Claes Oldenburg (1929–2022)
Claes Oldenburg is an American artist with 229 auction lots recorded since 1989, median price $2,222. 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 Claes Oldenburg is recorded as sold in 2022 for $3,222; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Claes Oldenburg record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Claes Oldenburg on OpeningBid →What is a Claes Oldenburg work worth?
Across 191 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Claes Oldenburg work is $2,222.
The median Claes Oldenburg print sells for $1,624 across 141 lots.
The median Claes Oldenburg work on paper sells for $89,016 across 20 lots.
The median Claes Oldenburg sculpture sells for $95,353 across 16 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Claes Oldenburg prints typically sell for $823–$3,927 (the middle half of 74 sold lots).
Small (under 50 cm) Claes Oldenburg prints typically sell for $809–$2,629 (the middle half of 43 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 | 159 | $1,624†‡ | $88,856 | 88.7% | 2026-05-13 |
| Paintings | 4 | $117,402 | $279,384 | 75% | 2016-05-11 |
| Works on Paper | 21 | $89,016 | $885,088 | 95.2% | 2020-06-30 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 17 | $95,353‡ | $613,899 | 94.1% | 2022-03-30 |
| Photography | 5 | $1,303 | $18,520 | — | 2002-11-21 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 18 | $169,523 | $885,088 | — | 2016-05-11 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Claes Oldenburg's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (159 lots) median $1,624 with 88.7% sell-through. Paintings (4 lots) median $117,402, record $279,384. A typical Claes Oldenburg painting sells for around 72× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 18 lots) the median is $169,523.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 43 | $809–$2,629†‡ | $1,538†‡ | $8,781 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 74 | $823–$3,927†‡ | $1,712†‡ | $88,856 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 5 | $2,905–$24,539 | $15,953 | $37,142 |
† 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) | 9 | $7,500–$104,088 | $21,250 | $308,413 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 10 | $86,852–$165,034 | $113,956 | $885,088 |
Sculpture & Installation
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 7 | $48,281–$147,468‡ | $96,808‡ | $558,912 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $6,365–$184,917 | $55,859 | $613,899 |
‡ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2006 | $885,088 |
| Works on Paper | 2006 | $706,949 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $613,899 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2006 | $558,912 |
| Paintings | 2006 | $279,384 |
| Paintings | 2016 | $117,402 |
| Prints & Editions | 2007 | $88,856 |
| Prints & Editions | 2001 | $37,142 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Claes Oldenburg worth?
Across 191 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Claes Oldenburg work is $2,222. The median Claes Oldenburg print sells for $1,624 across 141 lots. The median Claes Oldenburg work on paper sells for $89,016 across 20 lots. The median Claes Oldenburg sculpture sells for $95,353 across 16 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Claes Oldenburg prints typically sell for $823–$3,927 (the middle half of 74 sold lots). Small (under 50 cm) Claes Oldenburg prints typically sell for $809–$2,629 (the middle half of 43 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 Claes Oldenburg print?
Based on 141 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Claes Oldenburg print is $1,624. 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 Claes Oldenburg's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Claes Oldenburg print is $88,856.
What is the average price of a Claes Oldenburg work on paper?
Based on 20 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Claes Oldenburg work on paper is $89,016.
What is Claes Oldenburg's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Claes Oldenburg work on paper is $885,088.
What is the average price of a Claes Oldenburg sculpture?
Based on 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Claes Oldenburg sculpture is $95,353. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Claes Oldenburg's most expensive sculpture?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Claes Oldenburg sculpture is $613,899.
What is the average price of a medium Claes Oldenburg print?
Based on 74 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Claes Oldenburg print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,712, 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 Claes Oldenburg print?
Based on 43 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Claes Oldenburg print (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,538, 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 Claes Oldenburg's auction record?
Claes Oldenburg's auction record is $885,088, set in 2006.
See the full Claes Oldenburg record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Claes Oldenburg on OpeningBid →