American, 1945–2014
Lewis Baltz
144results on record
78%sell-through
$12,700median result (USD, incl. premium; 99% observed, 1% estimated from hammer)
$118,750record in our coverage
Drawn from 144 recorded results (124 sold · 20 passed) across 9 auction houses, 2000–2026. 1 upcoming lot on the ledger. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 99% observed, 1% 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 | 38 | 89% | $14,308 |
| other | 14 | 100% | $15,175 |
| prints | 5 | n/a | $38,109 |
| ceramics & design | 4 | 100% | $10,625 |
Medium is recorded for 61 of 144 results (42%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Robert Frank Lewis Baltz Robert Frank
| Metric | Lewis Baltz | Robert Frank |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $12,700 | $19,050 |
| Record price | $118,750 | $952,500 |
| Results on record | 144 | 1,029 |
| Years active at auction | 2000–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Robert FrankIrving PennLee FriedlanderAndré Kertész
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
71/ 100
- Sell-through78%
- Meets estimate48%
- Market depth144 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sotheby's | 67 | 78% | $14,438 | 0.80× |
| Phillips | 30 | 77% | $21,250 | — |
| Christie's | 23 | — | $13,300 | — |
| Bonhams | 9 | 78% | $5,000 | 0.67× |
| Grisebach | 7 | — | $2,287 | — |
| Lempertz | 3 | 100% | $4,226 | — |
| Rago | 2 | 100% | $2,192 | — |
| Heritage Auctions | 2 | 100% | $1,362 | — |
| Finarte | 2 | 50% | $4,642 | 0.80× |
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 146 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 20 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2016·11 | 'la valise', 1993 | $10,895–$16,342 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·10 | 'Laguna Beach' | $12,000–$18,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2016·05 | Orange County from The Prototype Works | $11,645–$17,468 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·04 | North Wall, Automated Marine International, 1641 McGaw, Irvine, from 'Industrial Parks', 1974 | gelatin silver print | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2016·04 | East Wall, Western Carpet Mills, 1231 Warner, Tustin, from 'Industrial Parks', 1974 | gelatin silver print | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2016·04 | Rule Without Exception | $12,000–$18,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·04 | New Industrial Parks #34 (Milliken Road between Gates and DuBridge Roads looking East) | $7,000–$9,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·04 | Nevada | $50,000–$70,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2016·04 | Untitled | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2015·12 | Corona del Mar, #8, 1971 | gelatin silver print, mounted on board | $15,000–$25,000 | Unsold listing | Christie's | |
| 2015·10 | Rule Without Exception | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2015·04 | Untitled (Park City 14) | $8,000–$12,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2015·04 | industrial structure during painting, irvine, from the series the new industrial parks near irvine, california | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·12 | Commercial Building, Pasadena | $25,000–$35,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·10 | New Industrial Parks #20 from New Industrial Parks near Irvine, California | $10,000–$15,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·10 | The new Industrial Parks near Irvine, California | $2,500–$3,500 | Phillips | |||
| 2014·09 | dana point no. 1 (point realty) | $12,000–$18,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·04 | southeast corner, semicoa, 333 mccormick, costa mesa, near irvine, california, from 'industrial parks' | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2014·04 | Selected images from Park City | $15,000–$25,000 | Phillips | |||
| 2013·11 | La valise, 1993 | $6,730–$9,422 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·11 | San Quentin Point, 1985 | $10,768–$16,152 | Christie's | |||
| 2013·05 | Maryland #13 | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·05 | Maryland #6 | $5,000–$7,000 | Bonhams | |||
| 2013·04 | 'nevada' | $30,000–$50,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2013·04 | Corona del Mar, 1971 | gelatin silver print | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2013·04 | Politics of Bacteria, 1992-1995 | $12,000–$18,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2011·11 | la valise, 1993 | $20,475–$27,300 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2010·10 | 'piazza sigmund freud' (milan, italy) | $15,000–$25,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2010·09 | Corso dei lavoro | $6,000–$8,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2010·05 | South Wall, Resources Recovery Systems, 1882 McGaw, Irvine, 1974 | $5,708–$8,561 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2008·05 | Near Songhees Road <br /> (The Canadian Series). 1985 | Silbergelatineabzug, 1995 | $1,555–$2,333 | Grisebach | ||
| 2008·02 | Piazza Pugliesi, 1991 | dye-bleach print | $4,000–$6,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2007·10 | Pasadena | $10,000–$15,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2007·05 | Power Lines, 1980 | $11,923–$15,898 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2007·04 | 'continuous fire polar circle' | $12,000–$18,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2007·04 | 'near reno' | $25,000–$35,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2007·04 | 'candlestick point' | $30,000–$40,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2006·10 | 'nevada' | $25,000–$35,000 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2004·10 | New Industrial Parks, Near Irvine, CA, 1974 | gelatin silver print | $2,500–$3,500 | Christie's | ||
| 2002·04 | Lewis Baltz | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2002·04 | Lewis Baltz | $1,000–$1,500 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·10 | Piazza Sigmund Freud | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2001·09 | Lemmon Valley, looking North, from Nevada , 1977 | gelatin silver print | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2001·09 | Lemmon Valley, Looking Northeast, from Nevada , 1977 | gelatin silver print | $7,000–$9,000 | Christie's | ||
| 2001·04 | Candlestick Point | $15,000–$20,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2000·04 | Near Reno | $10,000–$15,000 | Christie's | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.