Walter Shirlaw (1838–1909)
Walter Shirlaw is an American artist with 29 auction lots recorded since 1993, median price $288. 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 Walter Shirlaw sold in 2024 for a hammer price of $1,500 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Walter Shirlaw record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Walter Shirlaw on OpeningBid →What is a Walter Shirlaw work worth?
Across 21 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Walter Shirlaw work is $288.
The median Walter Shirlaw work on paper sells for $254 across 12 lots.
The median Walter Shirlaw painting sells for $375 across 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 12 | $375† | $8,400 | 91.7% | 2024-06-14 |
| Works on Paper | 15 | $254†‡ | $6,504 | 80% | 2024-07-19 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Price by size
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 6 | $278–$642† | $306† | $1,067 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 6 | $194–$1,932† | $688† | $6,504 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2005 | $8,400 |
| Works on Paper | 2005 | $6,504 |
| Works on Paper | 1997 | $2,200 |
| Paintings | 2024 | $1,500† |
† 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 Walter Shirlaw worth?
Across 21 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Walter Shirlaw work is $288. The median Walter Shirlaw work on paper sells for $254 across 12 lots. The median Walter Shirlaw painting sells for $375 across 11 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 Walter Shirlaw work on paper?
Based on 12 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Walter Shirlaw work on paper is $254. 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 Walter Shirlaw's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Walter Shirlaw work on paper is $6,504.
What is the average price of a Walter Shirlaw painting?
Based on 11 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Walter Shirlaw painting is $375. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Walter Shirlaw's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Walter Shirlaw painting is $8,400.
What is Walter Shirlaw's auction record?
Walter Shirlaw's auction record is $8,400, set in 2005.
See the full Walter Shirlaw record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Walter Shirlaw on OpeningBid →