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

# Nicholas Nixon (b. 1947)

## What is Nicholas Nixon’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 75 auction results for Nicholas Nixon at 14 houses since 1995. Over the last 24 months the median price was $826 including buyer’s premium (middle half $640–$3,556, n=19). The auction record is $330,200 for The Brown Sisters (2023, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Selected images, 1977-1981, 1977-1981 | Gelatin silver prints | $38,602 | Christie's | Apr 2006 |
| 2 | Selected Images of the Brown Sisters, 1975-1979 | Cartes-de-visite | $17,500 | Phillips | Oct 2017 |
| 3 | Selected Images of the Brown Sisters | Cartes-de-visite | $8,125 | Phillips | Oct 2019 |
| 4 | Elm Street, E. Cambridge; and Covington, Kentucky, 1981-1982, 1947 | Gelatin silver prints | $7,500 | Christie's | Dec 2011 |
| 5 | Yazoo City, Mississippi, 1947 | Pencil | $7,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2019 |
| 6 | Yazoo City, Mississippi, 1979, 1947 | Cartes-de-visite | $7,500 | Christie's | Oct 2016 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Brown Sisters, 1975-2022 | Cartes-de-visite | $330,200 | Sotheby's | May 2023 |
| 2 | The Brown Sisters, 1975 | Gelatin silver prints | $150,000 | Sotheby's | Nov 2024 |
| 3 | The Brown Sisters, 1975-2022 | Elixir of Life: Photographs from The Olbricht Collection | $51,486 | Sotheby's | Nov 2025 |
| 4 | The Brown Sisters, 1976 | Gelatin silver print | $12,910 | Christie's | Oct 2004 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 56 | $1,932 |
| Other | 14 | $1,898 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 59 | $2,040 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 10 | $868 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 75 results from 14 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Nicholas Nixon is an American artist with 112 auction lots recorded since 1995, median price $1,892. 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 Nicholas Nixon sold in 2026 for $3,810, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Nicholas Nixon work worth?

Across 75 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Nicholas Nixon work is $1,892.

The median Nicholas Nixon photograph sells for $1,875 across 72 lots.

The median Nicholas Nixon print sells for $3,810 across 1 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Nicholas Nixon photographs typically sell for $1,100–$4,000 (the middle half of 57 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 | 2 | $3,810 | $3,810 | 50% | 2026-10-15 |
| Photography | 86 | $1,875†‡ | $330,200 | 83.7% | 2026-05-03 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 4 | $100,743 | $330,200 | — | 2025-11-19 |

† 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) | 57 | $1,100–$4,000† | $1,955† | $330,200 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 11 | $698–$1,773‡ | $829‡ | $4,032 |

† 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 | $330,200 |
| Photography | 2024 | $150,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $3,810 |

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 Nicholas Nixon worth?

Across 75 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Nicholas Nixon work is $1,892. The median Nicholas Nixon photograph sells for $1,875 across 72 lots. The median Nicholas Nixon print sells for $3,810 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Nicholas Nixon photographs typically sell for $1,100–$4,000 (the middle half of 57 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 Nicholas Nixon photograph?

Based on 72 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Nicholas Nixon photograph is $1,875. 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 Nicholas Nixon's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Nicholas Nixon photograph is $330,200.

### What is the average price of a small Nicholas Nixon photograph?

Based on 57 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Nicholas Nixon photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,955, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is the average price of a medium Nicholas Nixon photograph?

Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Nicholas Nixon photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $829, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Nicholas Nixon's auction record?

Nicholas Nixon's auction record is $330,200, 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, “Nicholas Nixon auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/nicholas-nixon (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.