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

# Sam Middleton (1927–2015)

## What is Sam Middleton’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 181 auction results for Sam Middleton at 17 houses since 2007. Over the last 24 months the median price was $704 including buyer’s premium (middle half $553–$823, n=19). The auction record is $17,500 for Jazz on Easter Sunday (2018, Phillips). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jazz on Easter Sunday, 1961 | Gouache | $17,500 | Phillips | Nov 2018 |
| 2 | Untitled (mixed media and collage on board), 2015 | Mixed media and collage on board | $13,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Apr 2019 |
| 3 | Untitled (oil and sand on masonite board), 2015 | Oil and sand on masonite board | $13,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2018 |
| 4 | Untitled (mixed media and collage of various papers on wove paper), 2015 | Mixed media and collage of various papers on wove paper | $9,375 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2019 |
| 5 | Untitled (collage and mixed media on paper), 1964 | Mixed media | $8,750 | Phillips | Mar 2020 |
| 6 | Dream Fantasy, 2015 | Watercolor | $8,125 | Swann Auction Galleries | Dec 2020 |
| 7 | Jazz Is Free As A Bird, 2015 | Mixed media | $8,125 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2016 |
| 8 | Sunken Meadow, 2015 | Mixed media and collage on buff wove paper | $8,125 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2021 |
| 9 | Untitled (mixed media and collage on paper), 2015 | Mixed media and collage of various papers on wove paper | $6,760 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2018 |
| 10 | Telling it the Way It Is!, 2015 | Watercolor | $6,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Dec 2020 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Works on paper | 34 | $4,000 |
| Other | 20 | $2,886 |
| Prints | 44 | $693 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 16 | $3,000 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 77 | $1,512 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 181 results from 17 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Sam Middleton is an American artist with 202 auction lots recorded since 2005, median price $1,148. 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 Sam Middleton sold in 2026 for $2,794, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Sam Middleton work worth?

Across 176 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sam Middleton work is $1,148.

The median Sam Middleton print sells for $674 across 94 lots.

The median Sam Middleton work on paper sells for $3,000 across 65 lots.

The median Sam Middleton painting sells for $8,272 across 2 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Sam Middleton prints typically sell for $409–$844 (the middle half of 78 sold lots).

Medium (50–120 cm) Sam Middleton work on papers typically sell for $2,000–$4,122 (the middle half of 44 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 | 97 | $674†‡ | $4,200† | 96.9% | 2026-08-14 |
| Paintings | 2 | $8,272 | $13,750 | — | 2026-10-01 |
| Works on Paper | 70 | $3,000†‡ | $13,750 | 92.9% | 2026-09-28 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 9 | $8,750 | $17,500 | — | 2021-10-07 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Sam Middleton's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (97 lots) median $674 with 96.9% sell-through. Paintings (2 lots) median $8,272, record $13,750. A typical Sam Middleton painting sells for around 12× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 9 lots) the median is $8,750.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 12 | $488–$950†‡ | $650†‡ | $2,100† |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 78 | $409–$844† | $648† | $4,200† |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 20 | $1,541–$3,875†‡ | $2,875†‡ | $9,375 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 44 | $2,000–$4,122† | $3,000† | $13,750 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2018 | $13,750 |
| Works on Paper | 2019 | $13,750 |
| Works on Paper | 2019 | $9,375 |
| Prints & Editions | 2021 | $4,200† |
| Prints & Editions | 2021 | $4,000 |
| Paintings | 2026 | $2,794 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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 Sam Middleton worth?

Across 176 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sam Middleton work is $1,148. The median Sam Middleton print sells for $674 across 94 lots. The median Sam Middleton work on paper sells for $3,000 across 65 lots. The median Sam Middleton painting sells for $8,272 across 2 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Sam Middleton prints typically sell for $409–$844 (the middle half of 78 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Sam Middleton work on papers typically sell for $2,000–$4,122 (the middle half of 44 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 Sam Middleton print?

Based on 94 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sam Middleton print is $674. 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 Sam Middleton's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Sam Middleton print is $4,200. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $4,200 (buyer's premium not included).

### What is the average price of a Sam Middleton work on paper?

Based on 65 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sam Middleton work on paper is $3,000. 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 Sam Middleton's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Sam Middleton work on paper is $13,750.

### What is the average price of a medium Sam Middleton print?

Based on 78 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Sam Middleton print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $648, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is the average price of a medium Sam Middleton work on paper?

Based on 44 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Sam Middleton work on paper (medium (50–120 cm)) is $3,000, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Sam Middleton's auction record?

Sam Middleton's auction record is $17,500, set in 2018.

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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, “Sam Middleton auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/sam-middleton (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.