Harold Eugene Edgerton (1903–1990)
What is Harold Eugene Edgerton’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 222 auction results for Harold Eugene Edgerton at 19 houses since 1992. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,000 including buyer’s premium (middle half $520–$1,825, n=39). The auction record is $23,940 for Ten Dye Transfer Photographs (2023, Los Angeles Modern Auctions). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ten Dye Transfer Photographs, 1985 | Cartes-de-visite | $23,940 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Aug 2023 |
| 2 | Seeing the Unseen, 1977 | Boston: Gus Kayafas, 1977. Seven gelatin silver and five dye transfer prints | $16,250 | Phillips | Oct 2014 |
| 3 | Milk drop coronet | Photograph | $16,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2006 |
| 4 | Seeing the Unseen: Twelve Photographs, 1977 | Boston: Gus Kufayas, 1977. Five dye transfer prints and seven gelatin silver prints | $13,970 | Phillips | Apr 2025 |
| 5 | Seeing the Unseen: Twelve Photographs by Harold Edgerton, 1938-1964 | Dye transfer (5) and silver prints (7) | $13,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2016 |
| 6 | Ten Dye Transfer Photographs, 1985 | Littleton: Palm Press Inc., 1985. Ten dye transfer prints | $12,500 | Phillips | Oct 2013 |
| 7 | A series of 8 motion studies of a milk drop, 1930s | Ferrotyped silver prints | $11,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 2019 |
| 8 | Seeing the Unseen, 1977 | Gelatin silver prints | $10,880 | Bonhams | Sep 2023 |
| 9 | Cutting the card quickly, 1903 | Gelatin silver print | $10,077 | Christie's | Nov 2013 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ten Dye Transfer Photographs, 1985 | Dye transfer prints | $12,500 | Christie's | Apr 2018 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 5 | $1,638 |
| Photographs | 181 | $1,625 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 12 | $1,625 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 167 | $1,610 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 222 results from 19 houses · How we compute these figures
Harold Eugene Edgerton is an American artist with 357 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $1,659. 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 Harold Eugene Edgerton sold in 2025 for $2,080, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Harold Eugene Edgerton record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Harold Eugene Edgerton on OpeningBid →What is a Harold Eugene Edgerton work worth?
Across 220 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Harold Eugene Edgerton work is $1,659.
The median Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph sells for $1,659 across 214 lots.
The median Harold Eugene Edgerton work on paper sells for $1,821 across 4 lots.
The median Harold Eugene Edgerton print sells for $237 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Harold Eugene Edgerton photographs typically sell for $889–$3,120 (the middle half of 189 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 | 1 | $237 | $237 | — | 2010-01-29 |
| Works on Paper | 4 | $1,821 | $6,382 | — | 2025-07-31 |
| Photography | 316 | $1,659†‡ | $23,940 | 67.7% | 2025-12-11 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 12 | $12,999‡ | $23,940 | — | 2025-04-02 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ 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) | 189 | $889–$3,120†‡ | $1,659†‡ | $16,250 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 16 | $734–$3,666‡ | $1,760‡ | $23,940 |
† 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 | 2023 | $23,940 |
| Photography | 2014 | $16,250 |
| Works on Paper | 2013 | $6,382 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $1,992 |
| Prints & Editions | 2010 | $237 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Harold Eugene Edgerton worth?
Across 220 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Harold Eugene Edgerton work is $1,659. The median Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph sells for $1,659 across 214 lots. The median Harold Eugene Edgerton work on paper sells for $1,821 across 4 lots. The median Harold Eugene Edgerton print sells for $237 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Harold Eugene Edgerton photographs typically sell for $889–$3,120 (the middle half of 189 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 Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph?
Based on 214 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph is $1,659. 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 Harold Eugene Edgerton's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph is $23,940.
What is the average price of a small Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph?
Based on 189 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,659, 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 Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph?
Based on 16 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Harold Eugene Edgerton photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,760, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Harold Eugene Edgerton's auction record?
Harold Eugene Edgerton's auction record is $23,940, set in 2023.
See the full Harold Eugene Edgerton record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Harold Eugene Edgerton on OpeningBid →