George French Angas Auction Prices and Value Guide
George French Angas auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 293 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
George French Angas auction prices: quick answer
George French Angas auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- George French Angas
- Source records
- 293
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About George French Angas
George French Angas (1822–1886) was an English-born painter, naturalist, explorer, and poet who emigrated to Australia and became a significant figure in colonial Australian visual culture. The eldest son of George Fife Angas, a leading promoter of South Australian colonisation, George French travelled extensively through Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa during the 1840s, documenting landscapes, indigenous peoples, flora, and fauna in detailed watercolours and lithographs. His published plate books—among them South Australia Illustrated and The New Zealanders Illustrated—circulated colonial imagery to British audiences and remain important historical records. Angas later served as a museum director in Australia. His works are held in major Australian public art collections and library archives, and his natural history illustrations continue to be referenced by researchers of nineteenth-century Australasian exploration.
Colonial Australian artWatercolourLithographyAustralian landscapes and colonial scenesNatural history illustrationIndigenous Australian subjectsSouth Australian colonial life
Common works and media
Common work types include hand-coloured lithographic plates from South Australia Illustrated (1846–1847), The New Zealanders Illustrated (1847), and Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand. Original watercolour drawings of Australian and New Zealand landscapes, natural history subjects, and ethnographic portraits also appear at auction. Plate books as bound volumes, loose lithographs, and individual watercolour studies of birds, shells, botanical specimens, and colonial settlement views are the primary formats collectors will encounter.
Market and appraisal context
Collectors most often encounter Angas through hand-coloured lithographic plates extracted from his published books, as well as original watercolours and drawings. Value depends on whether a work is an original watercolour, a hand-coloured lithographic plate, or an uncoloured print, as well as subject matter, condition, and provenance. Intact first-edition copies of his plate books command premium prices relative to individual loose plates. Works with strong Australian or New Zealand topographical or ethnographic content tend to attract the most collector interest. As with all colonial-era works, specialist attribution review is recommended for unsigned pieces.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Value drivers
- Medium: watercolours, hand-coloured lithographs, and published plate books are the most commonly encountered work types at auction
- Subject: topographical views of early colonial Australia and New Zealand, natural history specimens, and ethnographic scenes are characteristic subjects
- Provenance: documented colonial-era provenance or association with South Australian institutions can strengthen attribution and value
- Condition: surviving plate books and loose lithographs are sensitive to foxing, toning, and binding integrity
Appraisal caveats
- Attribution should be confirmed through comparison with documented works in Australian public collections; unsigned or loosely attributed colonial-era watercolours require specialist review.
- Published lithographic plates from his books were issued in multiple editions; edition, plate number, and hand-colouring status affect value.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- VIAF library authority
- RKD library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- Library of Congress library authority
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 George French Angas 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 George French Angas artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.