> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/herman-leonard · updated 2026-11-02

# Herman Leonard (1923–2010)

## What is Herman Leonard’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 72 auction results for Herman Leonard at 23 houses since 1999. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,500 including buyer’s premium (middle half $991–$2,100, n=20). The auction record is $30,000 for Images of Jazz (2018, Swann Auction Galleries). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Images of Jazz, 1948-1960 | Selenium-toned silver prints | $30,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2018 |
| 2 | ELLA FITZGERALD-DUKE ELLINGTON-BENNY GOODMAN, DOWNBEAT CLUB, NYC 1949, 1949 | Gelatin silver print | $8,250 | Grogan & Company | May 2012 |
| 3 | Billie Holiday N.Y.C., 1949 | Gelatin silver print | $4,080 | Bonhams | Oct 2025 |
| 4 | Duke Ellington, Paris, 1960, 1960 | Cartes-de-visite | $4,028 | Christie's | Oct 2012 |
| 5 | Duke Ellington, Paris | Cartes-de-visite | $4,000 | Phillips | Apr 2018 |
| 6 | Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Richard Rogers, NYC, 1948 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,780 | Phillips | Mar 2022 |
| 7 | Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, NYC, 1948 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,750 | Phillips | Jun 2019 |
| 8 | Billie Holiday, NYC, 1949 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,276 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Mar 2023 |
| 9 | Louis Armstrong, Paris, 1960, 1923 | Silver gelatin print | $2,928 | Neal Auction Company | Nov 2022 |
| 10 | James Moody, NYC, 1951; "Prez" Lester Young, NYC, 1948; and Dexter Gordon, Royal Roost, NYC, 1948 | Gelatin silver prints | $2,600 | Freeman's Hindman | Nov 2025 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 48 | $1,735 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 46 | $1,521 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 72 results from 23 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Herman Leonard is an American artist with 99 auction lots recorded since 1999, median price $1,500. 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 Herman Leonard sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $3,200 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Herman Leonard work worth?

Across 67 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Herman Leonard work is $1,500.

The median Herman Leonard photograph sells for $1,509 across 64 lots.

The median Herman Leonard print sells for $1,028 across 4 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Herman Leonard photographs typically sell for $899–$2,302 (the middle half of 54 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 | 8 | $1,028‡ | $1,500 | 50% | 2025-10-23 |
| Photography | 72 | $1,509†‡ | $30,000 | 88.9% | 2026-07-30 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 4 | $6,165 | $30,000 | — | 2025-10-10 |

† 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) | 54 | $899–$2,302†‡ | $1,509†‡ | $30,000 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $519–$1,761†‡ | $979†‡ | $8,250 |

† 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 | 2018 | $30,000 |
| Photography | 2012 | $8,250 |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $1,500 |
| Prints & Editions | 2013 | $1,220 |

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 Herman Leonard worth?

Across 67 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Herman Leonard work is $1,500. The median Herman Leonard photograph sells for $1,509 across 64 lots. The median Herman Leonard print sells for $1,028 across 4 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Herman Leonard photographs typically sell for $899–$2,302 (the middle half of 54 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 Herman Leonard photograph?

Based on 64 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Herman Leonard photograph is $1,509. 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 Herman Leonard's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Herman Leonard photograph is $30,000.

### What is the average price of a small Herman Leonard photograph?

Based on 54 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Herman Leonard photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,509, 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 Herman Leonard's auction record?

Herman Leonard's auction record is $30,000, set in 2018.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Herman Leonard auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/herman-leonard (updated 2026-11-02).

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.