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Karl Wirsum

American · 1939–2021 · Painter, Sculptor

Karl Wirsum was an American artist. He was a member of the Chicago artistic group The Hairy Who, and helped set the foundation for Chicago's art scene in the 1970s. Although he… (Wikipedia)

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49lots offered2013–2026years recorded95%sold (40)$2.5kSign up free to seemedian price

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Mr. Big Arms in a No Swipe PlaceWright · Jun 2024$37,800≈ £29,825≈ €35,278Sign up to see
Tonto Disguised as the Lone RangerLos Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · Sep 2018$34,375≈ £26,383≈ €29,618Sign up to see
O Bald Music at DawnRago Auctions · Sep 2022$32,500≈ £28,141≈ €32,533Sign up to see

Karl Wirsum’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

Lot images as published by each auction house (42 lots with an image). Images from houses that reserve their photographs are shown as small thumbnails linking to the house’s site.

Karl Wirsum, Untitled (Walking Woman with Leg Options), 1966, pen, marker and colored pencil on paper — Untitled (Walking Woman with Leg Options), 1966
Wright · Apr 29, 2026
$6,650Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Blue Burger Quartet à la Carte (Pie in the Sky Not Included), 1994, lithograph in colors 3-D construction — Blue Burger Quartet à la Carte (Pie in the Sky Not Included), 1994
Wright · Apr 29, 2026
$1,088Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Study for Clap Trap, 2012, Unique colored pencil and graphite drawing, on wove paper — Study for Clap Trap, 2012
Phillips · Apr 21, 2026
$7,095Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Count Fasco's Mouse Piece Whitey Jr. #2, 1983, acrylic on canvas, in artist's frame — Count Fasco's Mouse Piece Whitey Jr. #2, 1983
Phillips · Dec 2, 2025
$10,320Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, 1978, acrylic on canvas, in painted wood frame — Untitled, 1978
Phillips · Nov 21, 2025
$12,900Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Girl and Kite, 1965, colored pencil on paper — Girl and Kite, 1965
Wright · Jun 18, 2025
$3,048Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Broken Balloons, 1965, ink and marker on paper — Broken Balloons, 1965
Wright · Jun 18, 2025
$1,270Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Dancing Hare Toddy, 1980, offset lithograph in colors, brass grommets — Dancing Hare Toddy, 1980
Wright · Jun 18, 2025
$445Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, Drawing — Untitled
Palm Beach Modern Auctions · Mar 1, 2025
$4,480Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Wade 'N' C Policy, 1983, lithograph in colors on Arches — Wade 'N' C Policy, 1983
Wright · Feb 20, 2025
$1,524Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Mouse Meow, 1983, screenprint in colors on silver foil on white wove paper — Mouse Meow, 1983
Wright · Feb 20, 2025
$2,540Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Wade 'N' C Policy, 1983, lithograph in colors on Arches — Wade 'N' C Policy, 1983
Wright · Dec 18, 2024
$2,016Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Mr. Big Arms in a No Swipe Place, 1977, acrylic on acetate in artist's frame — Mr. Big Arms in a No Swipe Place, 1977
Wright · Jun 18, 2024
$37,800Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Study for the painting Toot Toot Tutu Toodle-oo, c. 2013, pencil on paper — Study for the painting Toot Toot Tutu Toodle-oo, c. 2013
Wright · Jun 18, 2024
$2,772Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Ahh! Macy's Grazed, 1976, acrylic on canvas — Ahh! Macy's Grazed, 1976
Phillips · May 15, 2024
$22,860Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Toboggan Toes, 1997, acrylic on wood — Toboggan Toes, 1997
Wright · Feb 23, 2024
$5,040Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, pencil and colored pencil on paper — Untitled
Wright · Oct 27, 2023
$1,048Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Tex Tour, lithograph on paper — Tex Tour
Austin Auction Gallery · Sep 22, 2023
$550Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, It's Not a Crack That's Just the Way I Part My Hair, 1987, colored pencil on paper — It's Not a Crack That's Just the Way I Part My Hair, 1987
Phillips · Sep 28, 2022
$10,710Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, O Bald Music at Dawn, 1995, acylic on wood — O Bald Music at Dawn, 1995
Rago Auctions · Sep 14, 2022
$32,500Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Whats the Coinfusion I Can't Make Heads or Tails of It? Sum One Flipped! Now That Makes Cents — Whats the Coinfusion I Can't Make Heads or Tails of It? Sum One Flipped! Now That Makes Cents
Toomey & Co. · May 18, 2022
$1,040Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled (Robot Figure), c. 1980, mixed media on board — Untitled (Robot Figure), c. 1980
Rago Auctions · Sep 17, 2021
$4,375Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, 2021, screenprint in colors — Untitled, 2021
Wright · Jul 16, 2021
$750Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled (Study for Baseball Girl, 1964), 2015, archival pigment print — Untitled (Study for Baseball Girl, 1964), 2015
Wright · Jul 16, 2021
$344Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Moming Benefit Poster, 1978 — Moming Benefit Poster, 1978
Toomey & Co. · Apr 22, 2021
$390Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Mouse Meow, 1983 — Mouse Meow, 1983
Toomey & Co. · Feb 25, 2021
$2,625Sign up free to see

First Portrait of the Brand New Star (from the Screen Prints 1970 portfolio), 1970
Wright · Jul 18, 2019
$780Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Tonto Disguised as the Lone Ranger, 1977, Acrylic and papier maché — Tonto Disguised as the Lone Ranger, 1977
Los Angeles Modern Auctions (LAMA) · Sep 30, 2018
$34,375Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Jello Joel, 1989, color lithograph on Arches paper — Jello Joel, 1989
Wright · Jul 19, 2018
$219Sign up free to see

First Portrait of the Brand New Star (from the Screen Prints 1970 portfolio), 1970
Wright · Apr 19, 2018
$625Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, c. 2000, colored pencil on paper with vinyl edge — Untitled, c. 2000
Wright · Feb 27, 2014
$4,063Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$1,500Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$1,500Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$1,750Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$2,125Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, The Phantom of Shoulders Separation State Park, 1982, lacquered wood — The Phantom of Shoulders Separation State Park, 1982
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$11,875Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$2,250Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$2,500Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$2,500Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, untitled, c. 1980, graphite and colored pencil on paper — untitled, c. 1980
Wright · Apr 25, 2013
$3,000Sign up free to see

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, 1970, Unique ballpoint pen and ink drawing, on wove paper — Untitled, 1970
Phillips · Oct 24, 2023

Karl Wirsum, Untitled, pencil and colored pencil on paper — Untitled
Toomey & Co. · Jul 26, 2023

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