> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/masao-yamamoto · updated 2026-11-02

# Masao Yamamoto (b. 1957)

## What is Masao Yamamoto’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 51 auction results for Masao Yamamoto at 17 houses since 2006. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,280 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,031–$1,533, n=10). The auction record is $22,500 for Nakazora (2017, Phillips). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nakazora | Fifty-four gelatin silver prints, some with applied ink | $22,500 | Phillips | Apr 2017 |
| 2 | Selected Images from a Box of Ku and Nakazora | Ten gelatin silver prints | $18,750 | Phillips | Apr 2013 |
| 3 | A Box of Ku, 1990 | 23 gelatin silver prints, some with hand-coloring; in a custom antique lacquered box | $12,700 | Sotheby's | May 2019 |
| 4 | Selected Images, from A Box of Ku series and The Nakazora series, 1987-2002, 1957 | Gelatin silver prints | $3,500 | Bonhams | Apr 2015 |
| 5 | Photograph, gelatin silver print and mixed media, 1989 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,024 | Rago Arts | Mar 2023 |
| 6 | Untitled #960 (Nude); Untitled #828 (Dish), 2000 | Cartes-de-visite | $2,772 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Dec 2024 |
| 7 | A Box of Ku #257, 1982 | Cartes-de-visite | $1,778 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Jul 2025 |
| 8 | Untitled #98, Untitled #61, and Untitled #517 (from 'Box of Ku'), 1957 | Three gelatin silver prints, one with applied mixed media, printed 1994 and 1998; two with the photographer's credit stamp | $1,536 | Bonhams | Jul 2026 |
| 9 | Seated Nude, 2010 | Pencil on mount recto | $1,524 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2026 |
| 10 | Nakazora, 2006 | Stampa vintage alla gelatina ai sali d'argento | $1,503 | Finarte Casa d'Aste | Mar 2023 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 28 | $1,161 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 28 | $1,161 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 51 results from 17 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Masao Yamamoto is a Japanese artist with 60 auction lots recorded since 2006, median price $1,024. 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 Masao Yamamoto sold in 2026 for $1,408, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**1 Masao Yamamoto work is coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-02).

- [Masao Yamamoto on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/masao-yamamoto?ref=kg:masao-yamamoto) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Masao Yamamoto work worth?

Across 51 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Masao Yamamoto work is $1,024.

The median Masao Yamamoto photograph sells for $1,038 across 42 lots.

The median Masao Yamamoto print sells for $750 across 4 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Masao Yamamoto photographs typically sell for $752–$1,377 (the middle half of 39 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 | 5 | $750† | $1,524 | 80% | 2026-02-12 |
| Photography | 47 | $1,038†‡ | $22,500 | 89.4% | 2026-07-14 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $18,750 | $22,500 | — | 2019-05-16 |

† 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) | 39 | $752–$1,377†‡ | $1,052†‡ | $22,500 |

† 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 | 2017 | $22,500 |
| Photography | 2013 | $18,750 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $1,524 |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $800† |

† 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 Masao Yamamoto worth?

Across 51 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Masao Yamamoto work is $1,024. The median Masao Yamamoto photograph sells for $1,038 across 42 lots. The median Masao Yamamoto print sells for $750 across 4 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Masao Yamamoto photographs typically sell for $752–$1,377 (the middle half of 39 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 Masao Yamamoto photograph?

Based on 42 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Masao Yamamoto photograph is $1,038. 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 Masao Yamamoto's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Masao Yamamoto photograph is $22,500.

### What is the average price of a small Masao Yamamoto photograph?

Based on 39 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Masao Yamamoto photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,052, 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 Masao Yamamoto's auction record?

Masao Yamamoto's auction record is $22,500, set in 2017.

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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, “Masao Yamamoto auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/masao-yamamoto (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.