William James (1882–1961)
William James is an American artist with 71 auction lots recorded since 1988, median price $9,508. 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 James is recorded as sold in 2026 for $9,916; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full William James record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William James on OpeningBid →What is a William James work worth?
Across 20 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William James work is $9,508.
The median William James painting sells for $4,177 across 12 lots.
The median William James work on paper sells for $460 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 18 | $4,177†‡ | $102,698 | 66.7% | 2026-06-10 |
| Works on Paper | 1 | $460 | $460 | — | 1996-02-08 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 4 | $175,030 | $289,000 | — | 2008-05-20 |
† 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 | $632–$4,587†‡ | $1,755†‡ | $7,146‡ |
† 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 | 2007 | $102,698 |
| Paintings | 2026 | $9,916‡ |
| Works on Paper | 1996 | $460 |
‡ 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 William James worth?
Across 20 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William James work is $9,508. The median William James painting sells for $4,177 across 12 lots. The median William James work on paper sells for $460 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 the average price of a William James painting?
Based on 12 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William James painting is $4,177. 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 James's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a William James painting is $102,698.
What is William James's auction record?
William James's auction record is $289,000, set in 2008.
See the full William James record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William James on OpeningBid →