{"slug":"samuel-johnson","artist_id":"3a6f6f50-d77c-4218-82fe-fbf840d4ccae","canonical_slug":"samuel-johnson","name":"Samuel Johnson","built_at":"2026-11-02","categories":[{"bucket":"Other","lots_n":39,"sold_n":33,"median_price_usd_minor":70000,"record_price_usd_minor":3676007,"record_basis":"hammer","priced_lots_hammer_only":11,"priced_lots_unverified":7,"sell_through_pct":84.6,"last_sale_date":"2026-07-09","first_sale_year":1996},{"bucket":"Sculpture & Installation","lots_n":1,"sold_n":1,"median_price_usd_minor":125000,"record_price_usd_minor":125000,"record_basis":"premium","priced_lots_hammer_only":0,"priced_lots_unverified":0,"sell_through_pct":null,"last_sale_date":"2013-05-19","first_sale_year":2013},{"bucket":"Paintings","lots_n":1,"sold_n":1,"median_price_usd_minor":131400,"record_price_usd_minor":131400,"record_basis":"hammer","priced_lots_hammer_only":1,"priced_lots_unverified":0,"sell_through_pct":null,"last_sale_date":"2012-02-29","first_sale_year":2012},{"bucket":"Prints & Editions","lots_n":7,"sold_n":5,"median_price_usd_minor":30375,"record_price_usd_minor":69903,"record_basis":"unverified","priced_lots_hammer_only":1,"priced_lots_unverified":3,"sell_through_pct":71.4,"last_sale_date":"2026-02-11","first_sale_year":1998}],"sizes":[],"notable":[{"bucket":"Paintings","year":"2012","total_price_usd":131400,"priced_basis":"hammer"},{"bucket":"Prints & Editions","year":"2025","total_price_usd":69903,"priced_basis":"unverified"},{"bucket":"Prints & Editions","year":"2012","total_price_usd":53276,"priced_basis":"hammer"},{"bucket":"Sculpture & Installation","year":"2013","total_price_usd":125000,"priced_basis":"premium"}],"last_sold":{"year":"2026","total_price_usd":257198,"priced_basis":"premium"},"upcoming_count":0,"content_modified":"2026-11-02","value_block_hash":"fcd3d9207cd20168276446379e051437b8c600c3","value":{"slug":"samuel-johnson","name":"Samuel Johnson","as_of":"2026-11-02","newest_result_date":"2026-07-09","results_total":40,"houses_total":15,"first_year":1996,"median_24m":{"usd_minor":188612,"p25_usd_minor":109969,"p75_usd_minor":257198,"n":5,"basis":"premium"},"record":{"title":"Elementa Philosophica","work_year":null,"usd_minor":320000,"basis":"premium","sale_year":2026,"sale_month":"2026-06","house_name":"Sotheby's","lot_id":"42ef7458-6084-4b1b-bbfa-35f9b0210de7"},"by_medium":[{"medium":"Other","n":14,"median_usd_minor":120000}],"by_size":[],"methodology_url":"https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data","top10":{"originals":[{"rank":1,"title":"Elementa Philosophica","work_year":null,"medium":"Printed book","usd_minor":320000,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Sotheby's","sale_month":"2026-06","lot_id":"42ef7458-6084-4b1b-bbfa-35f9b0210de7"},{"rank":2,"title":"A Dictionary of the English Language","work_year":"1765","medium":"Contemporary mottled calf, rebacked preserving original spines folio","usd_minor":257198,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Bonhams","sale_month":"2026-07","lot_id":"18cab837-fe17-414a-8414-97eb11d4dd88"},{"rank":3,"title":"The Works of the English Poets, with Prefaces, Biographical and Critical","work_year":"1790","medium":"Leatherbound, contemporary mottled calf","usd_minor":188612,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Bonhams","sale_month":"2026-07","lot_id":"7ff9a733-0afa-47e3-941d-8145de3b0b6e"},{"rank":4,"title":"A Dictionary of the English Language","work_year":"1802","medium":"Various octavo editions","usd_minor":187500,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Bonhams","sale_month":"2013-05","lot_id":"298913e2-5c91-433f-a2a9-9ca26ab1553a"},{"rank":5,"title":"The works of the English poets, from Chaucer to Cowper","work_year":"1810","medium":"Leather","usd_minor":146228,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Sworders","sale_month":"2018-04","lot_id":"27bba0a3-ec68-4910-8e13-57eeb1a47243"},{"rank":6,"title":"A Dictionary of the English Language","work_year":"1816","medium":"Marble","usd_minor":125000,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Bonhams","sale_month":"2013-05","lot_id":"9f459ce5-f846-48cc-992a-605fd9ae4208"},{"rank":7,"title":"The R. B. Adam Library Relating to Dr. Samuel Johnson and His Era","work_year":"1929-1930","medium":"4 volumes [complete]. First 3 are 4to, cloth; dust jackets; slipcase. Volume 4 is 4to, 1/2 cloth","usd_minor":120000,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Swann Auction Galleries","sale_month":"2002-10","lot_id":"701b0b65-e2c7-44ce-8c93-ff464ccf6204"},{"rank":8,"title":"Works... Literary Club Edition","work_year":"1903","medium":"16 volumes, 8vo, 3/4 blue crushed levant morocco, spines slightly darkened, top edges gilt","usd_minor":120000,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Swann Auction Galleries","sale_month":"2003-10","lot_id":"e71e4c1a-c07e-4ec8-937b-95b65fe8cf50"},{"rank":9,"title":"Works... Literary Club Edition","work_year":"1903","medium":"16 volumes, 8vo, 3/4 blue crushed levant morocco, spines slightly darkened, top edges gilt","usd_minor":120000,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Swann Auction Galleries","sale_month":"2003-10","lot_id":"830aa690-5e88-4db2-9daa-a76ad3c9e079"},{"rank":10,"title":"A Dictionary of the English Language in which the Words are Deduced from their Originals","work_year":"1785","medium":"Leather-bound","usd_minor":109969,"basis":"premium","house_name":"Sworders","sale_month":"2026-01","lot_id":"39247d33-b3f4-4b9a-bf3f-30981307e1d2"}],"editions":[]},"paragraph":"As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 40 auction results for Samuel Johnson at 15 houses since 1996. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,886 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,100–$2,572, n=5). The auction record is $3,200 for Elementa Philosophica (2026, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.","title":"Samuel Johnson value: auction records & prices (updated Nov 2026)"}}