Peter Beard (1938–2020)
What is Peter Beard’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 741 auction results for Peter Beard at 45 houses since 1997. Over the last 24 months the median price was $5,204 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,674–$22,002, n=84). The auction record is $672,500 for Orphaned Cheetah Cubs, Mweiga, near Nyeri, Kenya, March 1968 (2017, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orphaned Cheetah Cubs, Mweiga, near Nyeri, Kenya, March 1968, 1938 | Gouache | $672,500 | Christie's | Oct 2017 |
| 2 | Heart Attack City, 1998 | Cartes-de-visite | $633,006 | Christie's | May 2016 |
| 3 | Heart Attack City | Gelatin silver print with ink, blood, feathers, affixed gelatin silver prints and watercolor drawings by the Hog Ranch Art Department, executed later | $603,000 | Phillips | Apr 2018 |
| 4 | Orphaned Cheetah Cubs, Mweiga, Kenya, 1968, 1998 | Unique chromogenic print with ink drawings by Mathenge & Kivoi and collage elements, printed 1998 | $449,000 | Christie's | Oct 2013 |
| 5 | Giraffes in Mirage on the Taru Desert, Kenya, 1960, 1960 | A unique object, toned silver print extensively annotated in ink, with collaged photograph and profusely illustrated with paint and inks on the image, printed later | $436,141 | Sotheby's | Apr 2022 |
| 6 | Hunting Cheetahs on the Tarn Desert, 1960-early 1990s, 1938 | Ink | $352,692 | Christie's | May 2011 |
| 7 | Lion at Night, 2006 | Cartes-de-visite | $327,600 | Christie's | May 2023 |
| 8 | 'hog ranch front lawn, night feeder (2:00am) with maureen gallagher & mbuno, feb. 1987' | — | $277,000 | Sotheby's | Oct 2007 |
| 9 | 756 elephants in a “misery likes company” formation / destroyed social units from starvation / exceeding carrying capacity / over-population / + mismanagement / TSAVO / @ the Mkomazi border / for The End of the Game / last word from Paradise, 1976 | Unique work, comprising gelatin silver print with ink, blood and affixed gelatin silver prints, executed later | $272,551 | Phillips | Oct 2019 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Self Portrait for Centre Nationale de la Photographie, Paris, 1996, 1996 | Collage of gelatin silver prints, color-coupler prints and morphine drip | $337,217 | Christie's | Oct 2005 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 474 | $20,599 |
| Works on paper | 41 | $16,011 |
| Other | 131 | $4,186 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 80 | $115,736 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 223 | $24,698 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 268 | $10,779 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 741 results from 45 houses · How we compute these figures
Peter Beard is a British (modern) artist with 974 auction lots recorded since 1997, median price $15,420. 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 Peter Beard sold in 2026 for $84,779, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
1 Peter Beard work is coming to auction (as of 2026-11-02). Follow Peter Beard free on OpeningBid for sale alerts.
See the full Peter Beard record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Peter Beard on OpeningBid →What is a Peter Beard work worth?
Across 735 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Peter Beard work is $15,420.
The median Peter Beard photograph sells for $18,750 across 568 lots.
The median Peter Beard work on paper sells for $7,650 across 27 lots.
The median Peter Beard print sells for $16,466 across 22 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Peter Beard photographs typically sell for $6,080–$22,226 (the middle half of 239 sold lots).
Medium (50–120 cm) Peter Beard photographs typically sell for $11,250–$46,896 (the middle half of 198 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 | 23 | $16,466†‡ | $672,500 | 95.7% | 2026-09-15 |
| Paintings | 10 | $87,444 | $217,843 | — | 2025-12-03 |
| Works on Paper | 27 | $7,650† | $122,586 | — | 2025-04-15 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 4 | $1,881 | $2,010 | 75% | 2026-10-30 |
| Photography | 633 | $18,750†‡ | $1.1M | 89.7% | 2026-10-15 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 68 | $150,000 | $1.1M | — | 2025-12-04 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Peter Beard's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (23 lots) median $16,466 with 95.7% sell-through. Paintings (10 lots) median $87,444, record $217,843. A typical Peter Beard painting sells for around 5.3× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 68 lots) the median is $150,000.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 9 | $6,811–$29,708† | $15,240† | $42,891 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 10 | $9,358–$45,997‡ | $19,046‡ | $145,229 |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $36,865–$69,850 | $38,100 | $107,950 |
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $984–$6,826† | $2,750† | $19,125 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 7 | $15,543–$65,515 | $31,868 | $106,250 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 239 | $6,080–$22,226†‡ | $12,500†‡ | $115,918 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 198 | $11,250–$46,896†‡ | $25,000†‡ | $183,750 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 76 | $57,150–$192,600† | $111,773† | $1.1M |
† 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 | 2012 | $1.1M |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $672,500 |
| Photography | 2016 | $633,006 |
| Paintings | 2016 | $217,843 |
| Paintings | 2024 | $170,100 |
| Prints & Editions | 2014 | $145,229 |
| Works on Paper | 2010 | $122,586 |
| Works on Paper | 2019 | $120,000 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Peter Beard worth?
Across 735 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Peter Beard work is $15,420. The median Peter Beard photograph sells for $18,750 across 568 lots. The median Peter Beard work on paper sells for $7,650 across 27 lots. The median Peter Beard print sells for $16,466 across 22 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Peter Beard photographs typically sell for $6,080–$22,226 (the middle half of 239 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Peter Beard photographs typically sell for $11,250–$46,896 (the middle half of 198 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 Peter Beard photograph?
Based on 568 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Peter Beard photograph is $18,750. 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 Peter Beard's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Peter Beard photograph is $1,067,235.
What is the average price of a Peter Beard work on paper?
Based on 27 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Peter Beard work on paper is $7,650. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Peter Beard's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Peter Beard work on paper is $122,586.
What is the average price of a Peter Beard print?
Based on 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Peter Beard print is $16,466. 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 Peter Beard's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Peter Beard print is $672,500.
What is the average price of a small Peter Beard photograph?
Based on 239 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Peter Beard photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $12,500, 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 medium Peter Beard photograph?
Based on 198 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Peter Beard photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $25,000, 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 Peter Beard's auction record?
Peter Beard's auction record is $1,067,235, set in 2012.
See the full Peter Beard record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
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