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

# Tomoko Sawada (b. 1977)

## What is Tomoko Sawada’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 29 auction results for Tomoko Sawada at 10 houses since 2007. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,524 including buyer’s premium (middle half $832–$1,905, n=5). The auction record is $37,015 for Recruit (2013, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Recruit, 2006 | 100 tirages chromogéniques montés sur support cartonné | $37,015 | Christie's | Nov 2013 |
| 2 | School Days, 2004 | Chromogenic diptych, each flush-mouted | $33,727 | Phillips | May 2018 |
| 3 | ID400 (#201-300) | One-hundred gelatin silver prints, flush-mounted as one composition | $22,500 | Phillips | Apr 2017 |
| 4 | Recruit: Black, Grey & Navy, 2006 | Complete set of 3 works, each with 100 chromogenic prints mounted together | $16,463 | Christie's | Jul 2009 |
| 5 | ID 400: 101-200, 1998 | Cartes-de-visite | $15,120 | Sotheby's | Oct 2022 |
| 6 | School Days, 2006 | Complete set of 10 chromogenic prints, all framed and contained within a wooden display box, executed 2006 | $12,645 | Phillips | May 2023 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cover Face, 2002 | Chromogenic prints | $23,018 | Christie's | May 2007 |
| 2 | Bride, 2008 | Lambda prints (30) arranged in a grid, each image measuring 2 1/2 inches (6.4 cm.) square, the original and custom whitewashed handcrafted frame 18x21 inches (45.7x53.3 cm.) | $4,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2016 |
| 3 | Masquerade, 2006 | Chromogenic print | $4,604 | Christie's | May 2007 |
| 4 | Bride, 1977 | Photographs | $4,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2023 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 12 | $13,883 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 10 | $2,280 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 29 results from 10 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Tomoko Sawada is a Japanese artist with 35 auction lots recorded since 2007, median price $2,159. 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 Tomoko Sawada is recorded as sold in 2026 for $2,972; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Tomoko Sawada work worth?

Across 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Tomoko Sawada work is $2,159.

The median Tomoko Sawada photograph sells for $2,886 across 24 lots.

The median Tomoko Sawada print sells for $617 across 3 lots.

The median Tomoko Sawada work on paper sells for $2,400 across 1 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 | 3 | $617‡ | $831‡ | — | 2019-02-02 |
| Works on Paper | 2 | $2,400 | $2,400 | 50% | 2024-10-02 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 1 | $1,524 | $1,524 | — | 2025-11-04 |
| Photography | 26 | $2,886†‡ | $37,015 | 92.3% | 2026-04-11 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ 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) | 14 | $656–$10,227‡ | $1,477‡ | $37,015 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $2,800–$4,604†‡ | $4,000†‡ | $4,750 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2013 | $37,015 |
| Photography | 2018 | $33,727 |
| Works on Paper | 2024 | $2,400 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2025 | $1,524 |
| Prints & Editions | 2019 | $831‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2016 | $617‡ |

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

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 Tomoko Sawada worth?

Across 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Tomoko Sawada work is $2,159. The median Tomoko Sawada photograph sells for $2,886 across 24 lots. The median Tomoko Sawada print sells for $617 across 3 lots. The median Tomoko Sawada work on paper sells for $2,400 across 1 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 Tomoko Sawada photograph?

Based on 24 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Tomoko Sawada photograph is $2,886. 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 Tomoko Sawada's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Tomoko Sawada photograph is $37,015.

### What is the average price of a small Tomoko Sawada photograph?

Based on 14 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Tomoko Sawada photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,477, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Tomoko Sawada's auction record?

Tomoko Sawada's auction record is $37,015, set in 2013.

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Data last updated 2026-11-01. OpeningBid tracks 15,222,099 auction lots from 571 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Tomoko Sawada auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/tomoko-sawada (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.