American, 1952–2002
Herb Ritts
465results on record
83%sell-through
$6,404median result (USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer)
$246,221record in our coverage
Drawn from 465 recorded results (417 sold · 48 passed) across 16 auction houses, 1998–2026. 5 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 | 259 | 89% | $7,560 |
| sculpture | 19 | 76% | $6,300 |
| works on paper | 6 | n/a | $8,847 |
| other | 5 | 67% | $11,222 |
Medium is recorded for 289 of 465 results (62%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Robert Mapplethorpe Herb Ritts Robert Mapplethorpe
| Metric | Herb Ritts | Robert Mapplethorpe |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $6,404 | $15,000 |
| Record price | $246,221 | $726,348 |
| Results on record | 465 | 1,490 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Robert MapplethorpeHorst P. HorstIrving PennHenri Cartier-bresson
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
77/ 100
- Sell-through83%
- Meets estimate59%
- Market depth465 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 | 147 | 95% | $8,750 | — |
| Bonhams | 77 | 87% | $5,211 | 0.83× |
| Heritage Auctions | 70 | 86% | $3,188 | — |
| Sotheby's | 68 | 66% | $9,301 | 0.80× |
| Phillips | 61 | 80% | $10,160 | — |
| SBI Art Auction | 9 | 100% | $2,802 | — |
| Rago | 8 | 100% | $3,539 | — |
| Grisebach | 7 | — | $6,647 | — |
| Wright | 7 | 86% | $5,100 | — |
| Artcurial | 2 | — | $9,580 | 1.36× |
| Chiswick Auctions | 2 | 100% | $2,367 | — |
| Sala Retiro | 3 | 67% | $264 | — |
| Lempertz | 2 | 0% | $2,143 | — |
| Lyon & Turnbull | 1 | — | $3,768 | 0.96× |
| Finarte | 1 | 0% | — | — |
| VAN HAM Kunstauktionen GmbH Co. KG | 1 | 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 471 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 48 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 71 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $39, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2006·10 | Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $15,000–$25,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·03 | Steve Martin | silver print, with the photographer's copyright stamp on the reverse, 1986 | $1,154–$1,731 | Sotheby's | ||
| 2006·02 | Malaika - Hands Touching Feet, Africa, 1993 | gelatin silver print | $3,000–$5,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Madonna II, San Pedro, 1990 | gelatin silver print | $3,000–$5,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Rachel with Shark, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Eona, Holding Zebra Skull, Africa, 1993 | gelatin silver print, flush-mounted on board | $8,000–$12,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Cindy Crawford 1, Costa Careyes, 1998 | gelatin silver print | $8,000–$12,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Fred with Tires, Hollywood (Body Shop Series), 1984 | gelatin silver print | $20,000–$30,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Waterfall II, Hollywood, 1988 | platinum print | $8,000–$12,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Female Torso, Detail, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Carrie in Sand, Detail, Paradise Cove, 1988 | platinum print | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2006·02 | Julia Roberts, Malibu, 1990 | gelatin silver print | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·11 | Richard Gere, San Bernardino, 1979 | gelatin silver print, printed later | $2,697–$4,045 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·11 | Stallone & Brigitte, Long Island, 1985 | gelatin silver print, printed later | $2,697–$4,045 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·10 | Rachel Holding Sphere, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $5,000–$7,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·10 | Waterfall Torso, Hollywood, 1988 | gelatin silver print | $5,000–$7,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·06 | Male Nude with Bubble, 1987 | gelatin silver print | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·05 | Woman in Sea (Cindy Crawford), Hawaii, 1988 | gelatin silver print on gold paper | $4,045–$5,393 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·05 | Felicitas, Deauville | Silver gelatin print | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2005·04 | Dan and Fred, The Body Shop, Los Angeles, California, c. 1988 | gelatin silver print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2005·02 | Female Nude, Detail, Hawaii, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $5,000–$7,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2004·10 | Felicitas, Deauville | Edition: 20/25 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2004·10 | Madonna I, San Pedro | Gelatin silver print, | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2004·10 | Veiled male, Los Angeles, California, 1985 | $3,462–$5,770 | Christie's | |||
| 2004·10 | 'stephanie, cindy, christy, tatjana, naomi, hollywood' | $7,000–$10,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2004·10 | Dan and Fred, the Body Shop, 1984 | gelatin silver print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2004·10 | Duo I, Mexico, 1990 | platinum print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2004·07 | john huston, los angeles, 1987 | $1,079–$1,618 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2004·05 | Les jumeaux | $1,731–$2,308 | Christie's | |||
| 2004·05 | Ombre chinoise | $923–$1,385 | Christie's | |||
| 2004·04 | 'versace dress, back view, el mirage, 1990' | $15,000–$20,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2004·02 | Mimi and Tony (frontal), Los Angeles, 1987 | gelatin silver print | $2,500–$3,500 | Christie's | ||
| 2003·11 | john huston, los angeles, 1987 | $1,079–$1,618 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2002·09 | Consuelo, Detail Body, Paradise Cose, California, 1984 | gelatin silver print, printed 1988 | $10,787–$16,180 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·09 | Naomi seated, Hollywood, 1991 | gelatin silver print, printed later | $5,393–$8,090 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·09 | Splash, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $9,438–$12,135 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·09 | Sylvester Stallone & Brigitte Nielson, Long Island, 1985 | toned gelatin silver print, printed 1988 | $4,045–$6,742 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Naomi Seated, Hollywood, 1991 | gelatin silver print | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Tajana in Swimsuit, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Rachel Holding Sphere, Hollywood, 1989 | gelatin silver print | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Jack Nicholson, Los Angeles, 1986 | gelatin silver print | $8,000–$12,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Alek Wek, Los Angeles, 1998 | gelatin silver print | $12,000–$18,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Duo I, Mexico, 1990 | platinum-palladium print | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Female Torso with Veil, Paradise Cove, 1984 | gelatin silver print | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Neith with Tumbleweed, Paradise Cove, 1986 | gelatin silver print | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Madonna, Tokyo, 1987 | gelatin silver print | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Carrie in Sand (detail), Paradise Cove, 1988 | platinum-palladium print | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2001·11 | Karen, Los Angeles | $1,200–$1,800 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·03 | Male Nude with Tumbleweed | $1,214–$1,618 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·03 | Dizzy Gillespie, Paris | $2,697–$4,045 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·03 | Splash, Hollywood | $1,348–$2,022 | Christie's | |||
| 2000·10 | Waterfall, Hollywood, 1988 | $1,348–$2,022 | Christie's | |||
| 2000·04 | "Neith with Shadows" Pound Ridge | $2,500–$3,500 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·12 | Fred, Body Shop, Los Angeles, Summer 1984 | gelatin silver print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 1999·12 | Fred and Dan, Body Shop, Los Angeles, Summer 1984 | gelatin silver print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 1999·12 | Fred, Bodyshop, Los Angeles, Summer 1984 | gelatin silver print | $5,000–$7,000 | Christie's | ||
| 1999·12 | Fred, Body Shop, Los Angeles, Summer 1984 | gelatin silver print | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 1999·12 | Lara, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 1985 | gelatin silver print | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 1999·12 | Male Nude with Bubble, Los Angeles | $3,000–$4,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·12 | Versace Dress, Back View, El Mirage | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·12 | Draped Woman, Marrakech | $3,000–$5,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·12 | Floating Torso, St. Barthelemy | $3,000–$5,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·06 | Tony, Los Angeles, California | $2,000–$3,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·06 | Waterfall - Woman with Sphere, Hollywood (1989) | $2,000–$3,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·05 | Black Female Figure, Los Angeles | $2,500–$3,500 | Christie's | |||
| 1999·04 | Male Nude - Frontal; and Headless Nude | $2,500–$3,500 | Christie's | |||
| 1998·12 | "Sean Connery", Hollywood, 1989 | carved with a gentleman holding a staff among plantain and rockwork | $2,427–$3,371 | Christie's | ||
| 1998·12 | "Elton John", Los Angeles, 1989 | Delicately carved in floral form with a loose ring handle carved with a tassle | $2,022–$2,697 | Christie's | ||
| 1998·12 | Male Torso with Veil | $2,000–$3,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1998·05 | 'Neith with Tumbleweed, Paradise Cove, 1986' | $1,618–$2,427 | Christie's | |||
| 1998·02 | Brigitte Nielson, Malibu, 1987 | gelatin silver print | $8,090–$10,787 | Christie's | ||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $39, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.