Bill Owens (b. 1938)
What is Bill Owens’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 32 auction results for Bill Owens at 13 houses since 2004. Over the last 24 months the median price was $819 including buyer’s premium (middle half $50–$1,216, n=9). The auction record is $16,800 for Selected Images from Suburbia (2024, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selected Images from Suburbia, 1968 | Gelatin silver prints | $16,800 | Sotheby's | Oct 2024 |
| 2 | selected images from 'suburbia' | A group of 4 photographs from the series Suburbia, comprising, 'Reagan on TV,' 'Richie,' 'Before the Dissolution of our Marriage,' and 'Tupperware Party,' each signed by the photographer in pencil and with his credit/edition stamp, numbered and dated by him in pencil, on the reverse, matted, framed, a Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery, Dallas, label on the reverse, 1971, printed 1999-2000, each one from an edition of 15 (4) | $13,750 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| 3 | I don’t feel that Richie playing with guns will have a negative effect, 1970; Our house is built with the living room in the back, 1970 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,750 | Phillips | Oct 2014 |
| 4 | Reagan, 1938 | Ink | $2,800 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2007 |
| 5 | Richie (from the Suburbia series), 1971 | Cartes-de-visite | $2,772 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Dec 2024 |
| 6 | Suburbia, 1973 | Stamped green cloth; matching slipcase | $2,200 | Swann Auction Galleries | Dec 2007 |
| 7 | Surburbia, 1971 | Flush mounted silver print | $2,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2005 |
| 8 | Untitled (from "Suburbia"), 1938 | Pencil and an edition hand stamp with the print date and number on verso | $1,800 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2010 |
| 9 | Our Kind of People, 1938 | Photograph | $1,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2005 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selected Images from Suburbia, 1968-1972 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,048 | Phillips | Dec 2024 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 20 | $1,041 |
| Other | 8 | $632 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 18 | $1,145 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 32 results from 13 houses · How we compute these figures
Bill Owens is an American artist with 74 auction lots recorded since 2004, median price $1,014. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.
A work by Bill Owens sold in 2026 for $1,216, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Bill Owens record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Bill Owens on OpeningBid →What is a Bill Owens work worth?
Across 32 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Bill Owens work is $1,014.
The median Bill Owens photograph sells for $1,047 across 26 lots.
The median Bill Owens print sells for $243 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Bill Owens photographs typically sell for $934–$2,779 (the middle half of 20 sold lots).
Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
Price breakdown by category
| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 1 | $243 | $243 | — | 2024-07-26 |
| Photography | 37 | $1,047‡ | $16,800 | 70.3% | 2026-08-30 |
‡ 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) | 20 | $934–$2,779‡ | $1,145‡ | $16,800 |
‡ 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 | 2024 | $16,800 |
| Photography | 2015 | $8,691‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $243 |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Bill Owens worth?
Across 32 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Bill Owens work is $1,014. The median Bill Owens photograph sells for $1,047 across 26 lots. The median Bill Owens print sells for $243 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Bill Owens photographs typically sell for $934–$2,779 (the middle half of 20 sold lots). Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is the average price of a Bill Owens photograph?
Based on 26 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Bill Owens photograph is $1,047. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Bill Owens's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Bill Owens photograph is $16,800.
What is the average price of a small Bill Owens photograph?
Based on 20 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Bill Owens photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,145, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Bill Owens's auction record?
Bill Owens's auction record is $16,800, set in 2024.
See the full Bill Owens record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Bill Owens on OpeningBid →