American, 1923–1971
Diane Arbus
811results on record
74%sell-through
$12,500median result (USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer)
$1,197,000record in our coverage
Drawn from 811 recorded results (697 sold · 114 passed) across 12 auction houses, 1998–2026. 8 upcoming lots on the ledger. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer method · log scale
Where does a value land in this market?
Every sold result for this market, low to high (log scale) — the dashed line is the median. Enter a value to see where it lands.
By medium where medium is recorded or stated in the catalog line
| Medium | Results | Sell-through | Median result (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| photography | 438 | 84% | $13,750 |
| ceramics & design | 22 | 77% | $11,400 |
| other | 10 | 80% | $132,000 |
| prints | 4 | 75% | $1,750 |
| painting | 3 | n/a | $9,560 |
Medium is recorded for 477 of 811 results (59%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Irving Penn Diane Arbus Irving Penn
| Metric | Diane Arbus | Irving Penn |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $12,500 | $28,800 |
| Record price | $1,197,000 | $567,600 |
| Results on record | 811 | 1,559 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Irving PennRobert MapplethorpeHenri Cartier-bressonAnsel Adams
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
68/ 100
- Sell-through74%
- Meets estimate48%
- Market depth811 results
How readily and near-estimate this market clears — sell-through, estimate reliability, and depth, blended into one score. "Meets estimate" is the share of sold lots hammering at or above the low estimate, over catalogs that print a real appraisal: a house whose printed low is a starting bid would meet its estimate on every lot, so those lots are excluded from this term only — their prices and outcomes still count in the other two. Method →
Where this artist sells best
| House | Results | Sell-through | Median | vs. estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christie's | 245 | 95% | $13,750 | — |
| Sotheby's | 246 | 72% | $15,625 | 0.78× |
| Phillips | 196 | 77% | $13,380 | — |
| Heritage Auctions | 39 | 87% | $4,375 | — |
| Bonhams | 51 | 45% | $8,320 | 0.78× |
| Grisebach | 16 | — | $8,401 | — |
| Lempertz | 9 | 100% | $4,435 | — |
| Rago | 5 | 100% | $4,064 | — |
| Wright | 4 | 75% | $6,250 | — |
| Viscontea auction house | 2 | 50% | $1,641 | 0.57× |
| SBI Art Auction | 1 | 0% | — | — |
| Finarte | 2 | 0% | — | — |
The same artist across every house we cover — hammer-vs-estimate side by side. A dash in the estimate column can mean withheld rather than unpublished: the house publishes no hammer price, or its printed low is a starting bid rather than an appraisal. Method →
Prices realized 824 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 114 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $39, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2022·04 | Untitled (8), 1970-1971 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Selkirk | $12,000–$18,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·04 | Untitled (26), 1970-1971 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Sellkirk | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·04 | Audience with projection booth, N.Y.C., 1958 | gelatin silver print, flush-mounted on board, mounted on mat | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·04 | Man in the audience, N.Y.C., 1957 | gelatin silver print | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·04 | Teenager with a baseball bat, N.Y.C., 1962 | gelatin silver print | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·04 | Untitled (22), 1970-1971 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Sellkirk | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2022·04 | Barefoot child jumping rope, N.Y.C. | $25,000–$35,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2022·04 | Untitled (26) | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2022·04 | Untitled (3) | $4,000–$6,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2022·04 | Girl with a cigar in Washington Square Park, N.Y.C. | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2022·04 | Woman with Eyeliner, N.Y.C. | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2022·04 | Girl Walking on a Dirt Road, Shelter Island, N.Y. | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2022·04 | A couple at a dance, N.Y.C., 1960 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Selkirk | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (1) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (10) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Girl in a shiny dress, N.Y.C. | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Frank Stella | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Self-portrait pregnant, N.Y.C. | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Patriotic Young Man with a Flag, N.Y.C. | $50,000–$70,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Five children in a common room, N.J. | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (6) | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (4) | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (8) | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Anderson Hays Cooper, N.Y.C. | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | A Flower Girl at a Wedding, Conn. | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Girl in her circus costume, Md. | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (26) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (3) | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·10 | Child with a toy hand grenade in Central Park, N.Y.C., 1962 | gelatin silver print | $500,000–$700,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2021·10 | A young waitress at a nudist camp, N.J., 1963 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Selkirk | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (6), 1970-1971 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Selkirk | $8,000–$12,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2021·10 | Untitled (3) | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·10 | 'Teenage Couple on Hudson Street, NYC' | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·10 | 'A Flower Girl at a Wedding, Conn.' | $8,000–$12,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·07 | 'Xmas tree in a living room in Levittown, L. I.' | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·07 | Man at a parade, 1969 | $5,770–$8,077 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·07 | Masked man at a ball, NYC, 1967 | $5,770–$8,077 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·06 | „A Family one Evening in a Nudist Camp, PA“. 1965 | Gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk, 1972 | $4,616–$6,923 | Grisebach | ||
| 2021·05 | Girl with a cigar in Washington Square Park, N.Y.C. | $6,742–$9,438 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·05 | Untitled (8) | $10,787–$16,180 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·05 | Woman with a locket in Washington Square Park, N.Y.C. | $5,393–$8,090 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | The Three-legged Man, N.Y.C. | Gelatin silver, printed later by Neil Selkirk | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2021·04 | Charles Atlas | Gelatin silver, printed printed 1984 by Neil Selkirk | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2021·04 | Mia Villiers-Farrow on a Bed | Gelatin silver, printed later by Neil Selkirk | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2021·04 | Women on a Sun Deck, Coney Island, N.Y. | Gelatin silver, printed later by Neil Selkirk | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2021·04 | Peaches Palmer, Stripper in Dressing Room. Atlantic City, N.J. | $30,000–$50,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | New York Skyline In A Lobby, St. Petersburg, Fla. | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | A young waitress at a nudist camp, N.J. | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | Bishop by the sea, Santa Barbara, Cal. | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | Untitled (14) | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | Nudist lady with swan sunglasses, Pa. | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | Woman with a veil on Fifth Avenue, N.Y.C. | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | Four people at a gallery opening, N.Y.C. | $5,000–$7,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2021·04 | 'A young Brooklyn family going for a Sunday outing, N.Y.C.' | $40,000–$60,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·04 | 'A Jewish giant at home with his parents in the Bronx, N.Y.' | $40,000–$60,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·04 | A Flower Girl at a Wedding, Conn. | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·04 | Untitled (14) | $7,000–$10,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2021·03 | Portfolio | $700–$900 | Rago | |||
| 2021·03 | Lobby of a Building, N.Y.C., 1966 | $5,770–$8,077 | Finarte | |||
| 2021·03 | A Portfolio of 12 prints, 1961-1971 | $923–$1,385 | Finarte | |||
| 2020·12 | 'Man at a Parade on Fifth Avenue, N. Y. C.' | $6,000–$9,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·12 | A young waitress at a nudist camp, NJ | $10,000–$15,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·12 | Mae West in a chair at home, Santa Monica, Cal.[ifornia]. 1965 | Later gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk | $4,616–$6,923 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | Mia Villiers-Farrow on a bed. 1964 | Later gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk | $8,077–$10,385 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | Penelope Tree in her living room, N.Y.C. 1962 | Gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk, 1989 | $5,770–$8,077 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus in their living room, Albion, N.Y. 1964 | Gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk, 1984 | $4,616–$6,923 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | James Brown backstage at the Apollo Theater, N.Y.C. 1966 | Later gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk | $5,770–$8,077 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | Transvestite on her birthday party, N.Y.C. 1969 | Gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk, 1972 | $4,616–$6,923 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | Girl in a coat lying on her bed, N.Y.C. 1968 | Gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk, 1972 | $8,077–$10,385 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·12 | Jayne Mansfield Climber-Ottaviano, actress, with her daughter Jayne Marie, L.A. Cal.[ifornia]. 1965. | Later gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk | $5,770–$8,077 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·10 | People on a park bench, N.Y.C. | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·10 | Girl in a coat lying on her bed, N.Y.C. | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·10 | Untitled (7) | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·10 | Teenage Couple on Hudson Street, N.Y.C. | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·10 | jacqueline susann and her husband irving mansfield, 1969 | $5,393–$8,090 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'lucas samaras', 1966 | $26,967–$40,450 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | ‘untitled (28)’, 1970-71 | $5,393–$8,090 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'lucas samaras' | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'a family one evening in a nudist camp, pa' | $7,000–$10,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'woman in her negligee, n. y. c.' | $7,000–$10,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'a family on their lawn one sunday in westchester, n. y.' | $300,000–$500,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'mildred dunnock, n. y. c.' | $8,000–$12,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·10 | 'valentino look alike at an audition, n. y. c.' | $7,000–$10,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·09 | Mia Villiers-Farrow on a bed, 1964 | gelatin silver print, printed later by Neil Selkirk | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2020·09 | Tattooed female impersonator applying make-up in a mirror, N.Y.C. | $26,967–$40,450 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·09 | Blonde female impersonator framed in a mirror beneath a light bulb, N.Y.C. | $26,967–$40,450 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·07 | ‘puerto rican woman with a beauty mark, n. y. c.’ | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·07 | ‘four people at a gallery opening, n.y.c.’ | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·07 | Untitled (28) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·07 | Untitled (20) | $6,000–$8,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·07 | A Waitress in a Nudist Camp in New Jersey | $50,000–$70,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·07 | Two Ladies at the Automat, N.Y.C. | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·07 | The Junior Interstate Ballroom Dance Champions, Yonkers, NY | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2020·07 | „Boy in the Subway, N.Y.C“. 1956 | Gelatin silver print by Neil Selkirk, 2003 | $6,923–$9,231 | Grisebach | ||
| 2020·06 | Two Boys Smoking in Central Park, N.Y.C. | $10,000–$15,000 | Wright | |||
| 2020·05 | penelope tree in the grass | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·04 | Mia Villiers Farrow on a bed | $10,000–$15,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·04 | Man and boy on a bench in Central Park, NYC | $15,000–$25,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2020·04 | untitled (1) | $7,000–$10,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2020·04 | a flower girl at a wedding, conn. | $25,000–$35,000 | Sotheby's | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $39, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.