Olaf Rude (1886–1957)
Olaf Rude is a Danish artist with 161 auction lots recorded since 1990, median price $5,465. 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 Olaf Rude sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $5,681 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
4 Olaf Rude works are coming to auction (as of 2026-11-02). Follow Olaf Rude free on OpeningBid for sale alerts.
See the full Olaf Rude record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Olaf Rude on OpeningBid →What is a Olaf Rude work worth?
Across 106 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Olaf Rude work is $5,465.
The median Olaf Rude painting sells for $5,511 across 107 lots.
The median Olaf Rude work on paper sells for $459 across 21 lots.
The median Olaf Rude print sells for $64 across 5 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Olaf Rude paintings typically sell for $4,024–$9,750 (the middle half of 90 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 | 9 | $64†‡ | $391† | 55.6% | 2025-09-14 |
| Paintings | 150 | $5,511†‡ | $42,000† | 71.3% | 2026-10-27 |
| Works on Paper | 23 | $459†‡ | $2,167† | 91.3% | 2026-07-23 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 7 | $26,726† | $42,000† | — | 2010-10-04 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Olaf Rude's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (9 lots) median $64 with 55.6% sell-through. Paintings (150 lots) median $5,511, record $42,000. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $42,000 (buyer's premium not included). A typical Olaf Rude painting sells for around 86× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 7 lots) the median is $26,726.
Price by size
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $695–$3,989† | $2,079† | $9,000† |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 90 | $4,024–$9,750†‡ | $5,596†‡ | $40,000† |
| large (over 120 cm) | 10 | $2,238–$9,746† | $4,356† | $42,000† |
† 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) | 15 | $260–$579†‡ | $417†‡ | $1,184† |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $437–$1,011† | $711† | $2,167† |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 1996 | $42,000† |
| Paintings | 1997 | $40,000† |
| Works on Paper | 2011 | $2,167† |
| Works on Paper | 2007 | $1,184† |
| Prints & Editions | 2005 | $391† |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $115‡ |
† 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 Olaf Rude worth?
Across 106 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Olaf Rude work is $5,465. The median Olaf Rude painting sells for $5,511 across 107 lots. The median Olaf Rude work on paper sells for $459 across 21 lots. The median Olaf Rude print sells for $64 across 5 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Olaf Rude paintings typically sell for $4,024–$9,750 (the middle half of 90 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 Olaf Rude painting?
Based on 107 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Olaf Rude painting is $5,511. 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 Olaf Rude's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Olaf Rude painting is $42,000. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $42,000 (buyer's premium not included).
What is the average price of a Olaf Rude work on paper?
Based on 21 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Olaf Rude work on paper is $459. 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 Olaf Rude's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Olaf Rude work on paper is $2,167. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,167 (buyer's premium not included).
What is the average price of a medium Olaf Rude painting?
Based on 90 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Olaf Rude painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $5,596, 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 Olaf Rude work on paper?
Based on 15 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Olaf Rude work on paper (small (under 50 cm)) is $417, 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 Olaf Rude's auction record?
Olaf Rude's auction record is $42,000, set in 1996. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $42,000 (buyer's premium not included).
See the full Olaf Rude record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Olaf Rude on OpeningBid →