David Levine Auction Prices and Value Guide

David Levine auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 272 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

David Levine auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
David Levine
Source records
272
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About David Levine

David Levine (1926–2009) was an American caricaturist, painter, and illustrator celebrated for his incisive pen-and-ink portraits of political and literary figures. Born and based in New York City, Levine studied at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and maintained an active career spanning over six decades, from roughly 1945 until his death in 2009. He is best known for the thousands of caricatures he contributed to The New York Review of Books, a body of work that earned him recognition as one of the foremost satirical artists of the twentieth century. Beyond caricature, Levine produced watercolor paintings of New York scenes, particularly Coney Island, reflecting a more personal and observational side of his practice. His official estate site continues to offer fine-art prints and promote his legacy as artist, satirist, and chronicler of American culture.

pen and inkwatercolorprintmakingportrait caricaturepolitical satireliterary figuresConey Island scenes

Common works and media

Levine's most commonly encountered works include original pen-and-ink caricature drawings of politicians, writers, and cultural figures; watercolor paintings of Coney Island and New York City scenes; and fine-art prints reproduced from his caricatures. Collectors may also find published illustrations, magazine contributions, and poster editions based on his satirical portraits.

Market and appraisal context

David Levine's work appears regularly at auction, primarily as works on paper including original pen-and-ink drawings, watercolors, and prints. The caricatures published in The New York Review of Books are his most recognizable output and tend to attract the strongest collector attention. Levine's watercolor Coney Island paintings represent a separate collecting category that may appeal to buyers of American figurative watercolors. As with most works on paper, condition, provenance, and confirmation of publication history are key factors in appraisal. Fine-art prints and reproductions are widely available and should be clearly distinguished from original drawings when assessing value.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Value drivers

  1. Original pen-and-ink caricature drawings, particularly those published in The New York Review of Books, carry the strongest collector interest
  2. Watercolor paintings of Coney Island and New York scenes represent a distinct body of work from the caricatures and may appeal to different collecting segments
  3. Fine-art prints and reproductions of well-known caricatures circulate widely and should be distinguished from original drawings
  4. Attribution, publication history, and condition significantly affect value for Levine works on paper

Appraisal caveats

  • No major auction-house result data was available in the source pack; comparable sale records should be consulted for individual appraisal.
  • The 272-lot auction history referenced by the Invaluable slug suggests active secondary-market circulation, but specific realized prices were not available in this research pass.

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 Levine

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is David Levine 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 Levine artwork?

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