Eric William Ravilious Auction Prices and Value Guide
Eric William Ravilious auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 452 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Eric William Ravilious auction prices: quick answer
Eric William Ravilious auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Eric William Ravilious
- Source records
- 452
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Eric William Ravilious
Eric William Ravilious (1903–1942) was a British painter, wood engraver, designer, and book illustrator whose watercolours of the South Downs and other English landscapes are recognised for their distinctive modernist clarity and slightly unsettling perspective. Born in Acton, west London, he studied at the Royal College of Art under Paul Nash and later returned as a part-time instructor. Ravilious brought a fresh, angular sensibility to traditional English scenery, drawing on vernacular architecture, rural interiors, and coastal subjects. He also designed ceramics for Wedgwood and produced celebrated book illustrations and wood engravings. Appointed an official war artist in 1939, he documented coastal defences, submarines, and airfields. In September 1942, Ravilious boarded an aircraft on a search-and-rescue flight off Iceland; the plane failed to return, making him the first British war artist to die on active service. His output, cut short at thirty-nine, is held by major institutions including Tate, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Imperial War Museum.
English landscape modernismwatercolourwood engravingdesign and book illustrationEnglish landscapes, especially the South DownsCastle Hedingham and vernacular English architecturewartime subjects (as official war artist)
Common works and media
Collectors and appraisers most frequently encounter Ravilious through watercolour landscapes of the South Downs and East Anglian coast, wartime watercolours produced during his official war-artist service, wood-engraved book illustrations and independent prints, and ceramic and glass designs manufactured by Wedgwood. Lithographs, posters, and commercial design commissions also appear on the secondary market. His works on paper constitute the majority of material at auction.
Market and appraisal context
Ravilious's early death limits the total body of work, contributing to sustained collector demand. Watercolours—especially South Downs landscapes and wartime scenes—are the most commercially significant category at auction, followed by wood engravings, lithographic prints, and designs for Wedgwood ceramics. Provenance, condition, and exhibition history are key appraisal factors. Illustrated books and ephemeral printed material form a separate but active collecting area. Consult recent auction records for comparable realised prices, as values vary considerably by medium, size, and subject.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Value drivers
- Medium: watercolours are the most sought-after, followed by wood engravings, lithographs, and ceramic designs
- Provenance and exhibition history significantly affect value
- Rarity is elevated by the artist's early death at 39, which limited total output
- Subject matter: South Downs landscapes and wartime scenes command strongest collector interest
Appraisal caveats
- No specific realised prices are included in the available source pack; consult auction records for current market data.
- Ceramic and glass designs for Wedgwood and other manufacturers circulate separately from fine art and may carry different appraisal considerations.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
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 Eric William Ravilious 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 Eric William Ravilious artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.