Roger Ballen (b. 1950)
What is Roger Ballen’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 93 auction results for Roger Ballen at 22 houses since 2005. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,348 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,040–$1,709, n=22). The auction record is $47,325 for Les Hammering into Wall (2022, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eleven Works: (i) Dresie & Casie Twins, Western Transvaal; (ii) Elias Coming out from Under John’s Bed; (iii) Old Man, Ottoshoop; (iv) Portrait of sleeping girl; (v) Puppy Between Feet; (vi) Sergeant F de Bruin. Department of Prisons Employee; (vii) Two men in Dormitory Northwest province; (viii) Untitled; (ix) Untitled; (x) Wife of abattoir worker holding puppies. Orange Free State; (xi) Woman sitting in front of bamboo fence, 1983-1996 | Each gelatin silver print | $20,913 | Phillips | Dec 2024 |
| 2 | Head inside shirt, Skew mash, Ape skull, Roar, 2001 | Silver prints | $12,963 | Sotheby's | Nov 2009 |
| 3 | Dresie et Casie, Twins, Western Transvaal, 1950 | Ce tirage est accompagné d'un certificat d'authenticité du photographe | $11,613 | Christie's | Nov 2015 |
| 4 | Puppy Between Feet, 1999 | Selenium toned gelatin silver print | $10,926 | Christie's | May 2016 |
| 5 | Twirling Wires | Selenium toned gelatin silver print | $10,625 | Phillips | Apr 2013 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Les Hammering into Wall, 2000 | Gelatin silver print | $47,325 | Sotheby's | Sep 2022 |
| 2 | Dresie and Casie, Twins, Western Transvaal, 1993 | Gelatin silver print | $11,748 | Sotheby's | Apr 2022 |
| 3 | Sergeant F de Bruin, Department of Prisons Employee, Orange Free State, 1992 | Gelatin silver print on Ilford Multigrade paper | $10,594 | Roseberys London | Oct 2019 |
| 4 | Dresie and Casie, Twins, Western Transvaal, 1993 | Elixir of Life: Photographs from The Olbricht Collection | $10,297 | Sotheby's | Nov 2025 |
| 5 | Dresie and Casie, twins, Western Transvaal, 2001 | Selenium toned gelatin silver print, printed 2001 | $10,140 | Phillips | Nov 2016 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 14 | $2,313 |
| Photographs | 50 | $2,300 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 7 | $7,301 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 49 | $1,898 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 93 results from 22 houses · How we compute these figures
Roger Ballen is an American artist with 124 auction lots recorded since 2005, median price $2,345. 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 Roger Ballen sold in 2026 for $4,087, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Roger Ballen record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Roger Ballen on OpeningBid →What is a Roger Ballen work worth?
Across 86 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Roger Ballen work is $2,345.
The median Roger Ballen photograph sells for $2,375 across 74 lots.
The median Roger Ballen print sells for $2,889 across 5 lots.
The median Roger Ballen work on paper sells for $2,285 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Roger Ballen photographs typically sell for $1,298–$4,555 (the middle half of 55 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 | 6 | $2,889 | $7,301 | 83.3% | 2026-05-21 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $2,285 | $2,285 | — | 2010-10-26 |
| Photography | 87 | $2,375†‡ | $47,325 | 85.1% | 2026-10-08 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 5 | $12,963 | $47,325 | — | 2024-12-04 |
† 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) | 55 | $1,298–$4,555†‡ | $1,918†‡ | $47,325 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 8 | $3,666–$10,700† | $4,466† | $11,613 |
† 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 | 2022 | $47,325 |
| Photography | 2024 | $20,913 |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $7,301 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $4,087 |
| Works on Paper | 2010 | $2,285 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Roger Ballen worth?
Across 86 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Roger Ballen work is $2,345. The median Roger Ballen photograph sells for $2,375 across 74 lots. The median Roger Ballen print sells for $2,889 across 5 lots. The median Roger Ballen work on paper sells for $2,285 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Roger Ballen photographs typically sell for $1,298–$4,555 (the middle half of 55 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 Roger Ballen photograph?
Based on 74 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Roger Ballen photograph is $2,375. 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 Roger Ballen's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Roger Ballen photograph is $47,325.
What is the average price of a small Roger Ballen photograph?
Based on 55 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Roger Ballen photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,918, 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 Roger Ballen's auction record?
Roger Ballen's auction record is $47,325, set in 2022.
See the full Roger Ballen record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Roger Ballen on OpeningBid →