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

# Russell Lee (1903–1986)

## What is Russell Lee’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 31 auction results for Russell Lee at 9 houses since 1992. Over the last 24 months the median price was $989 including buyer’s premium (middle half $803–$1,103, n=6). The auction record is $20,534 for Pie Town, New Mexico (2002, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pie Town, New Mexico, 1940 | Gelatin silver prints | $20,534 | Christie's | Nov 2002 |
| 2 | Oil field worker drinking water, Kilgore, Texas, April 1939, 1903 | Oil field worker drinking water, Kilgore, Texas, April 1939 | $13,750 | Christie's | Apr 2011 |
| 3 | A selection of 6 photographs showcasing the range of Lee's work from the F.S.A., 1938 | Photographs | $4,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Jan 2024 |
| 4 | A group of 5 photographs depicting children, 1937-1940 | Photographs | $4,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Jan 2022 |
| 5 | Selected images, 1903 | Gelatin silver prints | $4,000 | Christie's | Sep 2007 |
| 6 | Company Housing in Coal Camp, Appalachia, 1946; and Farm House, North Dakota, 1939, 1903 | Gelatin silver prints | $3,750 | Christie's | Dec 2011 |
| 7 | Untitled (New York), 1936 | Pencil | $3,120 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2008 |
| 8 | A selection of 4 photographs, including two images from the well-known Pie Town series, 1939 | Silver prints | $2,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2023 |
| 9 | Hands of the Wife of an Iowa Homesteader Now on Relief, 1936 | Tirage argentique d’époque | $2,258 | Tajan | Nov 2013 |
| 10 | Saturday night in a saloon, Craigville, Minnesota * Farm Family after evening meal, Pie Town, New Mexico * Women seated outside, 1937 | Pencil | $2,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 2021 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 6 | $1,333 |
| Photographs | 23 | $1,103 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 30 | $1,103 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 31 results from 9 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Russell Lee is an American artist with 84 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $1,103. 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 2025 for $1,103, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Russell Lee work worth?

Across 31 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Russell Lee work is $1,103.

The median Russell Lee photograph sells for $1,103 across 31 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Russell Lee photographs typically sell for $827–$2,504 (the middle half of 31 sold lots).

Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2 | — | — | 0% | — |
| Photography | 41 | $1,103‡ | $20,534 | 75.6% | 2026-03-20 |

‡ 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) | 31 | $827–$2,504‡ | $1,103‡ | $20,534 |

‡ 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 | 2002 | $20,534 |
| Photography | 2011 | $13,750 |

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 31 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Russell Lee work is $1,103. The median Russell Lee photograph sells for $1,103 across 31 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Russell Lee photographs typically sell for $827–$2,504 (the middle half of 31 sold lots). Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

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

Based on 31 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Russell Lee photograph is $1,103. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Russell Lee's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Russell Lee photograph is $20,534.

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

Based on 31 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Russell Lee photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,103, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Russell Lee's auction record?

Russell Lee's auction record is $20,534, set in 2002.

---

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.