Francis Swaine Auction Prices and Value Guide
Francis Swaine auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 174 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Francis Swaine auction prices: quick answer
Francis Swaine auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Francis Swaine
- Source records
- 174
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Francis Swaine market snapshot
Francis Swaine shows solid auction liquidity with 116 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $3,750. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 2 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-09-11.
Realized price distribution
- Under $1,000 (18.2% · 14 sales)
- $1,000 to $10,000 (62.3% · 48 sales)
- $10,000+ (19.5% · 15 sales)
- Median sale (last 12 months)
- $175
- Sales recorded (last 12 months)
- 2
- Median shift vs prior year
- 0.0%
- Latest recorded sale
- 2025-09-11
Artist context
About Francis Swaine
Born
1725
Died
1782
Nationality
English
Also known as
Francis Swain, Swayne, Old Swaine
Francis Swaine was an English marine painter of the eighteenth century. Most authority records give his life dates as 1725–1782, although some institutional records place his birth around 1720 or in 1730. His established specialty was maritime painting: ships at anchor or under sail, naval engagements, estuaries, coastal waters, forts, and distant ports. Public collections indexed by Art UK include views of shipping off the Isle of Wight and Dover, English frigates in a calm, Fort William at Calcutta, and Fort St David at Madras. Other recorded subjects include the capture of the Foudroyant, the Battle of Quiberon Bay, and an observation of the Gordon Riots from Chelsea Waterworks. Collectors therefore encounter Swaine chiefly through paintings that combine carefully differentiated vessels with changing weather, coastal settings, or identifiable historical events. His documented institutional holdings and recurring auction appearances help distinguish this historical marine specialist from similarly named artists.
PaintingMarine paintingShips and shippingNaval engagementsCoastal waters and estuariesPorts, forts, and maritime locations
Common works and media
Works associated with Francis Swaine are predominantly marine paintings. Recurring subjects include English frigates and sloops, merchant shipping, squadrons, vessels at anchor, ships in light winds or stormy seas, naval battles, estuaries, coastlines, and harbor or fort views. Institutional records also document historically specific scenes and locations in Britain and India. Attribution should be checked carefully because public authority records preserve several spelling variants of his name.
Market and appraisal context
Francis Swaine's market is best assessed through closely comparable marine paintings rather than an artist-wide average. Relevant comparisons should align on medium, dimensions, date, subject, condition, and attribution. A named naval engagement, identifiable vessel, documented port, or historically specific scene may not be comparable to a generalized coastal view. Provenance, exhibition history, catalogue references, signatures, inscriptions, restoration, and surface quality also require examination. Public auction results can establish a useful range, but reporting may differ on buyer's premiums and fees, while private sales and incomplete feeds remain outside the visible record. Any appraisal should therefore reconcile the object itself with recent, genuinely similar public sales.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Marine and maritime paintings
- Fine art and paintings
Value drivers
- Medium, dimensions, date, and period within the artist's career
- Condition, restoration history, and surface quality
- Signature, inscriptions, and attribution confidence
- Provenance, exhibition history, and catalogue references
- Recent comparable public auction sales for works similar in subject, medium, size, and condition
- Subject matter, rarity, and current demand
Appraisal caveats
- Public auction records are appraisal inputs rather than a final valuation; private transactions and incomplete auction feeds may not be represented.
- Reported auction results may differ in their treatment of buyer's premiums and fees, so comparable records should be checked on a like-for-like basis.
- Authentication, attribution changes, and condition can materially affect the relevance of an auction comparison.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context is based on collected public records: medium confidence, strong source quality.
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 Francis Swaine 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 Swaine artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.