Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
What is Oscar Wilde’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 208 auction results for Oscar Wilde at 24 houses since 1997. Over the last 24 months the median price was $2,520 including buyer’s premium (middle half $595–$15,478, n=102). The auction record is $172,849 for The Importance of Being Earnest. A Trivial Comedy for Serious People. (2025, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Importance of Being Earnest. A Trivial Comedy for Serious People., 1854 | Vellum | $172,849 | Christie's | Feb 2025 |
| 2 | The Grave of Shelley, 1881 | Ink on recto only | $81,587 | Bonhams | Feb 2026 |
| 3 | Salomé: drame en un acte, 1893 | First edition, limited to 600 copies, later half morocco over marbled boards, t.e.g., original purple wrappers (faded) bound in, grey chemise and morocco-backed slipcase | $66,041 | Bonhams | Feb 2026 |
| 4 | Autograph manuscripts drafts for 17 epigrams on art, morality, life and education, 1854 | Manuscript | $59,711 | Christie's | Feb 2025 |
| 5 | Salomé. Drame en un acte, 1864 | First edition, presentation copy, later owned by his lover, Lord Alfred Douglas, one of 50 copies on Van Gelder paper | $59,711 | Christie's | Feb 2025 |
| 6 | The Importance of Being Earnest, 1854 | Book | $54,997 | Christie's | Feb 2025 |
| 7 | Ballade de Marguerite, 1879 | Ink on paper | $52,138 | Bonhams | Feb 2026 |
| 8 | The Ballad of Reading Gaol, 1898 | Publisher's vellum-backed cinnamon cloth gilt, slightly soiled, green morocco-backed slipcase | $48,662 | Bonhams | Feb 2026 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Importance of Being Earnest, 1930 | Pencil | $93,187 | Bonhams | Jun 2014 |
| 2 | The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1854 | ): ‘Your sketch is brilliant, as your work always is. / And Dorian Gray looks quite charmng – It is quite tragic for me to think how completely he has been understood on all sides’. He encourages her to collect her sketches, and praises her intuition in matters of art, ‘you see how natural art is’. Writer Ada Leverson was one of Wilde’s closest woman friends. Hart Davis | $62,854 | Christie's | Feb 2025 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Sculpture | 5 | $9,559 |
| Paintings | 7 | $6,500 |
| Works on paper | 32 | $4,345 |
| Prints | 8 | $2,748 |
| Other | 119 | $1,564 |
| Photographs | 6 | $1,026 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 55 | $3,120 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 208 results from 24 houses · How we compute these figures
Oscar Wilde is an Irish artist with 131 auction lots recorded since 1997, median price $1,514. 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 Oscar Wilde sold in 2026 for $52,138, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Oscar Wilde record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Oscar Wilde on OpeningBid →What is a Oscar Wilde work worth?
Across 111 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Oscar Wilde work is $1,514.
The median Oscar Wilde photograph sells for $2,345 across 23 lots.
The median Oscar Wilde print sells for $370 across 14 lots.
The median Oscar Wilde work on paper sells for $4,345 across 9 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 | 22 | $370†‡ | $3,935 | 63.6% | 2024-08-14 |
| Paintings | 1 | $414 | $414 | — | 2005-11-30 |
| Works on Paper | 11 | $4,345 | $93,187 | 81.8% | 2026-02-18 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 1 | $650† | $650† | — | 2023-07-15 |
| Photography | 26 | $2,345‡ | $21,498 | 88.5% | 2026-02-18 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 11 | $59,711 | $172,849 | — | 2026-02-18 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Oscar Wilde's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (22 lots) median $370 with 63.6% sell-through. Paintings (1 lots) median $414, record $414. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 11 lots) the median is $59,711.
Price by size
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $1,092–$19,520 | $2,375 | $21,498 |
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2014 | $93,187 |
| Works on Paper | 2026 | $38,234 |
| Photography | 2011 | $21,498 |
| Photography | 2009 | $19,520 |
| Prints & Editions | 2022 | $3,935 |
| Prints & Editions | 2018 | $3,250 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2023 | $650† |
| Paintings | 2005 | $414 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Oscar Wilde worth?
Across 111 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Oscar Wilde work is $1,514. The median Oscar Wilde photograph sells for $2,345 across 23 lots. The median Oscar Wilde print sells for $370 across 14 lots. The median Oscar Wilde work on paper sells for $4,345 across 9 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 Oscar Wilde photograph?
Based on 23 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Oscar Wilde photograph is $2,345. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).
What is Oscar Wilde's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Oscar Wilde photograph is $21,498.
What is the average price of a Oscar Wilde print?
Based on 14 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Oscar Wilde print is $370. 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 Oscar Wilde's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Oscar Wilde print is $3,935.
What is the average price of a Oscar Wilde work on paper?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Oscar Wilde work on paper is $4,345.
What is Oscar Wilde's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Oscar Wilde work on paper is $93,187.
What is Oscar Wilde's auction record?
Oscar Wilde's auction record is $172,849, set in 2025.
See the full Oscar Wilde record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Oscar Wilde on OpeningBid →