> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/alexander-gardner-3 · updated 2026-11-02

# Alexander Gardner (1821–1882)

## What is Alexander Gardner’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 127 auction results for Alexander Gardner at 9 houses since 1991. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,500 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,320–$2,370, n=22). The auction record is $100,000 for Suite of 4 photographs depicting the hanging of the Lincoln conspirators on July 7, 1865 (2013, Swann Auction Galleries). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

**Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suite of 4 photographs depicting the hanging of the Lincoln conspirators on July 7, 1865, 1821 | GARDNER | $100,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2013 |
| 2 | Rays of Sunlight from South America, 1821 | GARDNER | $33,600 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2012 |
| 3 | Thus It Be Ever With Assassins, the hanging of the Lincoln conspirators, July 7, 1865, 1821 | GARDNER | $27,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2014 |
| 4 | Sketchbook of the Civil War, 1862 | Albumen prints | $21,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2014 |
| 5 | Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the Civil War, Vol. II, 1866 | Photographs | $17,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Jul 1995 |
| 6 | Lincoln's second inauguration, 1865 | Photographs | $8,625 | Swann Auction Galleries | Jul 1995 |
| 7 | Nath'l Hawthorne, 1862 | Photograph | $7,620 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2026 |
| 8 | Lakota and Oglalla tribesmen Lone Horn, Pipe, Grass and Young Elk (From the Fort Laramie series), 1821 | GARDNER | $6,960 | Swann Auction Galleries | Dec 2010 |
| 9 | ALEXANDER GARDNER (1821-1882) Group of 19 Civil War views of Union campaigns, several with Gardner's credit., 1821 | Albumen prints | $6,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 2019 |
| 10 | Suite of 3 photographs documenting the hanging of the Lincoln conspirators, and 3 documenting the hanging of Confederate Captain Wirz, 1821 | Warm-toned silver prints | $6,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 2019 |


**Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 96 | $1,238 |
| Other | 18 | $908 |

**Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 85 | $1,320 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 127 results from 9 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Alexander Gardner is a Scottish artist with 149 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $1,200. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.

A work by Alexander Gardner sold in 2026 for $7,620, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Alexander Gardner work worth?

Across 124 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Alexander Gardner work is $1,200.

The median Alexander Gardner photograph sells for $1,205 across 112 lots.

The median Alexander Gardner print sells for $187 across 1 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Alexander Gardner photographs typically sell for $660–$2,760 (the middle half of 89 sold lots).

Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 1 | $187 | $187 | — | 2022-11-03 |
| Photography | 117 | $1,205†‡ | $100,000 | 95.7% | 2026-06-19 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 7 | $21,250 | $100,000 | — | 2026-05-07 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

## Price by size

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 89 | $660–$2,760†‡ | $1,320†‡ | $100,000 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2013 | $100,000 |
| Photography | 2012 | $33,600 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $187 |

The highest recorded result in each medium. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a Alexander Gardner worth?

Across 124 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Alexander Gardner work is $1,200. The median Alexander Gardner photograph sells for $1,205 across 112 lots. The median Alexander Gardner print sells for $187 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Alexander Gardner photographs typically sell for $660–$2,760 (the middle half of 89 sold lots). Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is the average price of a Alexander Gardner photograph?

Based on 112 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Alexander Gardner photograph is $1,205. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is Alexander Gardner's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Alexander Gardner photograph is $100,000.

### What is the average price of a small Alexander Gardner photograph?

Based on 89 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Alexander Gardner photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,320, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is Alexander Gardner's auction record?

Alexander Gardner's auction record is $100,000, set in 2013.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Alexander Gardner auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/alexander-gardner-3 (updated 2026-11-02).

Historical auction data, not investment advice. Prices are premium-inclusive USD where the buyer's premium is recorded. Figures marked † are hammer prices (buyer's premium not included); ‡ marks a price whose basis is not yet verified. Non-USD results are converted at the sale month's rate.