Thomas Cole (1801–1848)
Thomas Cole is an American artist with 21 auction lots recorded since 1998, median price $850. 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 Thomas Cole is recorded as sold in 2024 for $12,000; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Thomas Cole record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Thomas Cole on OpeningBid →What is a Thomas Cole work worth?
Across 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Thomas Cole work is $850.
The median Thomas Cole painting sells for $1,850 across 10 lots.
The median Thomas Cole print sells for $259 across 5 lots.
The median Thomas Cole work on paper sells for $1,275 across 2 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 | 6 | $259†‡ | $4,390 | 83.3% | 2020-06-10 |
| Paintings | 11 | $1,850†‡ | $15,000‡ | 90.9% | 2026-03-30 |
| Works on Paper | 2 | $1,275‡ | $1,950 | — | 2018-06-14 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Thomas Cole's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (6 lots) median $259 with 83.3% sell-through. Paintings (11 lots) median $1,850, record $15,000. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified. A typical Thomas Cole painting sells for around 7.1× the price of a typical print.
Price by size
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $650–$11,000†‡ | $3,000†‡ | $12,000‡ |
† 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 | 2017 | $15,000‡ |
| Paintings | 2024 | $12,000‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $4,390 |
| Works on Paper | 2018 | $1,950 |
| Prints & Editions | 2005 | $1,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2008 | $600‡ |
‡ 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 Thomas Cole worth?
Across 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Thomas Cole work is $850. The median Thomas Cole painting sells for $1,850 across 10 lots. The median Thomas Cole print sells for $259 across 5 lots. The median Thomas Cole work on paper sells for $1,275 across 2 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 Thomas Cole painting?
Based on 10 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Thomas Cole painting is $1,850. 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 Thomas Cole's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Thomas Cole painting is $15,000. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
What is Thomas Cole's auction record?
Thomas Cole's auction record is $15,000, set in 2017. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
See the full Thomas Cole record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Thomas Cole on OpeningBid →