Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Share Capital [Member]	Share Capital [Member] Class A Stock [Member]	Contributed Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2014			$ 62,397		$ 45,118	$ 421,047	$ (918)		$ 6,088
Issuance of Class A non-voting common stock				$ 3,373
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				6,618
Tax deficiency from share-based awards					(235)
Share-based expense					3,289
Vested employee share plan awards					(5,056)
Net income attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	$ 5,106	[1]				5,106
Dividends paid ($0.33 per share)						(4,531)
Preferred dividends received						0
Currency translation adjustment	(166)	[2]					(166)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(883)	[1]							883
Dividends paid	0								0
Preferred dividends paid									0
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2015	529,777		59,152		43,116	421,622	(1,084)	$ 522,806	6,971
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2014			62,397		45,118	421,047	(918)		6,088
Balance at end of period at Dec. 31, 2015	525,082		57,520		44,438	417,001	(901)		7,024
Issuance of Class A non-voting common stock				5,776
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				$ 3,832
Tax deficiency from share-based awards					(751)
Share-based expense					3,955
Vested employee share plan awards					(7,117)
Net income attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	629					629
Dividends paid ($0.33 per share)						(4,417)
Preferred dividends received						295
Currency translation adjustment	900	[2]					900
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,527)								1,527
Dividends paid	5,740								5,740
Preferred dividends paid									(295)
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 516,012		$ 59,464		$ 40,525	$ 413,508	$ (1)	$ 513,496	$ 2,516

[1] Amounts have been recast to reflect discontinued operations. See Note 3 for details.

[2] Total other comprehensive income (loss) is attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. No other comprehensive income (loss) is attributable to noncontrolling interests.