> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/berenice-abbott · updated 2026-11-02

# Berenice Abbott (1898–1991)

## What is Berenice Abbott’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 1,117 auction results for Berenice Abbott at 41 houses since 1992. Over the last 24 months the median price was $2,176 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,079–$3,810, n=81). The auction record is $102,000 for Retrospective Portfolio (2012, Swann Auction Galleries). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retrospective Portfolio, 1982 | Photographs | $90,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2011 |
| 2 | Jean Cocteau, 1927 | In pencil and date in ink on the verso | $46,000 | Christie's | Oct 1998 |
| 3 | New York at Night, 1932 | Gelatin silver print. Circa 1932. Signed in pencil on the verso | $46,000 | Christie's | Oct 1998 |
| 4 | new york at night | The photographer's 'Photo Bernice [sic] Abbott, 56 West 53rd Street, New York City' studio stamp on the reverse, mounted to a folio sheet of laid paper folded to 4to, signed by the photographer in pencil on the mount, matted, 1930, printed no later than early 1936 (Photographs, p. 120; O'Neal, frontispiece; Modern Vision, pl. 9; Commerce Graphics, unpaginated; Masterworks of American Photography, pl. 90; Getty Museum Handbook, pl. 174; A Ten Year Salute, p. 115) | $44,200 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| 5 | Automat, 977 Eighth Avenue | Cartes-de-visite | $40,000 | Phillips | Apr 2018 |
| 6 | Portfolio II, 1979 | New York: Parasol Press Ltd., 1979. Twelve gelatin silver prints | $40,000 | Phillips | Apr 2015 |
| 7 | "El" Second and Third Avenue Lines, Hanover Square and Pearl Street. March 6, 1936, 1936 | Oversize silver print | $35,560 | Swann Auction Galleries | Sep 2026 |
| 8 | New York at Night, 1898 | Cartes-de-visite | $35,000 | Christie's | Oct 2011 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retrospective Portfolio | Photographs | $102,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2012 |
| 2 | New York at Night, 1898 | Cartes-de-visite | $87,500 | Christie's | Oct 2013 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Works on paper | 7 | $3,750 |
| Photographs | 803 | $3,500 |
| Other | 230 | $3,500 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 110 | $5,000 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 858 | $3,383 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 1,117 results from 41 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Berenice Abbott is an American artist with 1,575 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $3,500. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.

A work by Berenice Abbott sold in 2026 for $25,600, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**2 Berenice Abbott works are coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-02).

- [Berenice Abbott on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/berenice-abbott?ref=kg:berenice-abbott) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Berenice Abbott work worth?

Across 1,111 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Berenice Abbott work is $3,500.

The median Berenice Abbott photograph sells for $3,302 across 1,002 lots.

The median Berenice Abbott work on paper sells for $5,750 across 36 lots.

The median Berenice Abbott print sells for $3,750 across 29 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Berenice Abbott photographs typically sell for $1,879–$6,111 (the middle half of 844 sold lots).

Medium (50–120 cm) Berenice Abbott photographs typically sell for $2,677–$12,344 (the middle half of 98 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 | 29 | $3,750 | $35,560 | — | 2026-09-24 |
| Works on Paper | 36 | $5,750 | $46,000 | — | 2024-09-26 |
| Photography | 1,227 | $3,302†‡ | $102,000 | 81.7% | 2026-10-22 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 59 | $24,872 | $102,000 | — | 2026-10-22 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 28 | $3,000–$6,875 | $3,750 | $35,560 |

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 16 | $4,838–$12,669 | $7,682 | $46,000 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 18 | $3,766–$5,750 | $4,772 | $25,000 |

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 844 | $1,879–$6,111†‡ | $3,290†‡ | $87,500 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 98 | $2,677–$12,344 | $5,000 | $102,000 |

† 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 | 2012 | $102,000 |
| Photography | 2011 | $90,000 |
| Works on Paper | 1998 | $46,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $35,560 |
| Works on Paper | 2022 | $30,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $15,000 |

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 Berenice Abbott worth?

Across 1,111 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Berenice Abbott work is $3,500. The median Berenice Abbott photograph sells for $3,302 across 1,002 lots. The median Berenice Abbott work on paper sells for $5,750 across 36 lots. The median Berenice Abbott print sells for $3,750 across 29 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Berenice Abbott photographs typically sell for $1,879–$6,111 (the middle half of 844 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Berenice Abbott photographs typically sell for $2,677–$12,344 (the middle half of 98 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 Berenice Abbott photograph?

Based on 1,002 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Berenice Abbott photograph is $3,302. 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 Berenice Abbott's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Berenice Abbott photograph is $102,000.

### What is the average price of a Berenice Abbott work on paper?

Based on 36 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Berenice Abbott work on paper is $5,750.

### What is Berenice Abbott's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Berenice Abbott work on paper is $46,000.

### What is the average price of a Berenice Abbott print?

Based on 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Berenice Abbott print is $3,750.

### What is Berenice Abbott's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Berenice Abbott print is $35,560.

### What is the average price of a small Berenice Abbott photograph?

Based on 844 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Berenice Abbott photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $3,290, 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 the average price of a medium Berenice Abbott photograph?

Based on 98 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Berenice Abbott photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $5,000, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

### What is Berenice Abbott's auction record?

Berenice Abbott's auction record is $102,000, set in 2012.

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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, “Berenice Abbott auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/berenice-abbott (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.