Louis Wain (1860–1939)
Louis Wain is a British artist with 96 auction lots recorded since 1995, median price $332. 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 Louis Wain sold in 2026 for $408, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Louis Wain record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Louis Wain on OpeningBid →What is a Louis Wain work worth?
Across 65 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Louis Wain work is $332.
The median Louis Wain print sells for $80 across 29 lots.
The median Louis Wain work on paper sells for $909 across 23 lots.
The median Louis Wain painting sells for $141 across 3 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 | 44 | $80†‡ | $380‡ | 65.9% | 2026-09-06 |
| Paintings | 4 | $141‡ | $406‡ | 75% | 2026-08-01 |
| Works on Paper | 38 | $909†‡ | $6,979† | 60.5% | 2026-10-14 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 6 | $4,753†‡ | $6,979† | — | 2026-07-21 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Louis Wain's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (44 lots) median $80 with 65.9% sell-through. Paintings (4 lots) median $141, record $406. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 6 lots) the median is $4,753.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 6 | $82–$252†‡ | $121†‡ | $380‡ |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 11 | $29–$177†‡ | $64†‡ | $344‡ |
† 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) | 19 | $124–$2,169†‡ | $909†‡ | $6,070 |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2026 | $6,979† |
| Works on Paper | 2002 | $6,070 |
| Paintings | 2026 | $406‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2015 | $380‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $344‡ |
| Paintings | 2018 | $141‡ |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Louis Wain worth?
Across 65 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Louis Wain work is $332. The median Louis Wain print sells for $80 across 29 lots. The median Louis Wain work on paper sells for $909 across 23 lots. The median Louis Wain painting sells for $141 across 3 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 Louis Wain print?
Based on 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Louis Wain print is $80. 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 Louis Wain's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Louis Wain print is $380. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
What is the average price of a Louis Wain work on paper?
Based on 23 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Louis Wain work on paper is $909. 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 Louis Wain's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Louis Wain work on paper is $6,979. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $6,979 (buyer's premium not included).
What is the average price of a small Louis Wain work on paper?
Based on 19 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Louis Wain work on paper (small (under 50 cm)) is $909, 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 medium Louis Wain print?
Based on 11 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Louis Wain print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $64, 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 Louis Wain's auction record?
Louis Wain's auction record is $6,070, set in 2002.
See the full Louis Wain record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Louis Wain on OpeningBid →