Commercial Mortgage Banking - Summary of Changes in Carrying Value of Mortgage Servicing Rights (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Transfers and Servicing
Balance at beginning of period	$ 28,168	$ 30,140
Originations	789	5,726
Purchases	301	675
Disposals	(1,753)	(6,118)
Sale of MSRs	27,193	0
Amortization expense	(44)	(829)
Balance at end of period	$ 268	$ 29,594

Servicing Asset at Amortized Cost, Write-off Related to Sale

No definition available.

Name:	opy_ServicingAssetatAmortizedCostWriteoffRelatedtoSale
Namespace Prefix:	opy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amortized amount of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7524895&loc=d3e120260-111741

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122492-111745

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6469459&loc=d3e122501-111745

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56950315&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of additions from purchases, assumption or transfer to contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56950315&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of amortization of contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56950315&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueAmortization1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueBalanceRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount conveyed to unrelated parties of contract to contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56950315&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueDisposals
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of other increase (decrease) to contract to service financial assets under which the benefits of servicing are expected to more than adequately compensate the servicer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 50
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56950315&loc=d3e122739-111746

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ServicingAssetAtAmortizedValueOtherChangesThatAffectBalanceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration