> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/walter-shirlaw · updated 2026-11-02

# 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.

## 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. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up).

## 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.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Walter Shirlaw auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/walter-shirlaw (updated 2026-11-02).

Historical auction data, not investment advice. Prices are premium-inclusive USD where the buyer's premium is recorded. Figures marked † are hammer prices (buyer's premium not included); ‡ marks a price whose basis is not yet verified. Non-USD results are converted at the sale month's rate.