> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/rackstraw-downes · updated 2026-11-03

# Rackstraw Downes (b. 1939)

## What is Rackstraw Downes’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 17 auction results for Rackstraw Downes at 5 houses since 2000. Over the last 24 months the median price was $22,860 including buyer’s premium (middle half $20,390–$28,160, n=7). The auction record is $76,375 for In the High Island Oil Field; Afternoon, Late March (2000, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In the High Island Oil Field; Afternoon, Late March, 1988-1990 | In the High Island Oil Field; Afternoon, Late March | $76,375 | Christie's | Dec 2000 |
| 2 | S-Bend in an Elevated Section of the New Jersey Turnpike, 1996 | Oil on canvas | $69,300 | Sotheby's | Oct 2021 |
| 3 | Looking South on West Street, Study, 1985 | Oil on canvas mounted on Masonite | $44,800 | Christie's | Sep 2026 |
| 4 | Cottage, Skowhegan, 1975 | Oil on canvas laid down on Masonite | $44,100 | Sotheby's | Mar 2022 |
| 5 | Study for New Stuyvesant High School Under Construction, 1991 | Oil on canvas | $32,262 | Christie's | Mar 2011 |
| 6 | Study for the Tennis Courts in Riverside Park at 119th Street, 1978 | Oil paint | $32,000 | Sotheby's | Feb 2026 |
| 7 | In the high island oil field, 1988 | Oil on canvas mounted on board | $24,320 | Sotheby's | Oct 2026 |
| 8 | Gene Littlefield's Shorn Sheep, 1973 | Oil on canvas | $22,860 | Wright | Jan 2026 |
| 9 | Gene Littlefield's Shorn Sheep, 1973 | Painting | $22,860 | Rago Arts | Jan 2026 |
| 10 | Thorndike, Maine, 1939 | Oil paint | $18,750 | Christie's | Feb 2013 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 14 | $23,590 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 10 | $20,805 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 17 results from 5 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Rackstraw Downes is a British (modern) artist with 20 auction lots recorded since 2000, median price $22,860.

A work by Rackstraw Downes sold in 2026 for $24,320, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Rackstraw Downes work worth?

Across 17 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Rackstraw Downes work is $22,860.

The median Rackstraw Downes painting sells for $24,320 across 15 lots.

The median Rackstraw Downes work on paper sells for $1,708 across 1 lots.

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 15 | $24,320 | $76,375 | — | 2026-10-08 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $1,708 | $1,708 | — | 2010-11-09 |

## Price by size

### Paintings

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 9 | $17,920–$32,262 | $22,860 | $44,800 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 5 | $24,320–$69,300 | $67,463 | $76,375 |

Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2000 | $76,375 |
| Paintings | 2021 | $69,300 |
| Works on Paper | 2010 | $1,708 |

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 Rackstraw Downes worth?

Across 17 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Rackstraw Downes work is $22,860. The median Rackstraw Downes painting sells for $24,320 across 15 lots. The median Rackstraw Downes work on paper sells for $1,708 across 1 lots.

### What is the average price of a Rackstraw Downes painting?

Based on 15 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Rackstraw Downes painting is $24,320.

### What is Rackstraw Downes's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Rackstraw Downes painting is $76,375.

### What is Rackstraw Downes's auction record?

Rackstraw Downes's auction record is $76,375, set in 2000.

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Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Rackstraw Downes auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/rackstraw-downes (updated 2026-11-03).

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.