To provide a work transferring method with a work holding device which can transfer a work without interfering with a lower die having deep impression without requiring the change of a set course while adopting an inexpensive work holding device.

A work holding device has a base part 1 being moved along a set course, an upper claw member 4 and a lower claw member 5 installed on this base part 1 vertically oscillatably, and energizing means 11, 12 energizing the upper claw member 5 and the lower claw member 4 so as to open them vertically, and it adopts such a composition that the lower claw member 5 is closed by receiving the reaction force of the work W due to moving the base part 1 to the work W side. Further, in order to move the work W upward while avoiding the impression of the lower die 21, the base part 1 is positioned so that the most opened lower claw member 5 is placed upward as much as possible in the lower side of the work W.