> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/mary-ellen-mark · updated 2026-11-02

# Mary Ellen Mark (1940–2015)

## What is Mary Ellen Mark’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 96 auction results for Mary Ellen Mark at 22 houses since 1993. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,632 including buyer’s premium (middle half $932–$2,629, n=16). The auction record is $13,970 for John Belushi (Blues Brothers), Chicago, Illinois (2023, Phillips). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Belushi (Blues Brothers), Chicago, Illinois, 1979 | Gelatin silver print diptych | $13,970 | Phillips | Oct 2023 |
| 2 | Pinki-Shiva Ji and Laxmi, Great Royal Circus, Junagada, India * Acrobats Rehearsing, Great Golden Circus, Ahmedabad, India, 1989 | 2 platinum prints | $11,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 2016 |
| 3 | Heather and Kelsey Dietrick, Twinsburg, Ohio (variation #3), 2002 | Pencil | $7,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2019 |
| 4 | Selected Images, Falkland Road, Bombay, India, 2004 | Three dye transfer prints, printed 2004 | $6,985 | Phillips | Jun 2025 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In America, 1940 | Pencil | $11,400 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2011 |
| 2 | IN AMERICA, 1992 | Photographs | $8,750 | Sotheby's | Oct 2009 |
| 3 | In America, 1992 | Photographs | $8,750 | Sotheby's | Mar 2009 |
| 4 | Ram Prakash Singh With his Elephant Shyama, Great Golden Circus, Ahmedabad, India, 1990 | Platinum print | $6,480 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2013 |
| 5 | Ram Prakash Singh with His Elephant Shyama, Great Golden Circus, Ahmedabad, India, 1990 | Platinum palladium print | $6,048 | Sotheby's | Apr 2022 |
| 6 | Amanda and Her Cousin Amy, Valdese, North Carolina, 1990 | Gelatin silver print, with edition '37/75' in pencil and the photographer's credit stamp on the reverse, framed, a Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York, label on the reverse, 1990, printed later | $5,670 | Sotheby's | Jul 2021 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 67 | $2,420 |
| Other | 17 | $1,750 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 9 | $2,593 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 69 | $2,000 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 96 results from 22 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Mary Ellen Mark is an American artist with 169 auction lots recorded since 1993, median price $1,875. 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 Mary Ellen Mark sold in 2026 for $4,655, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Mary Ellen Mark work worth?

Across 96 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Mary Ellen Mark work is $1,875.

The median Mary Ellen Mark photograph sells for $1,792 across 81 lots.

The median Mary Ellen Mark print sells for $3,960 across 4 lots.

The median Mary Ellen Mark work on paper sells for $6,492 across 2 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Mary Ellen Mark photographs typically sell for $938–$3,250 (the middle half of 69 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 | 4 | $3,960 | $11,250 | — | 2024-10-25 |
| Works on Paper | 2 | $6,492 | $11,400 | — | 2025-12-11 |
| Photography | 103 | $1,792†‡ | $13,970 | 78.6% | 2026-08-30 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 5 | $11,250 | $13,970 | — | 2023-10-11 |

† 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) | 69 | $938–$3,250†‡ | $1,792†‡ | $13,970 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $1,134–$2,593 | $2,560 | $7,500 |

† 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 | 2023 | $13,970 |
| Works on Paper | 2011 | $11,400 |
| Prints & Editions | 2016 | $11,250 |
| Photography | 2009 | $8,750 |
| Prints & Editions | 2011 | $5,040 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $1,584 |

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 Mary Ellen Mark worth?

Across 96 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Mary Ellen Mark work is $1,875. The median Mary Ellen Mark photograph sells for $1,792 across 81 lots. The median Mary Ellen Mark print sells for $3,960 across 4 lots. The median Mary Ellen Mark work on paper sells for $6,492 across 2 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Mary Ellen Mark photographs typically sell for $938–$3,250 (the middle half of 69 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 Mary Ellen Mark photograph?

Based on 81 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Mary Ellen Mark photograph is $1,792. 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 Mary Ellen Mark's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Mary Ellen Mark photograph is $13,970.

### What is the average price of a small Mary Ellen Mark photograph?

Based on 69 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Mary Ellen Mark photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,792, 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 Mary Ellen Mark's auction record?

Mary Ellen Mark's auction record is $13,970, set in 2023.

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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, “Mary Ellen Mark auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/mary-ellen-mark (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.