> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/man-ray-emmanuel-radnitzky-dit · updated 2026-11-02 # 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. ## 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. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up). ## 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. --- Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly. Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Man Ray auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/man-ray-emmanuel-radnitzky-dit (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.