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

# Yuan Mei (1716–1797)

## What is Yuan Mei’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 80 auction results for Yuan Mei at 14 houses since 1995. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,362 including buyer’s premium (middle half $430–$4,062, n=8). The auction record is $84,936 for Poem in Regular Script (2024, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poem in Regular Script | Ink on paper, fan leaf | $84,936 | Sotheby's | Oct 2024 |
| 2 | Xiaocangshanfang Waiji Jian (Ten volumes) | 写本写经 | $41,015 | China Guardian (中国嘉德) | May 2010 |
| 3 | 清 袁枚铭镜形端砚, Qing dynasty | Inkstone | $36,476 | Xiling Yinshe Auction (西泠印社拍卖) | Dec 2011 |
| 4 | Running-Standard Script Calligraphy, 1716 | Hanging scrolls | $31,849 | Christie's | May 2019 |
| 5 | 袁枚 为仲甥书 （一册） | 笺纸本 | $28,316 | Beijing Poly International Auction (北京保利国际拍卖) | Dec 2013 |
| 6 | 袁枚 1792年作 行书 立轴, 1792 | 行书 立轴 (Running script, hanging scroll) | $24,382 | Beijing Ginza Auction (北京银座拍卖) | Dec 2025 |
| 7 | 手札合卷 | Eight letters on fourteen sheets of paper | $19,344 | China Zhonghongxin International Auction | Dec 2020 |
| 8 | Three poems in six-character regular script | 水墨纸本 | $13,249 | Beijing Poly International Auction (北京保利国际拍卖) | Nov 2018 |
| 9 | Hanging Scroll, China, 18th century, in the manner of Yuan Mei (1716-1797), calligraphy with signature and seals, ink on paper, overall, 18th century | Ink on paper | $9,840 | Skinner (Bonhams Skinner) | Apr 2014 |
| 10 | 清·袁枚为健菴铭长方淌池鸜鹆眼端砚, Qing dynasty | Duan inkstone | $7,385 | Xiling Yinshe Auction (西泠印社拍卖) | Dec 2025 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Works on paper | 8 | $6,911 |
| Other | 19 | $4,316 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 14 | $3,228 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 80 results from 14 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Yuan Mei is a Chinese artist with 107 auction lots recorded since 1995, median price $2,867. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.

A work by Yuan Mei sold in 2025 for $7,385, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Yuan Mei work worth?

Across 80 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Yuan Mei work is $2,867.

The median Yuan Mei work on paper sells for $4,149 across 16 lots.

The median Yuan Mei print sells for $2,545 across 1 lots.

Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 1 | $2,545‡ | $2,545‡ | — | 2010-12-01 |
| Works on Paper | 17 | $4,149‡ | $252,274‡ | 94.1% | 2026-09-11 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $84,936‡ | $252,274‡ | — | 2024-10-16 |

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

## Price by size

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $3,503–$84,936‡ | $3,983‡ | $252,274‡ |
| large (over 120 cm) | 5 | $4,316–$9,840‡ | $8,700‡ | $31,849 |

‡ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2023 | $252,274‡ |
| Works on Paper | 2024 | $84,936 |
| Prints & Editions | 2010 | $2,545‡ |

‡ 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 Yuan Mei worth?

Across 80 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Yuan Mei work is $2,867. The median Yuan Mei work on paper sells for $4,149 across 16 lots. The median Yuan Mei print sells for $2,545 across 1 lots. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is the average price of a Yuan Mei work on paper?

Based on 16 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Yuan Mei work on paper is $4,149. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Yuan Mei's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Yuan Mei work on paper is $252,274. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

### What is Yuan Mei's auction record?

Yuan Mei's auction record is $252,274, set in 2023. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

---

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

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Yuan Mei auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/yuan-mei (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.