William Claxton (1927–2008)
What is William Claxton’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 57 auction results for William Claxton at 18 houses since 2000. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,044 including buyer’s premium (middle half $577–$2,023, n=12). The auction record is $15,120 for Peggy Moffitt in Rudi Gernreich's “Little Boy” Suit Queen Magazine” Cover, London, 1966 (2009, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peggy Moffitt in Rudi Gernreich's “Little Boy” Suit Queen Magazine” Cover, London, 1966, 1927 | Crystal archive photograph, printed 2004 | $15,120 | Christie's | May 2009 |
| 2 | Miles Davis with Cigarette, Los Angeles, 2006 | Cartes-de-visite | $6,875 | Phillips | Oct 2015 |
| 3 | Halima and Chet Baker, Redondo Beach, 1997 | Cartes-de-visite | $6,273 | Phillips | May 2015 |
| 4 | John Coltrane at the Guggenheim, New York City, 2006 | Cartes-de-visite | $6,250 | Phillips | Oct 2015 |
| 5 | Chet Baker (at the piano), Hollywood, 1988 | Cartes-de-visite | $5,532 | Phillips | May 2023 |
| 6 | John Coltrane at the Guggenheim, NYC, 1960 | Gelatin silver print | $3,315 | Bonhams | Jul 2025 |
| 7 | Hot Dog Stand, Los Angeles, 3 A.M. (Audrey's), 1961 | Gelatin silver print | $2,423 | Bonhams | Jul 2025 |
| 8 | Chet Baker and Lili, Hollywood, 1955 | Platinum print | $2,344 | Christie's | Feb 2002 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dreaming, Hollywood, 1954 | Cartes-de-visite | $5,040 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Jul 2024 |
| 2 | Dreaming, Hollywood, 1954 | Cartes-de-visite | $3,302 | Los Angeles Modern Auctions | Mar 2025 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 43 | $697 |
| Other | 5 | $600 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 37 | $793 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 57 results from 18 houses · How we compute these figures
William Claxton is an American artist with 88 auction lots recorded since 2000, median price $638. 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 William Claxton sold in 2026 for $1,131, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full William Claxton record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William Claxton on OpeningBid →What is a William Claxton work worth?
Across 55 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Claxton work is $638.
The median William Claxton photograph sells for $638 across 53 lots.
The median William Claxton print sells for $94 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) William Claxton photographs typically sell for $366–$1,447 (the middle half of 41 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 | $94 | $94 | 50% | 2022-04-26 |
| Photography | 62 | $638†‡ | $15,120 | 85.5% | 2026-07-30 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $6,875 | $15,120 | — | 2015-10-08 |
† 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) | 41 | $366–$1,447†‡ | $700†‡ | $6,875 |
† 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 | 2009 | $15,120 |
| Photography | 2015 | $6,875 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $94 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a William Claxton worth?
Across 55 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Claxton work is $638. The median William Claxton photograph sells for $638 across 53 lots. The median William Claxton print sells for $94 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) William Claxton photographs typically sell for $366–$1,447 (the middle half of 41 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 William Claxton photograph?
Based on 53 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William Claxton photograph is $638. 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 William Claxton's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a William Claxton photograph is $15,120.
What is the average price of a small William Claxton photograph?
Based on 41 sold lots, the median auction price of a small William Claxton photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $700, 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 William Claxton's auction record?
William Claxton's auction record is $15,120, set in 2009.
See the full William Claxton record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William Claxton on OpeningBid →