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Fine Art Photography Consignment
When you are ready to sell your fine art photographs, Sotheby’s team of specialists can help you realize the highest price. As the first international auction house to offer regular sales of photography – beginning in 1971 in London and 1975 in New York – Sotheby’s possesses the expertise and technological infrastructure to sell your photographs to its extensive network of buyers.
Auctions of photographs are held throughout the calendar year in New York, London, and Paris, with major sales occurring each spring and autumn.
Sales feature a curated selection of classic images – including photographers such as Edward Weston, Imogen Cunningham, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, Lee Miller, Robert Mapplethorpe, Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Robert Frank, and László Moholy-Nagy – as well as contemporary works by Cindy Sherman, Catherine Opie, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Helmut Newton, Thomas Struth, Carrie Mae Weems, Wolfgang Tillmans, Christian Marclay, and many others.
If you would like to know how much your photograph is worth, submit images and information through our easy-to-use online estimate form so that our specialists can provide a bespoke sales plan.
Find Out the Value of Your Photographs
Submit photos and information about your photograph and begin your complimentary estimate request.
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Photography Consigned with Sotheby's
Get Started with an Estimate
Get Started with an Estimate
Get an Estimate
Frequently Asked Questions
- When is the best time to sell a photograph or an entire photography collection?Throughout the year, fine art photographs are continually in demand by collectors and connoisseurs. Sotheby’s is now accepting consignments of photographs for our upcoming sales in New York, London and Paris. Simply submit your photograph for a complimentary estimate valuation of your artwork.
- How much is my fine art photography worth?Our specialists, leaders in the field of photography, value each photograph based on factors including provenance, condition, artist and current market demand. Sotheby’s experts provide values for any photograph we believe we can sell at in live auction, online auction or private sale.
- How do I sell photography online through Sotheby's?Sotheby's many global sales, in our auction rooms around the world and online, feature fine art photography throughout the year. Once you submit your photo for review by our specialists, you will be presented with the best strategies to sell your photography for the highest price.
- I am a photographer. May I sell my photographs through Sotheby's?As a secondary market, Sotheby's does not sell works directly from artists. If you are interested in selling photography or valuing your property, we recommend contacting galleries for representation.
- How much does Sotheby's charge to appraise fine art photography?Our estimate valuations are complimentary and free of charge. Sotheby's does not perform appraisals; however, we do offer estimates for items we believe we can sell at in live auction, online sale or private sale. We will inform you if your photograph is not a good fit for a Sotheby's auction, and we will do our best to recommend another venue to sell your photo.
- Which famous photographers are featured in Sotheby's auctions?Sotheby's photography auctions include a wide variety of works by daguerreotype photographers, such as Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey and Southworth & Hawes, to contemporary photographers, such as Chuck Close and Cindy Sherman. Works by Ansel Adams, Richard Avedon, Man Ray, Edward Weston, Irving Penn, Robert Frank, Peter Beard, Wolfgang Tillmans, Thomas Ruff, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Andreas Gursky, Carrie Mae Weems, Helmut Newton, William Eggleston, William Henry Fox Talbot, Alfred Stieglitz and Candida Hofer typically feature in our auctions and find eager buyers.
