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				$ 5,776
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)
Other					0
Net income attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	$ 629					629
Dividends paid ($0.33 per share)						(4,417)
Dividends received from noncontrolling interest						295
Other						0
Currency translation adjustment	900	[1]					900
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	(1,527)								1,527
Dividends paid to parent									(5,740)
Cash dividends paid to parent company by consolidated dubsidiaries									295
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2016	516,012		59,464		40,525	413,508	(1)	$ 513,496	2,516
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				4,225
Repurchase of Class A non-voting common stock for cancellation				$ 7,464
Tax deficiency from share-based awards					0
Share-based expense					4,112
Vested employee share plan awards					(6,457)
Other					425
Net income attributable to Oppenheimer Holdings Inc.	1,623					1,623
Dividends paid ($0.33 per share)						(4,394)
Dividends received from noncontrolling interest						6
Other						(314)
Currency translation adjustment	1,953	[1]					1,953
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest, net of tax	(180)								180
Cash dividends paid to parent company by consolidated dubsidiaries									6
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2017	$ 504,775		$ 56,122		$ 39,845	$ 407,179	$ 1,272	$ 504,418	$ 357

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