. Eugene Smith prices by medium
- Auction results
- 79
- Sold rate
- 72%
- Active at auction
- 2011–2026
- Median price
- $3kSign up free to see
- Record price
- $30kSign up free to see Thelonious Monk Rehearsing in the Loft, Phillips, Apr 2017
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 57 | $1k–$7.1kSign up free to see | $3kSign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Phillips (33), Bonhams (22), Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) (7)
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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) | 13 | $960–$3.1kSign up free to see | $1.8kSign up free to see |
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 44 | $1.4k–$8.4kSign up free to see | $3.4kSign up free to see |
Recent W. Eugene Smith sales
- 6th Ave at 28th Street During Snowstorm, Vintage gelatin silver print — $3,548Sign up free to see, Lempertz, Jun 5, 2026
- Silhouette of Patient in Trance, Haiti, gelatin silver print — $635Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 10, 2026
- Steel Worker, Pittsburgh, gelatin silver print — $762Sign up free to see, Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA), Mar 10, 2026
- Impeach the Red Mayor (Hard Hat Riot against Government War Policy), Gelatin silver print — $960Sign up free to see, Bonhams, Jan 22, 2026
- Death of Gus-Gus, Gelatin silver print — $1,664Sign up free to see, Bonhams, Jan 22, 2026
- 'Leyte Cathedral, Philippines', Gelatin silver print — $614Sign up free to see, Bonhams, Jan 22, 2026
- 'Welsh Village', Gelatin silver print — $640Sign up free to see, Bonhams, Jan 22, 2026
- Leper Patient and Religious Medal at Dr. Albert Schweitzer's, Gelatin silver print — $538Sign up free to see, Bonhams, Jan 22, 2026
Questions about W. Eugene Smith prices
What is a W. Eugene Smith photograph worth?
Based on 57 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by W. Eugene Smith have sold for a median of $3,024, and half of them sold between $1,024 and $7,144. For photographs alone the median is $3,024 (57 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 W. Eugene Smith sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $30,000 for “Thelonious Monk Rehearsing in the Loft” at Phillips in April 2017.
How often do W. Eugene Smith works sell at auction?
72% of the 79 lots recorded between 2011 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a W. Eugene Smith 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 79 auction results for W. Eugene Smith between 2011 and 2026, and 57 of them sold (72%).
Sell a W. Eugene Smith photographAll W. Eugene Smith auction resultsPrice chartW. Eugene Smith photographsFree auction estimate