Francis Hopkinson Smith Auction Prices and Value Guide

Francis Hopkinson Smith auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 229 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Francis Hopkinson Smith auction prices: quick answer

Francis Hopkinson Smith auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Francis Hopkinson Smith
Source records
229
Market update
2026-02-16

Artist context

About Francis Hopkinson Smith

Francis Hopkinson Smith (1838–1915) was an American painter, illustrator, author, and civil engineer whose remarkably varied career bridged the practical and the artistic. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, and later based in New York City, Smith is perhaps best known for supervising the construction of the Statue of Liberty's foundation — an engineering feat that cemented his place in American civic history. Parallel to his engineering work, Smith built a reputation as a skilled painter and illustrator, producing landscapes, marine scenes, and architectural studies. He was also a prolific author of short stories and novels, and his dual creative output as a visual artist and writer made him a distinctive figure in late-nineteenth-century American cultural life. Collectors today encounter his work primarily through oil paintings and illustrations that reflect his travels and keen observational eye.

Oil paintingWatercolorIllustrationLandscapesMarine and coastal scenesArchitectural subjects

Common works and media

Smith's visual output includes oil paintings of landscapes, coastal and marine scenes, and architectural subjects, often inspired by his extensive travels. He also produced watercolors, pen-and-ink illustrations for books (including his own published works), and prints. His illustrations frequently accompanied the popular stories and essays he authored. Collectors may also encounter reproduced illustrations in bound volumes and periodicals from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Market and appraisal context

Francis Hopkinson Smith's paintings and illustrations appear at auction with moderate regularity, supported by the 229 lots cataloged in the Appraisily database. His oil paintings — particularly landscapes and marine subjects — tend to attract the strongest collector interest. Illustrations and works on paper form a secondary but active segment. When assessing Smith's work, appraisers should consider medium, subject matter, provenance, condition, and whether the piece reflects his well-documented travel subjects. Comparable public auction results and sale dates provide the most reliable basis for valuation, as his market does not carry the premium associated with exclusively fine-art careers.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Appraisal caveats

  • Smith's dual reputation as both an engineer and an author may affect how his visual art is categorized in auction records.
  • The source pack lacks specific auction-house results or price history; market appraisal should reference comparable public auction records when available.

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 Francis Hopkinson Smith

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Francis Hopkinson Smith 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 Francis Hopkinson Smith artwork?

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