Conrad Gesner (1690–1790)
What is Conrad Gesner’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 12 auction results for Conrad Gesner at 5 houses since 1996. Over the last 24 months the median price was $8,907 including buyer’s premium (middle half $8,014–$16,936, n=7). The auction record is $27,045 for De omni rerum fossilium genere, gemmis, lapidibus, metallis, et huiusmodi, libri aliquot, plerique nunc primum editi (2025, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | De omni rerum fossilium genere, gemmis, lapidibus, metallis, et huiusmodi, libri aliquot, plerique nunc primum editi, 2001 | This classification system also includes artificial items made from metals, stones or gems (class 6), which includes such items as a magnetic compass (illustrated on Oo5r in the final part) and what we would now call a pencil, famously illustrated for the first time here on Oo7v | $27,045 | Christie's | Dec 2025 |
| 2 | The newe Iewell of Health, wherein is contayned the most excellent secretes of phisicke and philosophie, deuided into fower bookes, 1576 | : Royal Society of Medicine (purple ink stamp [Royal Medical & Chirurgical Society] to verso of title, and on several preliminary text leaves) | $16,058 | Christie's | Dec 2025 |
| 3 | Epitome bibliothecae, 1555 | Contemporary half pigskin | $15,240 | Sotheby's | Oct 2023 |
| 4 | Pandectarum sive partitionum universalium Conradi Gesneri Tigurini, medici & philosophiae professoris, libri XXI, 1548 | Book | $7,773 | Sotheby's | Dec 2024 |
| 5 | A new booke of destillatyon of waters, called the Treasure of Euonymus, 1801 | -century ownership inscription with price on front free endleaf); James Roberts Brown (1838-1905, author; his ownership inscription on front free endleaf); Albert John Chalmers (British colonial physician and pioneer in tropical medicine research, 1870-1920; bookplate and plate recording bequest from Mrs Chalmers in the year of his death, to:) – Royal Society of Medicine (ink stamp on upper endleaf and other leaves, and ‘31941’ in ink on title) | $5,916 | Christie's | Dec 2025 |
| 6 | Historiae Animalium | Leaves extracted from Gesner's Historiae Animalium, each sheet with one or more images of birds, animals, or creatures of the sea, on original full folio sheets | $1,725 | Swann Auction Galleries | May 1996 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bibliotheca universalis, sive Catalogus omnium scriptorum locupletissimus, in tribus linguis, Latina, Graeca, & Hebraica, 1545 | Woodcut | $17,814 | Sotheby's | Dec 2024 |
| 2 | Lexicon graecolatinum, 1552 | Woodcut | $8,907 | Sotheby's | Dec 2024 |
| 3 | De omni rerum fossilium genere, gemmis, lapidibus, metallis, et huiusmodi, libri aliquot plerique nunc primum editi, 1565 | Woodcut | $8,255 | Sotheby's | Dec 2025 |
| 4 | Thierbuch; das ist, ausfuhrliche Beschreibung...aller vierfussigen Thieren; Vogelbuch; Fischbuch; Schlangenbuch, 1598-1613 | Printed book with woodcuts, contemporary blindstamped pigskin binding | $4,981 | Christie's | Jul 2019 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Prints | 5 | $8,255 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 8 | $8,581 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 12 results from 5 houses · How we compute these figures
Conrad Gesner is a Swiss artist with 14 auction lots recorded since 1996, median price $8,014. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.
A work by Conrad Gesner sold in 2025 for $8,255, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Conrad Gesner record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Conrad Gesner on OpeningBid →What is a Conrad Gesner work worth?
Across 12 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Conrad Gesner work is $8,014.
The median Conrad Gesner print sells for $4,981 across 7 lots.
The median Conrad Gesner work on paper sells for $27,045 across 1 lots.
Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
Price breakdown by category
| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 9 | $4,981‡ | $17,814 | 77.8% | 2025-12-12 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $27,045 | $27,045 | — | 2025-12-10 |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $2,230–$8,255‡ | $4,981‡ | $8,907 |
‡ 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 | 2025 | $27,045 |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $17,814 |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $8,907 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Conrad Gesner worth?
Across 12 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Conrad Gesner work is $8,014. The median Conrad Gesner print sells for $4,981 across 7 lots. The median Conrad Gesner work on paper sells for $27,045 across 1 lots. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Conrad Gesner's auction record?
Conrad Gesner's auction record is $27,045, set in 2025.
See the full Conrad Gesner record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Conrad Gesner on OpeningBid →