> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/russell-lee · updated 2026-11-01

# Russell Lee (1903–1986)

Russell Lee is an American artist with 28 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $942. 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 Russell Lee sold in 2021 for $2,250, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Russell Lee work worth?

Across 18 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Russell Lee work is $942.

The median Russell Lee photograph sells for $942 across 18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | 22 | $942†‡ | $4,292 | 81.8% | 2021-05-27 |

† 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) | 15 | $357–$1,988†‡ | $1,035†‡ | $4,292 |

† 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 | 2016 | $4,292 |
| Photography | 1999 | $2,990 |

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 Russell Lee worth?

Across 18 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Russell Lee work is $942. The median Russell Lee photograph sells for $942 across 18 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 Russell Lee photograph?

Based on 18 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Russell Lee photograph is $942. 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 Russell Lee's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Russell Lee photograph is $4,292.

### What is the average price of a small Russell Lee photograph?

Based on 15 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Russell Lee photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,035, 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 Russell Lee's auction record?

Russell Lee's auction record is $4,292, set in 2016.

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Data last updated 2026-11-01. OpeningBid tracks 15,222,099 auction lots from 571 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Russell Lee auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/russell-lee (updated 2026-11-01).

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.