Thomas Sully (1783–1872)
Thomas Sully is an American artist with 113 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $4,375. 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 Thomas Sully sold in 2025 for $13,200, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
1 Thomas Sully work is coming to auction (as of 2026-11-02). Follow Thomas Sully free on OpeningBid for sale alerts.
See the full Thomas Sully record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Thomas Sully on OpeningBid →What is a Thomas Sully work worth?
Across 86 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Thomas Sully work is $4,375.
The median Thomas Sully painting sells for $4,536 across 73 lots.
The median Thomas Sully print sells for $760 across 4 lots.
The median Thomas Sully work on paper sells for $4,000 across 7 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Thomas Sully paintings typically sell for $2,341–$13,204 (the middle half of 56 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 | 7 | $760 | $1,007 | 57.1% | 2023-07-20 |
| Paintings | 97 | $4,536†‡ | $1.1M | 75.3% | 2026-04-10 |
| Works on Paper | 7 | $4,000†‡ | $209,100 | — | 2022-11-04 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 5 | $175,500 | $1.1M | — | 2020-12-11 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Thomas Sully's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (7 lots) median $760 with 57.1% sell-through. Paintings (97 lots) median $4,536, record $1,082,500. A typical Thomas Sully painting sells for around 6.0× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 5 lots) the median is $175,500.
Price by size
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 13 | $1,900–$21,250†‡ | $6,463†‡ | $70,500 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 56 | $2,341–$13,204†‡ | $4,890†‡ | $1.1M |
† 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) | 6 | $1,488–$7,000†‡ | $4,000†‡ | $209,100 |
† 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 | 2012 | $1.1M |
| Works on Paper | 2003 | $209,100 |
| Works on Paper | 2004 | $175,500 |
| Paintings | 2004 | $102,770 |
| Prints & Editions | 2009 | $1,007 |
| Prints & Editions | 2009 | $1,007 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Thomas Sully worth?
Across 86 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Thomas Sully work is $4,375. The median Thomas Sully painting sells for $4,536 across 73 lots. The median Thomas Sully print sells for $760 across 4 lots. The median Thomas Sully work on paper sells for $4,000 across 7 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Thomas Sully paintings typically sell for $2,341–$13,204 (the middle half of 56 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 Thomas Sully painting?
Based on 73 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Thomas Sully painting is $4,536. 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 Thomas Sully's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Thomas Sully painting is $1,082,500.
What is the average price of a medium Thomas Sully painting?
Based on 56 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Thomas Sully painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $4,890, 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 the average price of a small Thomas Sully painting?
Based on 13 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Thomas Sully painting (small (under 50 cm)) is $6,463, 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 Thomas Sully's auction record?
Thomas Sully's auction record is $1,082,500, set in 2012.
See the full Thomas Sully record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Thomas Sully on OpeningBid →