> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/shelby-lee-adams · updated 2026-11-02

# Shelby Lee Adams (b. 1950)

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

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 27 auction results for Shelby Lee Adams at 8 houses since 2021. Over the last 24 months the median price was $427 including buyer’s premium (middle half $337–$856, n=14). The auction record is $3,570 for Leddie and Children (2022, Bonhams). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leddie and Children, 1950 | Gelatin silver print | $3,570 | Bonhams | Aug 2022 |
| 2 | Home Funeral and Leddie and Children, 1990 | Photography | $2,950 | Hess Fine Art (Hess Fine Auctions) | Jan 2021 |
| 3 | Children at Topmost, 1991 | Cartes-de-visite | $1,429 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | May 2025 |
| 4 | The Boys at Tompost, 1992 | Gelatin silver print | $1,330 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | Jun 2026 |
| 5 | Paul with Mother and Bucket, 1985 | Cartes-de-visite | $1,000 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | May 2025 |
| 6 | Erik with Spike the Rooster, 2001 | Cartes-de-visite | $929 | Kunsthaus Lempertz | May 2025 |
| 7 | Kasie Dawn, 1950 | Gelatin silver print | $828 | Bonhams | Aug 2022 |
| 8 | Amanda with Dolls, 1950 | Gelatin silver print | $638 | Bonhams | Sep 2025 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hog Killing, 1950 | Gelatin silver print | $896 | Bonhams | Sep 2023 |
| 2 | The Hog Killing, 1950 | Gelatin silver print | $536 | Bonhams | Sep 2025 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 15 | $828 |
| Other | 5 | $350 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $638 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 27 results from 8 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Shelby Lee Adams is an American artist with 36 auction lots recorded since 2010, median price $600. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page.

A work by Shelby Lee Adams sold in 2026 for $1,330, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Shelby Lee Adams work worth?

Across 25 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Shelby Lee Adams work is $600.

The median Shelby Lee Adams photograph sells for $750 across 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | 24 | $750† | $3,750† | 87.5% | 2026-07-30 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

## Price by size

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 17 | $512–$1,000† | $750† | $3,750† |

† 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 | 2022 | $3,750† |
| Photography | 2022 | $3,570 |

† 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 Shelby Lee Adams worth?

Across 25 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Shelby Lee Adams work is $600. The median Shelby Lee Adams photograph sells for $750 across 21 lots. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is the average price of a Shelby Lee Adams photograph?

Based on 21 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Shelby Lee Adams photograph is $750. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Shelby Lee Adams's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Shelby Lee Adams photograph is $3,750. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $3,750 (buyer's premium not included).

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

Based on 17 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Shelby Lee Adams photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $750, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Shelby Lee Adams's auction record?

Shelby Lee Adams's auction record is $3,750, set in 2022. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $3,750 (buyer's premium not included).

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Shelby Lee Adams auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/shelby-lee-adams (updated 2026-11-02).

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.