James David Smillie Auction Prices and Value Guide

James David Smillie auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 190 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

James David Smillie auction prices: quick answer

James David Smillie auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
James David Smillie
Source records
190
Market update
2026-02-16

Artist context

About James David Smillie

James David Smillie (1833–1909) was an American painter, illustrator, engraver, and printmaker based in New York City. Active from the late 1840s through the first decade of the twentieth century, Smillie built a career centered on landscape subjects and became a significant figure in the American etching revival. He was a cofounder of both the American Watercolor Society and the New York Etching Club, two organizations instrumental in elevating watercolor and printmaking as respected fine-art practices in the United States. His brother, George Henry Smillie, was also a recognized painter. James David Smillie's work is documented in major artist authority databases including the Getty Union List of Artist Names, VIAF, the Library of Congress, and the RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History. He died in New York City on September 14, 1909.

watercoloretchingoil paintingprintmakinglandscape

Common works and media

Collectors encountering James David Smillie's work will most often find landscape etchings and prints, reflecting his central role in the American etching movement and the New York Etching Club. Watercolor landscapes are also associated with his practice, given his cofounding of the American Watercolor Society. Oil paintings on landscape themes may appear less frequently. Works are typically signed and dated within his active period of approximately 1848 to 1909. Print collectors should look for edition details, plate sizes, and paper condition, as these factors are standard for nineteenth-century American etchings.

Market and appraisal context

James David Smillie's work appears periodically at auction, with landscape etchings, watercolors, and paintings representing the categories collectors are most likely to encounter. Appraisal value depends on the medium, with original etchings and watercolors generally evaluated differently from oil paintings. Provenance clarity is important because works by his brother George Henry Smillie—a landscape painter working in the same period—can be confused with his own. Collectors should also consider condition, edition information for prints, date of execution, and subject matter when assessing value. Specific auction records and comparable sales data from major houses should be consulted for current market pricing.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Paintings, 19th-century American
  • Prints and etchings

Value drivers

  1. Medium and technique: etchings, watercolors, and oil paintings may each carry different market values.
  2. Subject matter: landscape subjects are his documented specialty, which may influence collector interest.
  3. Attribution and provenance: works should be distinguished from those of his brother, painter George Henry Smillie.
  4. Institutional recognition: documented in Getty ULAN, VIAF, Library of Congress, and RKD authority files.

Appraisal caveats

  • No auction-house records or realized prices were found in the collected source pack; market context is inferred from biographical and institutional documentation only.
  • The 190 Invaluable/scraper lots associated with this artist page suggest active auction circulation, but specific sale details were not included in this research pass.

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 James David Smillie

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is James David Smillie 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 James David Smillie artwork?

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