Man Ray (1890–1976)
Man Ray is an American artist with 639 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $1,840. 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 Man Ray sold in 2026 for $75,358, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Man Ray record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Man Ray on OpeningBid →What is a Man Ray work worth?
Across 470 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Man Ray work is $1,840.
The median Man Ray photograph sells for $2,760 across 217 lots.
The median Man Ray print sells for $1,000 across 165 lots.
The median Man Ray work on paper sells for $6,048 across 25 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Man Ray photographs typically sell for $1,052–$16,912 (the middle half of 148 sold lots).
Small (under 50 cm) Man Ray prints typically sell for $525–$1,505 (the middle half of 79 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 | 203 | $1,000†‡ | $16,790 | 81.3% | 2026-10-07 |
| Paintings | 8 | $38,032† | $65,394 | — | 2026-05-19 |
| Works on Paper | 25 | $6,048‡ | $486,942 | — | 2026-06-30 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 16 | $5,019†‡ | $62,841 | 93.8% | 2026-05-28 |
| Photography | 270 | $2,760†‡ | $974,530 | 80.4% | 2026-08-30 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 25 | $68,854‡ | $974,530 | — | 2026-10-08 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Man Ray's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (203 lots) median $1,000 with 81.3% sell-through. Paintings (8 lots) median $38,032, record $65,394. A typical Man Ray painting sells for around 38× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 25 lots) the median is $68,854.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 79 | $525–$1,505†‡ | $974†‡ | $16,790 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 65 | $712–$2,200†‡ | $1,162†‡ | $12,401 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 7 | $17,171–$51,631† | $40,865† | $65,394 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 19 | $2,567–$12,580‡ | $6,670‡ | $486,942 |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Sculpture & Installation
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 12 | $1,521–$11,536†‡ | $2,854†‡ | $62,841 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 148 | $1,052–$16,912†‡ | $4,797†‡ | $974,530 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 7 | $1,828–$24,983 | $6,900 | $64,198 |
† 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 | 2017 | $974,530 |
| Photography | 2007 | $493,705 |
| Works on Paper | 2012 | $486,942 |
| Paintings | 2007 | $65,394 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $62,841 |
| Paintings | 2015 | $53,283 |
| Works on Paper | 2007 | $36,162 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2001 | $25,745 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Man Ray worth?
Across 470 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Man Ray work is $1,840. The median Man Ray photograph sells for $2,760 across 217 lots. The median Man Ray print sells for $1,000 across 165 lots. The median Man Ray work on paper sells for $6,048 across 25 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Man Ray photographs typically sell for $1,052–$16,912 (the middle half of 148 sold lots). Small (under 50 cm) Man Ray prints typically sell for $525–$1,505 (the middle half of 79 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 Man Ray photograph?
Based on 217 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Man Ray photograph is $2,760. 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 Man Ray's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Man Ray photograph is $974,530.
What is the average price of a Man Ray print?
Based on 165 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Man Ray print is $1,000. 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 Man Ray's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Man Ray print is $16,790.
What is the average price of a Man Ray work on paper?
Based on 25 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Man Ray work on paper is $6,048. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Man Ray's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Man Ray work on paper is $486,942.
What is the average price of a small Man Ray photograph?
Based on 148 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Man Ray photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $4,797, 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 small Man Ray print?
Based on 79 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Man Ray print (small (under 50 cm)) is $974, 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 Man Ray's auction record?
Man Ray's auction record is $974,530, set in 2017.
See the full Man Ray record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Man Ray on OpeningBid →