Charles Edward Dixon Auction Prices and Value Guide
Charles Edward Dixon auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 681 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Charles Edward Dixon auction prices: quick answer
Charles Edward Dixon auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Charles Edward Dixon
- Source records
- 681
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Charles Edward Dixon
Charles Edward Dixon (1872–1934) was an English painter and illustrator best known for his marine art. Born in Goring, West Sussex, Dixon built a reputation for detailed depictions of ships, naval engagements, and coastal scenes that earned him regular exhibition at the Royal Academy in London. His work is represented in the collection of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, which holds several of his paintings. Beyond gallery canvases, Dixon was a steady contributor of illustrations to magazines and periodicals, extending his maritime subjects to a broad popular audience. His paintings combine technical accuracy in rigging and hull detail with atmospheric effects that place him squarely within the late-Victorian and Edwardian tradition of British marine painting. Dixon died in Itchenor, West Sussex, in 1934.
British marine painting traditionOil paintingWatercolorShips and maritime scenesNaval engagements and naval historyHarbors and coastal views
Common works and media
Dixon worked primarily in oil on canvas and watercolor on paper. Common subjects include naval battles (particularly from the Napoleonic era and the First World War), sailing vessels, steamships, harbor panoramas, and coastal shipping scenes. He also produced illustrations for magazines and periodicals, some of which were later issued as color lithographic prints. Collectors most frequently encounter signed oil paintings of maritime subjects, watercolor coastal views, and reproduced periodical illustrations in auction and appraisal contexts.
Market and appraisal context
Charles Edward Dixon's secondary market is well established, with 469 catalogued lots and 349 priced results spanning over 25 years of auction activity (2001–2026). The price distribution shows meaningful dispersion: the interquartile range runs from £812 to £3,375 with a median of £1,750, indicating a healthy mid-market tier. Standout works — typically large oils of named naval engagements or historically significant vessels — have reached as high as £79,453, while prints and minor watercolors trade below £200. The market is anchored by repeated appearance at major houses including Bonhams, Christie's, and Sotheby's, with specialist marine auctioneer Charles Miller Ltd contributing regular catalogued entries. Liquidity has moderated slightly in the most recent 12 months (13 lots versus 23 in the prior period), but the breadth of selling venues — spanning UK regional firms, US galleries, and Swann Auction Galleries in New York — confirms sustained international demand for Dixon's marine subjects.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Marine art
- British paintings
- Vintage prints and periodical illustrations
- Oil painting
- Watercolor
Value drivers
- Subject matter: naval battles, named vessels, and recognizable harbor views tend to attract stronger collector interest than generic coastal scenes
- Medium: oil paintings generally command higher prices than watercolors or printed illustrations
- Condition and provenance significantly affect value, especially for works on paper
- Provenance linking to the Royal Academy exhibition history adds collector value
- Medium: oils of naval subjects command the highest prices (up to £79,453); watercolors and pen-and-ink works typically trade between £300 and £3,000; prints and posters between £80 and £780.
- Subject specificity: named vessels (e.g. 'The Minnetonka', Royal Yacht 'Ophir'), identifiable naval engagements (e.g. Spanish Armada, America's Cup), and recognizable harbor views (Pool of London, Greenwich Reach) attract stronger bids than generic shipping scenes.
Appraisal caveats
- Dixon was also a prolific illustrator for periodicals; attribution should distinguish between original paintings and reproductive prints.
- Marine art is a specialist collecting category; values can vary significantly based on the specific vessel or historical event depicted.
- Price data is drawn from 349 priced lots out of 469 catalogued; 120 lots lack realized prices (unsold, withdrawn, or price not reported), which may introduce survivorship bias toward successful sales.
- Several recent lots (Bonhams April and October 2025 entries, Adam Partridge January 2026) lack price-realised data, meaning the most recent market direction is partially obscured.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History library authority
- Wikidata library authority
- VIAF (OCLC) library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
Data basis
This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Charles Edward Dixon worth?
Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.
Can Appraisily value my Charles Edward Dixon artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.