Mathew Brady (1822–1896)
What is Mathew Brady’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 110 auction results for Mathew Brady at 8 houses since 1991. Over the last 24 months the median price was $843 including buyer’s premium (middle half $542–$1,031, n=12). The auction record is $14,000 for (CIVIL WAR) brady, mathew (2004, Swann Auction Galleries). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (CIVIL WAR) brady, mathew, 1860s-1880s | 97 cartes-de-visite and cabinet cards | $14,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2004 |
| 2 | U.S. Grant at Headquarters, Cold Harbor, Virginia, 1864 | Albumen print | $11,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 1991 |
| 3 | Ulysses S. Grant, City Point, Virginia, 1864 | Albumen print | $8,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2004 |
| 4 | Sherman and his Generals, 1865 | Albumen print, with a separate trimmed photograph of General Blair affixed to the image, on the Brady & Co. mount | $6,210 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 1994 |
| 5 | Sioux Delegation to Washington, DC, 1877, 1877 | Albumen photograph on cardstock mount | $6,000 | Freeman's Hindman | Oct 2025 |
| 6 | Sherman and his Generals, 1865 | Albumen print | $5,980 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 1994 |
| 7 | Portrait of Francis E. Brownell, "Ellsworth's Avenger.", 1861 | Photographs | $4,600 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 1998 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portrait of Robert E. Lee, 1865 | Oval albumen print | $6,900 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 1994 |
| 2 | Portrait of Robert E. Lee, 1869 | Oval albumen print | $5,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 1998 |
| 3 | Recollections of the Art Exhibition, Metropolitan Fair, New York, 1864 | Photographs | $5,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2001 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 73 | $1,210 |
| Other | 17 | $915 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 55 | $1,265 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 110 results from 8 houses · How we compute these figures
Mathew Brady is an American artist with 130 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $975. 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 Mathew Brady sold in 2026 for $975, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Mathew Brady record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Mathew Brady on OpeningBid →What is a Mathew Brady work worth?
Across 109 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Mathew Brady work is $975.
The median Mathew Brady photograph sells for $1,125 across 88 lots.
The median Mathew Brady work on paper sells for $1,980 across 1 lots.
The median Mathew Brady print sells for $1,265 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Mathew Brady photographs typically sell for $628–$2,645 (the middle half of 59 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 | 1 | $1,265 | $1,265 | — | 1994-10-03 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $1,980 | $1,980 | — | 1993-10-06 |
| Photography | 97 | $1,125†‡ | $14,000 | 90.7% | 2026-03-21 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 6 | $7,450 | $14,000 | — | 2025-10-24 |
† 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) | 59 | $628–$2,645†‡ | $1,210†‡ | $11,000 |
† 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 | 2004 | $14,000 |
| Photography | 1991 | $11,000 |
| Works on Paper | 1993 | $1,980 |
| Prints & Editions | 1994 | $1,265 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Mathew Brady worth?
Across 109 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Mathew Brady work is $975. The median Mathew Brady photograph sells for $1,125 across 88 lots. The median Mathew Brady work on paper sells for $1,980 across 1 lots. The median Mathew Brady print sells for $1,265 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Mathew Brady photographs typically sell for $628–$2,645 (the middle half of 59 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 Mathew Brady photograph?
Based on 88 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Mathew Brady photograph is $1,125. 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 Mathew Brady's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Mathew Brady photograph is $14,000.
What is the average price of a small Mathew Brady photograph?
Based on 59 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Mathew Brady photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,210, 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 Mathew Brady's auction record?
Mathew Brady's auction record is $14,000, set in 2004.
See the full Mathew Brady record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Mathew Brady on OpeningBid →