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, 2015			$ 57,520		$ 44,438	$ 417,001	$ (901)		$ 7,024
Issuance of Class A non-voting common stock				$ 5,584
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				3,798
Tax deficiency from share-based awards					(747)
Share-based expense					2,842
Vested employee share plan awards					(6,925)
Other					0
Net income (loss) attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	$ 1,341	[1]				1,341
Dividends paid ($0.22 per share)						(2,947)
Dividends received from noncontrolling interest						285
Other						0
Currency translation adjustment	219	[2]					219
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	(1,461)	[1]							1,461
Dividends paid to parent									0
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company by Consolidated Subsidiaries									285
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2016	522,112		59,306		39,608	415,680	(682)	$ 513,912	8,200
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2016	513,334		59,361		41,765	410,258	(681)		2,631
Issuance of Class A non-voting common stock				3,857
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				$ 5,159
Tax deficiency from share-based awards					0
Share-based expense					2,644
Vested employee share plan awards					(6,060)
Other					425
Net income (loss) attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	(6,166)					(6,166)
Dividends paid ($0.22 per share)						(2,940)
Dividends received from noncontrolling interest						6
Other						(314)
Currency translation adjustment	2,204	[2]					2,204
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	(105)								105
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company by Consolidated Subsidiaries									6
Balance at end of period at Jun. 30, 2017	$ 501,114		$ 58,059		$ 38,774	$ 400,844	$ 1,523	$ 499,200	$ 1,914

[1] {F|ahBzfndlYmZpbGluZ3MtaHJkcmoLEgZYTUxEb2MiXlhCUkxEb2NHZW5JbmZvOmQwNTUxZjZiZmE3YzQzNmRhNDgyNjI4Njg2MGZlNTFkfFRleHRTZWxlY3Rpb246QkY3N0ZFNTY0NDI0QTJENUI1NEJFOTUxMzA2RkE2RDAM}

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