> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/earle-backen · updated 2026-11-03

# Earle Backen (1927–2005)

## What is Earle Backen’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 23 auction results for Earle Backen at 3 houses since 2003. Over the last 24 months the median price was $93 including buyer’s premium (middle half $49–$104, n=10). The auction record is $651 for Monument (2026, Lawsons Auctioneers). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunset Mt Leura II, 2001 | Oil on board | $251 | Lawsons Auctioneers | May 2026 |
| 2 | Still Life Apples, 1997 | Oil on board | $106 | Lawsons Auctioneers | Nov 2024 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monument, 1972 | Etching | $651 | Lawsons Auctioneers | Jul 2026 |
| 2 | Rainforest, 1968 | Etching | $98 | Lawsons Auctioneers | May 2026 |
| 3 | Form Suspended.A. 01963 | Etching | $97 | Lawsons Auctioneers | Jun 2026 |
| 4 | Nude, 1967 | Etching | $89 | Lawsons Auctioneers | May 2026 |
| 5 | Cartiya 2, Package, 1927 | Etching on ivory wove paper | $49 | Shapiro Auctioneers | Jul 2025 |
| 6 | Gemini, 1977 | Etching on paper | $49 | Shapiro Auctioneers | Jul 2025 |
| 7 | EARLE I. BACKEN, Australia, Britain, France (1927 - 2005), Aquatint, 1962, etching and aquatint, ed. 4/20, 30 x 45 cm. (11.81 x 17.71 in.), frame: 57 x 69 x 2 cm. (22.44 x 27.17 x 0.79 in.), 1962 | Aquatint | $41 | Lawsons Auctioneers | Dec 2025 |
| 8 | Gemini, 1977 | Etching on paper | $41 | Shapiro Auctioneers | Jul 2025 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Prints | 8 | $69 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 7 | $89 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 23 results from 3 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Earle Backen is an Australia artist with 30 auction lots recorded since 2003, median price $74. 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 Earle Backen sold in 2026 for $651, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Earle Backen work worth?

Across 20 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Earle Backen work is $74.

The median Earle Backen print sells for $58 across 9 lots.

The median Earle Backen painting sells for $128 across 3 lots.

The median Earle Backen photograph sells for $49 across 1 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 | 13 | $58† | $651 | 69.2% | 2026-07-08 |
| Paintings | 3 | $128† | $251 | — | 2026-05-27 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $204† | $204† | — | 2015-02-26 |
| Photography | 1 | $49 | $49 | — | 2025-07-23 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

Earle Backen's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (13 lots) median $58 with 69.2% sell-through. Paintings (3 lots) median $128, record $251. A typical Earle Backen painting sells for around 2.2× the price of a typical print.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $49–$97 | $89 | $651 |

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

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $651 |
| Paintings | 2026 | $251 |
| Works on Paper | 2015 | $204† |
| Paintings | 2015 | $128† |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $98 |
| Photography | 2025 | $49 |

† 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 Earle Backen worth?

Across 20 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Earle Backen work is $74. The median Earle Backen print sells for $58 across 9 lots. The median Earle Backen painting sells for $128 across 3 lots. The median Earle Backen photograph sells for $49 across 1 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 Earle Backen print?

Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Earle Backen print is $58. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Earle Backen's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Earle Backen print is $651.

### What is Earle Backen's auction record?

Earle Backen's auction record is $651, set in 2026.

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Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Earle Backen auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/earle-backen (updated 2026-11-03).

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.