> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/lester-johnson · updated 2026-11-03 # Lester (1919–2010) Lester is an American artist with 91 auction lots recorded since 1990, median price $1,738. 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 Lester is recorded as sold in 2026 for $2,700; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. **2 Lester works are coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-03). - [Lester on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/lester-johnson?ref=kg:lester-johnson) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts. ## What is a Lester work worth? Across 62 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Lester work is $1,738. The median Lester painting sells for $2,750 across 25 lots. The median Lester work on paper sells for $1,187 across 18 lots. The median Lester print sells for $618 across 10 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 | $618† | $4,500 | 76.9% | 2022-09-28 | | Paintings | 26 | $2,750‡ | $12,500 | 96.2% | 2026-06-18 | | Works on Paper | 19 | $1,187‡ | $3,750 | 94.7% | 2026-05-16 | | Masterpieces (top of market) | 4 | $10,000 | $12,500 | — | 2021-09-21 | † hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. Lester's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (13 lots) median $618 with 76.9% sell-through. Paintings (26 lots) median $2,750, record $12,500. A typical Lester painting sells for around 4.4× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 4 lots) the median is $10,000. ## Price by size ### Paintings | Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record | |---|---|---|---|---| | medium (50–120 cm) | 18 | $2,085–$4,425‡ | $3,218‡ | $8,125 | ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. ### Works on Paper | Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record | |---|---|---|---|---| | small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $750–$2,000 | $1,187 | $3,750 | | medium (50–120 cm) | 11 | $938–$2,550‡ | $1,495‡ | $3,750 | ‡ 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 | |---|---|---| | Paintings | 2011 | $12,500 | | Paintings | 2021 | $8,125 | | Prints & Editions | 2020 | $4,500 | | Works on Paper | 2021 | $3,750 | | Works on Paper | 2021 | $3,750 | | Prints & Editions | 2021 | $1,600† | † 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 Lester worth? Across 62 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Lester work is $1,738. The median Lester painting sells for $2,750 across 25 lots. The median Lester work on paper sells for $1,187 across 18 lots. The median Lester print sells for $618 across 10 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 Lester painting? Based on 25 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Lester painting is $2,750. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer). ### What is Lester's most expensive painting? The highest price recorded at auction for a Lester painting is $12,500. ### What is the average price of a Lester work on paper? Based on 18 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Lester work on paper is $1,187. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer). ### What is Lester's most expensive work on paper? The highest price recorded at auction for a Lester work on paper is $3,750. ### What is the average price of a Lester print? Based on 10 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Lester print is $618. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium. ### What is Lester's most expensive print? The highest price recorded at auction for a Lester print is $4,500. ### What is the average price of a medium Lester painting? Based on 18 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Lester painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $3,218, 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 medium Lester work on paper? Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Lester work on paper (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,495, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer). ### What is Lester's auction record? Lester's auction record is $12,500, set in 2011. --- Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly. Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Lester auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/lester-johnson (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.