William Scharff (1886–1959)
William Scharff is a Danish artist with 80 auction lots recorded since 1990, median price $1,081. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page.
A work by William Scharff sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $3,289 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
4 William Scharff works are coming to auction (as of 2026-11-02). Follow William Scharff free on OpeningBid for sale alerts.
See the full William Scharff record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William Scharff on OpeningBid →What is a William Scharff work worth?
Across 43 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Scharff work is $1,081.
The median William Scharff painting sells for $1,263 across 35 lots.
The median William Scharff work on paper sells for $376 across 13 lots.
The median William Scharff print sells for $217 across 3 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) William Scharff paintings typically sell for $594–$2,374 (the middle half of 23 sold 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 | 3 | $217†‡ | $521 | — | 2025-07-06 |
| Paintings | 60 | $1,263†‡ | $33,990† | 58.3% | 2026-10-13 |
| Works on Paper | 20 | $376† | $3,500† | 65% | 2012-05-08 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $28,894† | $33,990† | — | 2012-06-12 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
William Scharff's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (3 lots) median $217. Paintings (60 lots) median $1,263, record $33,990. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $33,990 (buyer's premium not included). A typical William Scharff painting sells for around 5.8× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $28,894.
Price by size
Paintings
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $363–$1,081†‡ | $372†‡ | $4,165 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 23 | $594–$2,374† | $1,198† | $10,000† |
| large (over 120 cm) | 7 | $2,408–$22,947† | $2,824† | $43,849 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 7 | $200–$547† | $376† | $881 |
† 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 | 2012 | $43,849 |
| Paintings | 2007 | $28,894† |
| Works on Paper | 1996 | $3,500† |
| Works on Paper | 1995 | $3,000† |
| Prints & Editions | 2009 | $521 |
| Prints & Editions | 2013 | $217† |
† 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 William Scharff worth?
Across 43 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a William Scharff work is $1,081. The median William Scharff painting sells for $1,263 across 35 lots. The median William Scharff work on paper sells for $376 across 13 lots. The median William Scharff print sells for $217 across 3 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) William Scharff paintings typically sell for $594–$2,374 (the middle half of 23 sold 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 Scharff painting?
Based on 35 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William Scharff painting is $1,263. 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 Scharff's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a William Scharff painting is $33,990. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $33,990 (buyer's premium not included).
What is the average price of a William Scharff work on paper?
Based on 13 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a William Scharff work on paper is $376. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is William Scharff's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a William Scharff work on paper is $3,500. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $3,500 (buyer's premium not included).
What is the average price of a medium William Scharff painting?
Based on 23 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium William Scharff painting (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,198, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is William Scharff's auction record?
William Scharff's auction record is $33,990, set in 2012. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $33,990 (buyer's premium not included).
See the full William Scharff record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View William Scharff on OpeningBid →