Sam Shaw (1912–1999)
Sam Shaw is an American artist with 179 auction lots recorded since 2008, median price $430. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page.
A work by Sam Shaw sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $517 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Sam Shaw record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Sam Shaw on OpeningBid →What is a Sam Shaw work worth?
Across 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sam Shaw work is $430.
The median Sam Shaw photograph sells for $430 across 18 lots.
Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
Price breakdown by category
| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 1 | — | — | 0% | — |
| Photography | 21 | $430† | $6,240 | 85.7% | 2026-09-03 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Price by size
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 12 | $214–$850† | $487† | $6,240 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $396–$522 | $397 | $2,978 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2009 | $6,240 |
| Photography | 2020 | $2,978 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Sam Shaw worth?
Across 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sam Shaw work is $430. The median Sam Shaw photograph sells for $430 across 18 lots. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is the average price of a Sam Shaw photograph?
Based on 18 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sam Shaw photograph is $430. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Sam Shaw's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Sam Shaw photograph is $6,240.
What is the average price of a small Sam Shaw photograph?
Based on 12 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Sam Shaw photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $487, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Sam Shaw's auction record?
Sam Shaw's auction record is $6,240, set in 2009.
See the full Sam Shaw record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Sam Shaw on OpeningBid →