American, 1917–2009
Irving Penn
1,559results on record
73%sell-through
$28,800median result (USD, incl. premium; 100% observed, 0% estimated from hammer)
$567,600record in our coverage
Drawn from 1,559 recorded results (1,372 sold · 187 passed) across 17 auction houses, 1998–2026. 21 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?
The same figure also answers the seller's question: which house clears a work like this, and for how much — expected proceeds by house, from the sell-through the rest of this page is built on.
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 | 972 | 87% | $27,960 |
| other | 58 | 64% | $22,860 |
| ceramics & design | 19 | 58% | $23,220 |
| prints | 10 | 100% | $23,500 |
| sculpture | 6 | 100% | $19,515 |
| painting | 4 | 100% | $8,066 |
| works on paper | 4 | 50% | $31,090 |
Medium is recorded for 1,073 of 1,559 results (69%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Robert Mapplethorpe Irving Penn Robert Mapplethorpe
| Metric | Irving Penn | Robert Mapplethorpe |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $28,800 | $15,000 |
| Record price | $567,600 | $726,348 |
| Results on record | 1,559 | 1,490 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Robert MapplethorpeHenri Cartier-bressonHelmut NewtonHorst P. Horst
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
73/ 100
- Sell-through73%
- Meets estimate61%
- Market depth1,559 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 | 641 | 97% | $28,944 | — |
| Sotheby's | 425 | 68% | $28,576 | 0.88× |
| Phillips | 364 | 77% | $36,250 | — |
| Heritage Auctions | 46 | 70% | $11,352 | — |
| Bonhams | 57 | 53% | $10,240 | 0.76× |
| Grisebach | 8 | — | $11,009 | — |
| Lempertz | 5 | 50% | $20,696 | — |
| Wright | 8 | 38% | $215 | — |
| Artcurial | 3 | — | $535 | 0.73× |
| Finarte | 3 | 100% | $2,634 | 0.84× |
| Rago | 3 | 67% | $14,075 | — |
| SBI Art Auction | 4 | 50% | $11,781 | — |
| Chiswick Auctions | 1 | 100% | $7,102 | — |
| Lyon & Turnbull | 1 | — | $6,988 | 3.20× |
| Stockholms Auktionsverk Fine Art | 1 | — | $9,101 | 0.71× |
| Karlstad Hammarö Auktionsverk | 1 | — | $64 | 0.95× |
| Freeman's | Hindman | 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 1,593 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 187 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2025·10 | Charwomen, London | $30,000–$50,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Tennessee Williams, New York | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Seine Rowboat, France | $25,000–$35,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Summer Sleep, New York | $70,000–$90,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Girl Behind Bottle (Jean Patchett), New York | $70,000–$90,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Frozen Foods, New York | $60,000–$80,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | in a Cracked Mirror (Self-Portrait) (A), New York | $25,000–$35,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Callot Swallow-Tail Dress (about 1919), New York | $40,000–$60,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Lorry Washers, London | $40,000–$60,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Composition with Pitcher and Eau de Cologne, New York | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | John F. Kennedy (1 of 4), Washington, D.C. | $30,000–$50,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Josephine Baker, New York | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | I Am On My Vacation, New York | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Train Coach Waiter, New York | $40,000–$60,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Salad Ingredients, New York | $50,000–$70,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | New Guinea Man and Child with White Faces, New Guinea | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·10 | Imperial Pink Bud (Top); Imperial Gold Bud (Bottom), New York | $35,034–$46,712 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2025·10 | The Hand of Miles Davis, New York | Selenium toned gelatin silver print | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2025·10 | Miles Davis | Selenium toned gelatin silver print | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2025·10 | 'Woody Allen as [Charlie] Chaplin, New York, Sept 14, 1972' | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·10 | 'Vogue' Photographers, Oyster Bay, Long Island | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·10 | Frederic Franklin and Alexandra Danilova (Dancers in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo) | $4,000–$6,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | '[Saul] Steinberg in Nose Mask, New York, Sept. 30, 1966' | $12,000–$18,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | 'Cuzco Children, Peru, Dec. 1948' | $25,000–$35,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | 'Father and Son with Eggs (Cuzco)' | $15,000–$25,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | Chanel Zipper Belt (for 'Vogue') | $1,000–$1,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·07 | 'Woody Allen as [Charlie] Chaplin, New York, Sept 14, 1972' | $7,000–$10,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·06 | Nude No. 143, New York, 1949-50 | gelatin silver print | $20,000–$30,000 | upcoming | Christie's | |
| 2025·06 | Irving Penn | Five books on the photographer's life and work | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2025·05 | Hippie Family Kelly, San Francisco | $9,071–$11,339 | Lempertz | |||
| 2025·04 | Woman in Moroccan Palace (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn), Marrakech, 1951 | selenium toned gelatin silver print, mounted on board, printed 1992 | $80,000–$120,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Woman in a Burlap Sack, New York, 2007 | selenium toned gelatin silver print | $30,000–$50,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Woman with Handkerchief (Jean Patchett), New York, 1951 | toned gelatin silver print, mounted on board | $10,000–$15,000 | upcoming | Christie's | |
| 2025·04 | John Marin, New York, 1948 | platinum-palladium print, mounted on aluminum, printed 1977 | $8,000–$12,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Optician's Window (Version B), New York, 1939 | selenium toned gelatin silver print, printed 1983 | $15,000–$25,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Protractor Face, New York, 1994 | platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum | $20,000–$30,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Cigarette #37, New York, 1974 | platinum-palladium print, mounted on aluminum, printed 1975 | $20,000–$30,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | After-Dinner Games, New York, 1947 | dye transfer print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1959–1960 | $50,000–$70,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Mud Glove (SM), Neg. IV, 1975 | platinum-palladium print, printed 1976 | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Blast, New York, 1980 | platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum | $25,000–$35,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Tribesman with Nose Ornament, New Guinea, 1970 | platinum-palladium print, mounted on aluminum, printed 1990 | $20,000–$30,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Vogue Cover (Cage On Wilhelmina), Paris, 1965 | platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1992 | $30,000–$50,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Iceland Poppy / Papaver Nudicaule (G), New York, 2006 | archival pigment print, flush-mounted on board | $30,000–$50,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Faucet Dripping Diamonds, New York, 1963 | dye transfer print, printed 1984 | $30,000–$50,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | Poppy: Glowing Embers, New York, 1968 | dye-transfer print | $113,460–$170,190 | Christie's | ||
| 2025·04 | 'Two Guedras,' Morocco | $30,000–$50,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2025·04 | 'Nude 18' | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2025·04 | Cigarette #135 (C415) | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·04 | Vogue Fashion Photograph (Lisa Fonssagrives), New York | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·04 | Skull, Huile and Plum | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·04 | Butcher, London | $35,000–$55,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·04 | Woman in Palace, Marrakech, Morocco (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn) | $80,000–$120,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2025·03 | Carson McCullers, New York | $6,000–$9,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·03 | 'Cloth With Can Tab' | $10,000–$15,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2025·03 | Miles Davis, New York, 1986 | selenium-toned gelatin silver print | $32,369–$45,316 | upcoming | Christie's | |
| 2025·02 | Chanel Zipper Belt (for 'Vogue') | $1,500–$2,500 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·12 | Colette, Paris. 1951 | Gelatin silver print, printed later | $3,155–$4,207 | Grisebach | ||
| 2024·12 | René Bouché und Elise Daniels, New York. 1947 | Vintage | $10,518–$15,777 | Grisebach | ||
| 2024·11 | Child of Florence, 1948 | $7,563–$10,083 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Fish Bones on a Plate, New York | $8,848–$11,376 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Breast (A), New York, March 5th | $12,640–$18,961 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Cigarettes #135 (C415) | $18,961–$31,601 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Four Unggai Warriors, New Guinea | $12,640–$18,961 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Young Cricketer (Terry Piggott), London | $7,584–$10,112 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Nadja Auermann, New York, June 22 | $25,281–$37,921 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | Bee (A), New York, September | $50,561–$75,842 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | The Poor Lovers | $15,168–$22,753 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·11 | "Cigarette no. 69" (1972). | $9,101–$11,377 | Stockholms Auktionsverk Fine Art | |||
| 2024·10 | Cretan Landscape | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·10 | 'Man with Pink Face, New Guinea' | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·10 | Cigarette #37 | $20,000–$30,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·10 | Marcel Duchamp | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·10 | Sophia Loren, New York | $30,000–$50,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·10 | Ballet Society, New York, March 5 | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·10 | American Ballet Theatre | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·10 | Nude | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·10 | Nude | Gelatin silver print, printed 1980 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2024·09 | 'Miss Fish, New York, Jan. 9, 2006' | $8,000–$12,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·07 | 'Cloth With Can Tab' | $10,000–$15,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2024·05 | Chanel Sequined Suit | $15,188–$22,783 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·05 | Cuzco Woman with High Shoes | $12,657–$18,985 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·05 | The Palm of Miles Davis, New York | $50,628–$75,942 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·05 | Rock Groups, Big Brother and the Holding Company and The Grateful Dead, San Francisco | $18,985–$31,642 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·05 | Pablo Picasso at La Californie, Cannes, France | $37,971–$63,285 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·04 | Theatre Accident | Dye transfer print, printed 1984 | — | Heritage Auctions | ||
| 2024·04 | 'Three Dahomey Girls, One Standing' | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Man with Pink Face, New Guinea' | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Wide Skull' | $8,000–$12,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Turning Head (B), New York' | $12,000–$18,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | Miles Davis (New York, July 1, 1986) | $30,000–$50,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Nude 150' | $8,000–$12,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Nude 62' | $8,000–$12,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | New York Cartoonists | $5,000–$7,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | Cuzco Children | $50,000–$70,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Woman in Moroccan Palace (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn), Marrakech' | $150,000–$250,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | 'Football Face, New York, Sept. 24, 2002' | $40,000–$60,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2024·04 | Steinberg in Nose Mask, New York, September 30 | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·04 | New Guinea Man with Painted-On Glasses | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·04 | Two Rissani Women, One With Bread, One With Child, Morocco | $20,000–$30,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2024·04 | Charbonnier, Paris | $30,000–$50,000 | Phillips | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.