> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/walter-spies · updated 2026-11-03

# Walter Spies (1895–1942)

Walter Spies is a Russian artist with 19 auction lots recorded since 1998, median price $71,802. 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 Spies sold in 2026 for $619,936, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Walter Spies work worth?

Across 17 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Walter Spies work is $71,802.

The median Walter Spies work on paper sells for $1,910 across 8 lots.

The median Walter Spies painting sells for $3,356,926 across 7 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 | 7 | $3.4M | $16.9M | — | 2026-09-29 |
| Works on Paper | 10 | $1,910†‡ | $2,204† | 80% | 2018-07-21 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 8 | $2.3M | $16.9M | — | 2026-09-29 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 7 | $843,368–$5.8M | $3.4M | $16.9M |

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 7 | $1,836–$2,139†‡ | $1,910†‡ | $2,204† |

† 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 | 2010 | $16.9M |
| Paintings | 2026 | $7.5M |
| Works on Paper | 2018 | $2,204† |
| Works on Paper | 2018 | $2,204† |

† 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 Spies worth?

Across 17 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Walter Spies work is $71,802. The median Walter Spies work on paper sells for $1,910 across 8 lots. The median Walter Spies painting sells for $3,356,926 across 7 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 Walter Spies's auction record?

Walter Spies's auction record is $16,900,000, set in 2010.

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Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Walter Spies auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/walter-spies (updated 2026-11-03).

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.