Maurice Sendak (1928–2012)
What is Maurice Sendak’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 212 auction results for Maurice Sendak at 10 houses since 1991. Over the last 24 months the median price was $7,560 including buyer’s premium (middle half $3,780–$13,860, n=33). The auction record is $52,920 for Sendak in Philadelphia (2025, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sendak in Philadelphia, 1995 | Pencil | $52,920 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 2 | New York is Book Country: Tenth Anniversary, 1988 | Pencil | $40,000 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 3 | Really Rosie, 1980 | Ink | $30,240 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 4 | Little Bear and His Parents, 1981 | Pencil | $28,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Dec 2017 |
| 5 | Literary Lunch, 1928 | Ink | $27,720 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 6 | Panorama of children's book characters, 1928 | Pencil on tracing paper | $25,200 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 7 | Wild Readers, 1968 | Pencil | $17,640 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 8 | The Wild Things, 1982 | Pencil | $17,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Jul 2020 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wild Thing, 1984 | Etching with gray wash, on wove paper with Tyler Graphics blindstamp | $30,240 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| 2 | New York Is Book Country, 25th Anniversary poster artwork, 2003 | Watercolor and pencil on paper | $17,640 | Christie's | Jun 2025 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Works on paper | 28 | $4,032 |
| Prints | 17 | $3,024 |
| Other | 21 | $720 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 7 | $10,710 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 42 | $4,391 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 212 results from 10 houses · How we compute these figures
Maurice Sendak is an American artist with 243 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $500. 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 Maurice Sendak is recorded as sold in 2026 for $18,797; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Maurice Sendak record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Maurice Sendak on OpeningBid →What is a Maurice Sendak work worth?
Across 180 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Maurice Sendak work is $500.
The median Maurice Sendak print sells for $300 across 72 lots.
The median Maurice Sendak work on paper sells for $3,276 across 53 lots.
The median Maurice Sendak sculpture sells for $11,970 across 1 lots.
Small (under 50 cm) Maurice Sendak work on papers typically sell for $900–$7,875 (the middle half of 44 sold lots).
Small (under 50 cm) Maurice Sendak prints typically sell for $88–$475 (the middle half of 39 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 | 84 | $300† | $30,240 | 85.7% | 2026-08-14 |
| Works on Paper | 60 | $3,276†‡ | $52,920 | 88.3% | 2026-05-27 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 1 | $11,970 | $11,970 | — | 2025-06-12 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 11 | $27,720‡ | $52,920 | — | 2026-05-27 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ 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) | 39 | $88–$475† | $250† | $17,640 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 21 | $125–$850† | $448† | $30,240 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 44 | $900–$7,875†‡ | $3,013†‡ | $52,920 |
† 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 | 2025 | $52,920 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $40,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $30,240 |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $17,640 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2025 | $11,970 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Maurice Sendak worth?
Across 180 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Maurice Sendak work is $500. The median Maurice Sendak print sells for $300 across 72 lots. The median Maurice Sendak work on paper sells for $3,276 across 53 lots. The median Maurice Sendak sculpture sells for $11,970 across 1 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Maurice Sendak work on papers typically sell for $900–$7,875 (the middle half of 44 sold lots). Small (under 50 cm) Maurice Sendak prints typically sell for $88–$475 (the middle half of 39 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 Maurice Sendak print?
Based on 72 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Maurice Sendak print is $300. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Maurice Sendak's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Maurice Sendak print is $30,240.
What is the average price of a Maurice Sendak work on paper?
Based on 53 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Maurice Sendak work on paper is $3,276. 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 Maurice Sendak's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Maurice Sendak work on paper is $52,920.
What is the average price of a small Maurice Sendak work on paper?
Based on 44 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Maurice Sendak work on paper (small (under 50 cm)) is $3,013, 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 Maurice Sendak print?
Based on 39 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Maurice Sendak print (small (under 50 cm)) is $250, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Maurice Sendak's auction record?
Maurice Sendak's auction record is $52,920, set in 2025.
See the full Maurice Sendak record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Maurice Sendak on OpeningBid →