Howard Russell Butler Auction Prices and Value Guide

Howard Russell Butler auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 208 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Howard Russell Butler auction prices: quick answer

Howard Russell Butler auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Howard Russell Butler
Source records
208
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Howard Russell Butler

Howard Russell Butler (1856–1934) was an American painter and photographer based in New York City. Trained as a painter with a focus on landscape subjects, Butler is also recognized for his detailed paintings of solar eclipses produced for the U.S. Naval Observatory. He founded the American Fine Arts Society and played a notable civic role: he persuaded Andrew Carnegie to fund Carnegie Lake at Princeton University and supervised construction of the Carnegie Mansion. Butler also designed an astronomy hall, reflecting his dual interest in art and science. His recorded works span oil paintings, pastels, and drawings, with subjects ranging from American landscapes to celestial phenomena such as The Approach of the Moon's Shadow, The Chariot of Helios, and The Eagle Prominence. He is listed in major reference works including Bénézit, Mantle Fielding's dictionary, and the Witt Checklist of painters.

American landscape painting, late 19th–early 20th centuryoil paintingpasteldrawingphotographylandscapesolar eclipses and astronomical subjects

Common works and media

Butler's documented output includes oil paintings, pastels, and drawings. Landscape paintings form the core of his body of work, while his astronomically themed paintings of solar eclipses—produced for the U.S. Naval Observatory—represent a distinctive and well-documented subset. Titled works recorded in authority files include Approach of the Moon's Shadow, The Chariot of Helios, and The Eagle Prominence. An exhibition of his oils, pastels, and drawings was presented by E. R. Squibb and Sons, Inc., confirming the range of media collectors may encounter.

Market and appraisal context

Howard Russell Butler's work appears in the American and 19th-century painting categories at auction. Valuation depends on medium (oil, pastel, or drawing), subject matter, condition, provenance, and documented exhibition history. His solar-eclipse paintings hold particular distinction due to their scientific commission context. Standard references such as Bénézit and Mantle Fielding's dictionary confirm his established catalog presence. Comparable public auction records should be consulted for current market positioning, as detailed price history was not available in this research pass.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • American Paintings
  • 19th Century Paintings

Value drivers

  1. Provenance and exhibition history, including documented shows such as the E. R. Squibb and Sons exhibition of his oils, pastels, and drawings
  2. Subject matter: landscape paintings and astronomical eclipse paintings are the most recognized categories
  3. Medium: works in oil, pastel, and drawing are all documented; condition and attribution should be verified

Appraisal caveats

  • No major auction-house result details were available in this source pass; comparable sale records should be consulted for appraisal.
  • The artist is listed in Bénézit, Witt Checklist, Mantle Fielding's dictionary, and other standard references, but detailed market history requires further research.

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 Howard Russell Butler

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Howard Russell Butler 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 Howard Russell Butler artwork?

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