Howdy Doody
from Myths

Medium: Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board with diamond dust
Year: 1981
Sheet: 38×38 inches (96.5 x 96.5 cm)
Edition: 200
Artist’s Proofs: 30 AP
Printer’s Proofs: 5 PP
Exhibitor’s Proofs: 5 EP
Hors Commerce: 3 HC
Trial Proofs: 30 TP in unique color combination, most with diamond dust
(see Feldman & Schellmann IIB.263)
Publisher: Ronald Feldman Fine Arts, New York
Printer: Rupert Jasen Smith, New-York
Literature: Feldman & Schellmann II.263

Signed in pencil, and numbered
With the publisher’s blindstamp and the artist’s copyright inkstamp on the reverse

Howdy Doody is part of Myths
(Click on picture below to access the Catalogue Entry)

Warhol depicts the popular freckle-faced marionette Howdy Doody from the children’s television show of the same name, aired from the 1940s through to the 1960s. Howdy Doody shows the fictional character in vivid primary colors set against a contrasting dark backdrop, providing the figure with an illuminous glow. Warhol also uses his trademark crayon-like line drawing to contour the image, emphasizing the graphic style.

A pioneer in children’s programming, the Howdy Doody show ran on NBC from 1947 to 1960. Because it was broadcast in color, NBC (then owned by RCA) used the show in part to sell color television sets. Like Mickey Mouse, the Howdy Doody character became a powerful marketing tool. In 1955, a merchandise catalog listed 24 pages of officially licensed Hoody Doody products.

Howdy Doody (from Myths), 1981

Christie’s New-York: 8 November 2011
Estimated: USD 750,000 – 850,000
USD 866,500

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) (christies.com)

ANDY WARHOL
Howdy Doody (from Myths), 1981
Synthetic polymer and silkscreen inks on canvas
60×60 inches (152.4 x 152.4 cm)

 In the present work, Warhol exaggerates the character’s most iconic features; the mouth is rendered in an upturned, clownlike smile and overlaid with tracing that adds a three-dimensional quality to the two-dimensional character. This technique (also used in Superman) causes the outlines to reverberate, much like a cartoonist draws around a figure to suggest movement.

Indeed, Warhol understood that modern myths were made on television. As he did in the 1960s with Elvis, Marilyn and Liz, Warhol elevates his subject’s status in American culture to mythic proportions by literally enlarging his subjects.

Andy Warhol, Howdy Doody, 1980. Dye diffusion transfer print, 4 ¼ x 3 3/8 inches
Collection of Weatherspoon Art Museum, University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Gift of Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, 2008.
© 2022 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Licensed by Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The owner of the original Howdy Doody puppet brought it to Warhol’s studio and allowed the artist to photograph it from multiple angles. As Warhol later found out, this was one of three original puppets used in filming the show. With Howdy Doody, Warhol christens a modern canon of new saints and archetypes, ones culled from popular culture and elevated to the realm of high art.

Auction Market Overview

PRELIMINARY AUCTION RESULTS
As of 30 November 2025

Howdy Doody sold 3 times at auction so far in 2025.

Howdy Doody sold once at auction in 2024, at Rago, on 14 February 2024, for USD 40,320.

Howdy Doody sold once at auction in 2023, at Sotheby’s in New-York, on 3 October 2023, for USD 38,100. It was bought in twice in 2023, at Bonhams in New-York, on 9 May 2023, and at Rago, on 15 February 2023.

Howdy Doody sold once at auction in 2022, at Phillips in New-York, on 25 June 2023, for USD 47,880.

Howdy Doody sold 3 times at auction in 2021, at an average price of USD 56,862. It sold at Heffel in Toronto on 28 October 2021, for CAD 85,250 (USD 69,035), its auction record.

Regular Editions

Christie’s New-York: 23 October 2025
Estimated: USD 25,000 – 35,000
USD 48,260

ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Howdy Doody, from Myths, 1981
(Feldman and Schellmann II.263)
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil on the reverse, numbered 157⁄200
(there were also 30 artist’s proofs)

Wright: 3 April 2025
Estimated: USD 35,000 – 45,000
USD 48,260

Christie’s online: 14 February 2025
Estimated: USD 25,000 – 35,000
USD 37,800

ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Howdy Doody, from Myths (Feldman and Schellmann II.263), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered 135/200 (there were also 30 artist’s proofs)

AAG: 29 January 2025
Estimated: USD 25,000 – 35,000
USD 35,000 (Hammer)
USD 43,750

ANDY WARHOL (American, 1928-1987)
‘Howdy Doody’ from the Myth Suite, 1981
Screenprint with Diamond Dust
Edition number 156/200, signed on verso, blind stamp bottom right

Rago: 14 February 2024
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 50,000
USD 40,320

Larsen Art Auction: 21 October 2023
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 30,000 (Hammer)
USD 36,000

ANDY WARHOL (American, 1928-1987)
Howdy Doody (from the Myths series) (F.&S.II.263), 1981
Screenprint with diamond dust on Lenox Museum board
Edition 119 of 200
Signed in pencil Andy Warhol, verso
Modernism gallery tag, verso

Sotheby’s New-York: 3 October 2023
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 38,100

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Howdy Doody, from Myths, 1981
Screen-print in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil Andy Warhol and numbered 32/200 (on the verso)

Phillips New-York: 25 June 2022
Estimated: USD 30,000 – 50,000
USD 47,880

ANDY WARHOL
Howdy Doody (from the Myth Series) (F&S II.263), 1981
Color screenprint with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed, numbered 124/200 and stamped with Andy Warhol copyright stamp

Heffel Toronto: 28 October 2021
Estimated: CAD 30,000 – 50,000
CAD 85,250 / USD 69,035
AUCTION RECORD FOR HOWDY DOODY (REGULAR EDITION)

Sotheby’s London: 15 September 2021
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000
GBP 32,760 / USD 45,300

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
Howdy Doody (F. & S. II.263), from Myths, 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust
Signed in pencil verso, inscribed and numbered Ap 9/30
An artist’s proof aside from the edition of 200

Rago: 16 June 2021
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 56,250

ANDY WARHOL
Howdy Doody (from the Myths series), 1981
Screen-print in colors with diamond dust
Signed and numbered to verso ‘Andy Warhol 153/200

Sotheby’s New-York: 22 October 2020
Estimated: USD 20,000 – 30,000
USD 50,400

ANDY WARHOL (1928 – 1987)
HOWDY DOODY (F. & S. II.263) from Myths, 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil on the verso and numbered 110/200

Phillips New-York: 21 October 2020
Estimated: USD 20,000 – 30,000
USD 55,440

Trial Proofs

Christie’s New-York: 27 April 2016
Estimated: USD 40,000 – 60,000
USD 50,000
TRIAL PROOF

ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Howdy Doody, from Myths, 1981
Unique screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘T.P. 17/30’
A trial proof, the edition was 250 plus 30 artist’s proofs

Christie’s New-York: 1 May 2013
Estimated: USD 20,000 – 30,000
USD 25,000

ANDY WARHOL
Howdy Doody, from Myths (see F. & S. IIB.263), 1981
Screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘TP 19/30’
A unique trial proof, the edition was 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs

Sotheby’s London: 15 March 2005
Estimated: GBP 6,000 – 8,000
GBP 10,560 / USD 20,235

ANDY WARHOL
Howdy Doody from Myths (f. & s. iib 263), 1981
Screenprint in a unique combination of colours with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered TP 22/30
A unique colored trial proof aside from the edition of 200

Christie’s Los Angeles: 13 December 1999
Estimated: USD 6,000 – 8,000
USD 8,050

ANDY WARHOL
Howdy Doody, for Myths (F. and S. B.263), 1981
Unique screenprint in colors with diamond dust on Lenox Museum Board
Signed in pencil, numbered ‘T.P. 19/30’
One of 30 unique color variants aside from the edition of 200 plus 30 artist’s proofs