David Gilhooly Auction Prices and Value Guide

David Gilhooly auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 577 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

David Gilhooly auction prices: quick answer

David Gilhooly auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
David Gilhooly
Source records
577
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About David Gilhooly

David Gilhooly (1943–2013) was an American ceramicist, sculptor, painter, and printmaker recognized as a pioneer of the Funk art movement centered at the University of California, Davis. Born David James Gilhooly III in Auburn, California, he initially studied biology and anthropology at UC Davis before shifting to visual arts under Robert Arneson's ceramics program. Gilhooly became widely known for his FrogWorld series — an expansive, satirical body of hand-built ceramic sculptures populated by anthropomorphic frogs engaged in human activities. He also produced ceramic food sculptures, planetary forms, and later explored Plexiglas, collage, and assemblage. He held teaching positions at the University of Saskatchewan, York University in Toronto, California State University Sacramento, San Jose State, and Linfield College in Oregon. Gilhooly became a Canadian citizen in 1979 and settled in Newport, Oregon, in his later years. His active career spanned approximately 1966 to 2010.

Funk artceramicssculpturePlexiglasprintmakingfrogs (FrogWorld series)food and culinary subjectsplanets and celestial formsmythological and anthropomorphic creatures

Common works and media

Gilhooly is best known for hand-built ceramic sculptures: frogs from his FrogWorld series (ranging from small tabletop figures to large multi-figure scenes), ceramic food items such as cakes and sandwiches, planetary forms, and anthropomorphic animal figures. He also produced screenprints, lithographs, and other editioned prints, particularly during his teaching years in Canada and California. Later works include Plexiglas sculptures, collages, and assemblages. The FrogWorld ceramics are the most iconic and most commonly encountered in auction and appraisal contexts.

Market and appraisal context

David Gilhooly's ceramic sculptures — especially FrogWorld figures and food-themed pieces — are the most frequently traded works at auction. Valuation depends on medium, size, subject, date of execution, provenance, and condition. Early Funk-era ceramics from his UC Davis period (1960s–1970s) generally attract the strongest collector interest. Editioned prints and multiples appear regularly in the secondary market at more accessible price points. Later works in Plexiglas and collage are less common at auction. Collectors should note that no catalogue raisonné is referenced in available sources, so careful attribution review is advisable.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Appraisal caveats

  • Gilhooly worked across a very wide range of media and scales over a career spanning four decades; not all works carry the same market profile
  • No catalogue raisonné is referenced in available sources, which may complicate attribution verification
  • Later Plexiglas and collage works are less frequently encountered at auction than ceramic sculptures

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

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.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for David Gilhooly

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is David Gilhooly 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 David Gilhooly artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.