> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/bill-ray · updated 2026-11-01

# Bill Ray (1936–2020)

Bill Ray is an American artist with 53 auction lots recorded since 2009, median price $1,849. 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 Bill Ray sold in 2024 for $2,158, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Bill Ray work worth?

Across 37 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Bill Ray work is $1,849.

The median Bill Ray photograph sells for $1,849 across 31 lots.

The median Bill Ray print sells for $2,082 across 6 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 | 6 | $2,082 | $4,420 | — | 2022-09-22 |
| Photography | 39 | $1,849†‡ | $5,806 | 79.5% | 2026-04-18 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $1,900–$3,133 | $2,082 | $4,420 |

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $672–$2,050†‡ | $1,275†‡ | $5,806 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 16 | $1,546–$2,249‡ | $1,914‡ | $3,884‡ |

† 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 | 2016 | $5,806 |
| Photography | 2019 | $5,425† |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $4,420 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $3,473 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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 Bill Ray worth?

Across 37 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Bill Ray work is $1,849. The median Bill Ray photograph sells for $1,849 across 31 lots. The median Bill Ray print sells for $2,082 across 6 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 Bill Ray photograph?

Based on 31 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Bill Ray photograph is $1,849. 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 Bill Ray's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Bill Ray photograph is $5,806.

### What is the average price of a medium Bill Ray photograph?

Based on 16 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Bill Ray photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,914, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is the average price of a small Bill Ray photograph?

Based on 15 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Bill Ray photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,275, 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 Bill Ray's auction record?

Bill Ray's auction record is $5,806, set in 2016.

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Data last updated 2026-11-01. OpeningBid tracks 15,222,099 auction lots from 571 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Bill Ray auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/bill-ray (updated 2026-11-01).

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.