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

# Carleton Watkins (1829–1916)

## What is Carleton Watkins’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 37 auction results for Carleton Watkins at 6 houses since 1996. Over the last 24 months the median price was $488 including buyer’s premium (middle half $366–$702, n=6). The auction record is $156,250 for Cape Horn, Columbia River (2017, Phillips). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Horn, Columbia River, 1867 | Mammoth-plate albumen print | $156,250 | Phillips | Apr 2017 |
| 2 | Multnomah Falls Cascade, Columbia River | Mammoth-plate albumen print, mounted | $106,250 | Phillips | Apr 2017 |
| 3 | The Passage of the Dalles, Columbia River | Mammoth-plate albumen print | $92,500 | Phillips | Apr 2017 |
| 4 | The Domes, Yosemite | Albumen print, mounted | $40,000 | Phillips | Oct 2017 |
| 5 | Devils Canyon, Geysers, Looking Up | Mammoth-plate albumen print, mounted | $32,500 | Phillips | Apr 2017 |
| 6 | The Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls, from Glacier Point Yosemite | Mammoth-plate albumen print | $27,500 | Phillips | Apr 2016 |
| 7 | Virginia City From Water Flume | Glass positive | $25,000 | Phillips | Oct 2018 |
| 8 | Tocoye, North Dome, 3729 Feet, Yosemite, 1861 | Mammoth-plate albumen print | $17,780 | Phillips | Oct 2023 |
| 9 | (CHINA) Group of more than 25 compelling portraits primarily of native women,, 1876 | Albumen prints | $10,800 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 2013 |
| 10 | El Capitain 3600 Ft. Yosemite No. 36. | Photographs | $8,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2006 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 31 | $4,140 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 16 | $4,195 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 14 | $2,280 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 37 results from 6 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Carleton Watkins is an American artist with 63 auction lots recorded since 1996, median price $3,600. 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 Carleton Watkins sold in 2025 for $4,515, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Carleton Watkins work worth?

Across 37 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Carleton Watkins work is $3,600.

The median Carleton Watkins photograph sells for $2,128 across 28 lots.

The median Carleton Watkins print sells for $36,250 across 8 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 | 14 | $36,250 | $156,250 | 57.1% | 2025-10-09 |
| Photography | 38 | $2,128†‡ | $25,000 | 73.7% | 2025-12-17 |

† 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 | $28,750–$89,688 | $36,250 | $156,250 |

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 14 | $569–$4,344†‡ | $1,495†‡ | $25,000 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 11 | $1,228–$3,870‡ | $2,470‡ | $4,680 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $156,250 |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $106,250 |
| Photography | 2018 | $25,000 |
| Photography | 2013 | $10,800 |

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 Carleton Watkins worth?

Across 37 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Carleton Watkins work is $3,600. The median Carleton Watkins photograph sells for $2,128 across 28 lots. The median Carleton Watkins print sells for $36,250 across 8 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 Carleton Watkins photograph?

Based on 28 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Carleton Watkins photograph is $2,128. 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 Carleton Watkins's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Carleton Watkins photograph is $25,000.

### What is the average price of a Carleton Watkins print?

Based on 8 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Carleton Watkins print is $36,250.

### What is Carleton Watkins's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Carleton Watkins print is $156,250.

### What is the average price of a small Carleton Watkins photograph?

Based on 14 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Carleton Watkins photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,495, 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 Carleton Watkins photograph?

Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Carleton Watkins photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $2,470, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Carleton Watkins's auction record?

Carleton Watkins's auction record is $156,250, set in 2017.

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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, “Carleton Watkins auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/carleton-watkins (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.