Lewis Wickes Hine (1874–1940)
What is Lewis Wickes Hine’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 59 auction results for Lewis Wickes Hine at 9 houses since 1998. Over the last 24 months the median price was $726 including buyer’s premium (middle half $638–$1,246, n=11). The auction record is $205,000 for worker, empire state building (2007, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | worker, empire state building | — | $205,000 | Sotheby's | Oct 2007 |
| 2 | 'young boy living near hull house visits clinic, chicago' | — | $85,000 | Sotheby's | Apr 2008 |
| 3 | Mechanic at steam pump in electric power house, 1874 | Cartes-de-visite | $74,500 | Christie's | Apr 2010 |
| 4 | New York City from the Empire State Building, 1931 | Toned gelatin silver print | $74,000 | Christie's | Oct 1998 |
| 5 | WORKER, EMPIRE STATE BUILDING | — | $45,600 | Sotheby's | Apr 2007 |
| 6 | View of lower Manhattan from the Empire State Building, 1874 | Gelatin silver print. 1931. "Interpretive Photography" stamp and typed title on the verso | $40,250 | Christie's | Apr 1999 |
| 7 | Girl working in a Carolina cotton mill, 1930 | Variously annotated in pencil (verso) | $30,000 | Christie's | Oct 2016 |
| 8 | 'on the bowery--new york city, taking home the family job' | Flush-mounted, a typed label, with the photographer's credit and extensive title, on the reverse, matted, 1909, probably printed in the 1920s or 1930s (America and Lewis Hine, p. 27; Women at Work, p. 3; Gutman, pp. 46-47, all variant croppings) | $25,000 | Sotheby's | Oct 2007 |
| 9 | Powerhouse Mechanic, 1924 | Gelatin silver print. 1930s. Signed in ink and Interpretive Photography stamp on the verso | $24,150 | Christie's | Oct 1998 |
| 10 | Sadie Pfeifer, a Cotton Mill Spinner, Lancaster, South Carolina, 1908, 1874 | Cartes-de-visite | $21,250 | Christie's | Apr 2018 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 51 | $4,600 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 50 | $4,340 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 59 results from 9 houses · How we compute these figures
Lewis Wickes Hine is an American artist with 123 auction lots recorded since 1998, median price $5,144. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page.
A work by Lewis Wickes Hine sold in 2023 for $15,300, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Lewis Wickes Hine record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Lewis Wickes Hine on OpeningBid →What is a Lewis Wickes Hine work worth?
Across 58 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Lewis Wickes Hine work is $5,144.
The median Lewis Wickes Hine photograph sells for $4,340 across 52 lots.
The median Lewis Wickes Hine work on paper sells for $9,400 across 3 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Lewis Wickes Hine photographs typically sell for $1,242–$10,144 (the middle half of 52 sold lots).
Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
Price breakdown by category
| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 3 | $9,400 | $30,000 | — | 2016-10-05 |
| Photography | 75 | $4,340† | $74,500 | 69.3% | 2026-02-27 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $85,000 | $205,000 | — | 2010-04-15 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Price by size
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 52 | $1,242–$10,144† | $4,340† | $74,500 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2010 | $74,500 |
| Photography | 1998 | $74,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2016 | $30,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2001 | $9,400 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Lewis Wickes Hine worth?
Across 58 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Lewis Wickes Hine work is $5,144. The median Lewis Wickes Hine photograph sells for $4,340 across 52 lots. The median Lewis Wickes Hine work on paper sells for $9,400 across 3 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Lewis Wickes Hine photographs typically sell for $1,242–$10,144 (the middle half of 52 sold lots). Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is the average price of a Lewis Wickes Hine photograph?
Based on 52 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Lewis Wickes Hine photograph is $4,340. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Lewis Wickes Hine's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Lewis Wickes Hine photograph is $74,500.
What is the average price of a small Lewis Wickes Hine photograph?
Based on 52 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Lewis Wickes Hine photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $4,340, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Lewis Wickes Hine's auction record?
Lewis Wickes Hine's auction record is $205,000, set in 2007.
See the full Lewis Wickes Hine record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Lewis Wickes Hine on OpeningBid →