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

# Toshio Shibata (b. 1949)

## What is Toshio Shibata’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 46 auction results for Toshio Shibata at 15 houses since 2008. Over the last 24 months the median price was $2,159 including buyer’s premium (middle half $699–$2,381, n=9). The auction record is $17,681 for Kashima Town, Fukushima Prefecture (2011, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kashima Town, Fukushima Prefecture, 1990 | Gelatin-silver print | $17,681 | Sotheby's | Apr 2011 |
| 2 | Kashima Town, Fukushima Prefecture, 1990 | Gelatin-silver print | $15,320 | Sotheby's | Apr 2009 |
| 3 | Okawa Village, Tosa County, Kochi Prefecture, 2007 | Hand coloring | $11,879 | Phillips | May 2016 |
| 4 | Okawa Village, Tosa County, Kochi Prefecture | Hand coloring | $10,625 | Phillips | Oct 2017 |
| 5 | Kawauchi Town, Ehime Prefecture, 1998 | Cartes-de-visite | $7,620 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Jul 2025 |
| 6 | Untitled, 1949 | Cartes-de-visite | $7,500 | Christie's | Apr 2010 |
| 7 | Kawauchi Town, Ehime Prefecture, 1998 | Cartes-de-visite | $6,558 | Sotheby's | Oct 2020 |
| 8 | Gibson Dam, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, 1949 | Gelatin silver print | $6,000 | Bonhams | Oct 2013 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Coulee Dam, Douglas County, WA, 1996 | Silver print | $5,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Oct 2018 |
| 2 | Kashima Town, Fukushima Prefecture, 1990 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,980 | Christie's | Nov 2012 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 23 | $2,490 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 20 | $2,812 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 46 results from 15 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Toshio Shibata is a Japanese artist with 66 auction lots recorded since 2008, median price $2,320. 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 Toshio Shibata is recorded as sold in 2026 for $5,424; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Toshio Shibata work worth?

Across 46 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Toshio Shibata work is $2,320.

The median Toshio Shibata photograph sells for $2,445 across 38 lots.

The median Toshio Shibata print sells for $6,558 across 1 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Toshio Shibata photographs typically sell for $1,935–$5,337 (the middle half of 27 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 | 2 | $6,558 | $6,558 | 50% | 2020-10-13 |
| Photography | 52 | $2,445†‡ | $17,681 | 73.1% | 2026-01-25 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $15,320 | $17,681 | — | 2015-10-06 |

† 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) | 5 | $1,239–$2,054‡ | $1,540‡ | $2,381 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 27 | $1,935–$5,337†‡ | $2,540†‡ | $14,222 |

† 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 | 2011 | $17,681 |
| Photography | 2009 | $15,320 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $6,558 |

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 Toshio Shibata worth?

Across 46 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Toshio Shibata work is $2,320. The median Toshio Shibata photograph sells for $2,445 across 38 lots. The median Toshio Shibata print sells for $6,558 across 1 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Toshio Shibata photographs typically sell for $1,935–$5,337 (the middle half of 27 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 Toshio Shibata photograph?

Based on 38 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Toshio Shibata photograph is $2,445. 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 Toshio Shibata's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Toshio Shibata photograph is $17,681.

### What is the average price of a medium Toshio Shibata photograph?

Based on 27 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Toshio Shibata photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $2,540, 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 Toshio Shibata's auction record?

Toshio Shibata's auction record is $17,681, set in 2011.

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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, “Toshio Shibata auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/toshio-shibata (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.