Voltaire (1694–1778)
What is Voltaire’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 69 auction results for Voltaire at 32 houses since 2004. Over the last 24 months the median price was $659 including buyer’s premium (middle half $513–$2,357, n=7). The auction record is $4,162 for La Pucelle d’Orléans, poëme en vingt-un chants, Avec des Notes, Auquel on a joint plusieurs Pièces qui y ont rapport (2022, Ader). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Pucelle d’Orléans, poëme en vingt-un chants, Avec des Notes, Auquel on a joint plusieurs Pièces qui y ont rapport, 1780 | 2 volumes in-18, Maroquin bleu foncé, doublé filet doré en encadrement et semé d’épées couronnées entourées de deux fleurs de lys sur les plats, dos à nerfs orné, roulette dorée intérieure, tranches dorées sur marbrures (Allô) | $4,162 | Ader | Nov 2022 |
| 2 | Oeuvres complètes, 1768 | Conte | $3,527 | Bonhams | Dec 2024 |
| 3 | Élémens de la philosophie de Neuton, Mis à la portée de tout le monde, 1738 | Book, red morocco binding, 399 pp., 7 plates, 1 portrait | $3,106 | Ader | Nov 2015 |
| 4 | Le Micromégas, 1752 | In-16, 1f 92 pp. Page de titre à encadrement rocaille surmonté de deux colombes. Reliure plein vélin postérieure (vrillée), titre à froid sur le dos | $2,357 | Artcurial | Apr 2006 |
| 5 | La Pucelle de Voltaire, 1755 | Manuscript, 132 ff. manuscrits, ff. blancs entre les chants et in fine. In-4, veau marbré, dos à nerfs orné, pièce de titre bordeaux, tr. rouges (Rel. de l'époque). Copie manuscrite partielle du XVIIIe s | $1,187 | Tajan | Jun 2026 |
| 6 | Oeuvres Completes, 1785 | Three quarter green morocco | $1,175 | Skinner (Bonhams Skinner) | Nov 2007 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oeuvres completes, 1789-1790 | 71 vol., Half titles, 2 (of 3) engraved portraits of the author, later half calf over speckled boards, gilt lettering on spine | $4,013 | Cornette de Saint Cyr (Bonhams) | Apr 2026 |
| 2 | La Pucelle d’Orleans. Poeme, Divise en vingt chants, 1764 | Engraved plates | $1,299 | Chiswick Auctions | Jun 2021 |
| 3 | Oeuvres completes de Voltaire, 1785-1789 | 70 volumes in 8°, including numerous engraved plates (portrait by Largillière, 93 plates by Moreau le Jeune, 15 portraits, a military camp plan, and 14 mathematical plates), half leather binding with gold title and ornaments on spine | $1,299 | Finarte Casa d'Aste | Jul 2024 |
| 4 | Romans et contes Buillon, 1778 | 3 volumes in 8°, copperplate engravings, green morocco binding | $857 | Finarte Casa d'Aste | Dec 2018 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 23 | $535 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 69 results from 32 houses · How we compute these figures
Voltaire is a French artist with 152 auction lots recorded since 1999, median price $386. 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 Voltaire sold in 2026 for $659, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Voltaire record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Voltaire on OpeningBid →What is a Voltaire work worth?
Across 61 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Voltaire work is $386.
The median Voltaire print sells for $659 across 11 lots.
The median Voltaire photograph sells for $641 across 3 lots.
The median Voltaire sculpture sells for $286 across 3 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 | 34 | $659†‡ | $2,357 | 32.4% | 2026-07-09 |
| Paintings | 2 | $1,457†‡ | $2,753† | — | 2025-01-28 |
| Works on Paper | 2 | $368† | $368† | 50% | 2020-06-29 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 3 | $286†‡ | $818† | — | 2023-03-13 |
| Photography | 4 | $641 | $3,527 | 75% | 2026-05-12 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 4 | $3,770 | $4,162 | — | 2026-04-22 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Voltaire's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (34 lots) median $659 with 32.4% sell-through. Paintings (2 lots) median $1,457, record $2,753. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,753 (buyer's premium not included). A typical Voltaire painting sells for around 2.2× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 4 lots) the median is $3,770.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2024 | $3,527 |
| Paintings | 2016 | $2,753† |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $2,357 |
| Prints & Editions | 2018 | $857 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2023 | $818† |
| Photography | 2026 | $641 |
| Works on Paper | 2020 | $368† |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2023 | $286‡ |
† 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 Voltaire worth?
Across 61 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Voltaire work is $386. The median Voltaire print sells for $659 across 11 lots. The median Voltaire photograph sells for $641 across 3 lots. The median Voltaire sculpture sells for $286 across 3 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 Voltaire print?
Based on 11 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Voltaire print is $659. 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 Voltaire's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Voltaire print is $2,357.
What is Voltaire's auction record?
Voltaire's auction record is $4,162, set in 2022.
See the full Voltaire record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Voltaire on OpeningBid →