> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/william-hayes · updated 2026-11-01

# William Hayes (1733–1833)

## What is William Hayes’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 17 auction results for William Hayes at 8 houses since 2009. Over the last 24 months the median price was $308 including buyer’s premium (middle half $308–$1,282, n=5). The auction record is $46,979 for Drawings of birds (2022, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

**Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drawings of birds, 1791-1792 | Watercolour | $46,979 | Sotheby's | May 2022 |
| 2 | A GEORGE III EMBOSSED-PAPER BIRD PICTURE, 1785 | Embossed-paper | $9,603 | Christie's | Nov 2018 |
| 3 | Portraits of rare and curious birds... from the menagery of Osterley Park, 1794 | Colour | $4,698 | Sotheby's | May 2022 |
| 4 | Raggiana bird-of-paradise | Pen and black ink, watercolour and bodycolour heightened with touches of gum arabic on laid paper | $2,853 | Roseberys London | Jul 2023 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birds, 1773 | Colour | $10,962 | Sotheby's | May 2022 |
| 2 | Portraits of rare and curious birds ... from the menagery of Osterley Park, 1794-1799 | Hand-coloured engraved plates, green morocco gilt binding | $9,053 | Sotheby's | Dec 2023 |
| 3 | The Bernacle Goose, 1775 | Etching with hand-coloring on smooth wove paper | $2,750 | Christie's | May 2018 |
| 4 | Menagerie at Osterley, Cuckoo: Female, 1729 | Ash border | $1,282 | Sworders | Nov 2025 |
| 5 | Menagerie at Osterley, Cuckoo: Female, 1788 | Etching | $1,282 | Sworders | Nov 2025 |
| 6 | Golden Pheasant Male, 1777 | Etching | $308 | Sworders | Nov 2025 |

**Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Prints | 9 | $1,282 |

**Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 7 | $2,853 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 6 | $1,529 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 17 results from 8 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


William Hayes is a British (modern) artist with 21 auction lots recorded since 2009, median price $2,016. 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 William Hayes sold in 2023 for $9,053, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a William Hayes work worth?

Across 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Hayes work is $2,016.

The median William Hayes print sells for $308 across 9 lots.

The median William Hayes work on paper sells for $9,328 across 6 lots.

The median William Hayes painting sells for $46,979 across 1 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 | 10 | $308†‡ | $3,200† | 90% | 2025-11-11 |
| Paintings | 1 | $46,979 | $46,979 | — | 2022-05-18 |
| Works on Paper | 7 | $9,328‡ | $13,574‡ | 85.7% | 2023-12-12 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

William Hayes's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (10 lots) median $308 with 90% sell-through. Paintings (1 lots) median $46,979, record $46,979. A typical William Hayes painting sells for around 153× the price of a typical print.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2022 | $46,979 |
| Works on Paper | 2015 | $13,574‡ |
| Works on Paper | 2022 | $10,962 |
| Prints & Editions | 2010 | $3,200† |
| Prints & Editions | 2018 | $2,750 |

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

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a William Hayes worth?

Across 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Hayes work is $2,016. The median William Hayes print sells for $308 across 9 lots. The median William Hayes work on paper sells for $9,328 across 6 lots. The median William Hayes painting sells for $46,979 across 1 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 William Hayes's auction record?

William Hayes's auction record is $46,979, set in 2022.

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Data last updated 2026-11-01. OpeningBid tracks 15,222,099 auction lots from 571 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “William Hayes auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/william-hayes (updated 2026-11-01).

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.