James Mcbey Auction Prices and Value Guide

James Mcbey auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 676 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

James Mcbey auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
James Mcbey
Source records
676
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About James Mcbey

James McBey (1883–1959) was a Scottish etcher, painter, and watercolorist whose prints gained wide recognition during the etching revival of the early twentieth century. Born in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, he was largely self-taught, developing a refined technique in etching and drypoint that placed him among the leading British printmakers of his generation. McBey traveled extensively through Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, and the landscapes and cityscapes he encountered became recurring subjects in his work. He spent his later years in Tangier, Morocco, where he died in 1959. Aberdeen University recognised his contributions with an Honorary Doctor of Letters. His prints and watercolors are held in institutional collections and appear regularly at auction.

Etching Revival (early 20th century)etchingwatercolorpainting (oil)drawing

Common works and media

McBey is best known for etchings and drypoint prints, often issued in numbered editions. He also produced watercolors, oil paintings, and drawings. Common subjects include Scottish coastal and Highland landscapes, Moroccan street scenes, Middle Eastern city views, and figurative compositions. Print portfolios and individual plates from the 1910s through the 1940s appear frequently at auction.

Market and appraisal context

James McBey's secondary-market footprint is substantial and long-running. Appraisily's auction-record index traces 610 recorded lots spanning from September 1988 through April 2026, with 464 of those carrying a realised price. The work appears predominantly as intaglio prints—etchings and drypoints—alongside watercolors, drawings, and occasional oil paintings. Major houses that have offered McBey include Christie's, Sotheby's, Bonhams, Phillips, Lyon & Turnbull, and Dreweatts 1759, complemented by a broad roster of regional specialists such as McTear's, Rachel Davis Fine Arts, Brunk Auctions, Skinner, and Eldred's. This breadth of house representation signals consistent, geographically dispersed collector demand across the UK, US, and Australian markets. Price dispersion is wide but anchored at the low-to-mid hundreds: the interquartile range runs from roughly $250 to $1,125 (USD), with a median near $460. The ceiling sits at $38,000, indicating that scarce or important impressions—likely early-state etchings, signed limited editions, or significant watercolors—can command materially higher sums. Liquidity has moderated recently (6 lots in the trailing 12 months versus 9 in the prior period), but the long time-series and variety of houses suggest steady rather than speculative interest.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Old Master, Modern & Contemporary Prints
  • British Art on Paper
  • Etchings and Drypoints
  • Watercolors and Works on Paper

Value drivers

  1. Medium and technique: etchings, drypoints, and watercolors are the most commonly encountered work types; edition size and plate quality affect value
  2. Subject matter: landscapes, scenes of Scotland, Morocco, and the Middle East feature prominently in his output
  3. Attribution: works should be confirmed against the artist's catalogue raisonné or recognised reference sources
  4. Condition: print impressions on fine paper in good condition are more desirable; foxing, trimming, or fading reduce value
  5. Medium: etchings and drypoints dominate the auction record and form the core market; watercolors and oils are less frequent but tend toward higher price points when they appear
  6. Edition and impression quality: plate date, edition size, impression number, and whether the print is a signed early-state proof materially affect value within the $250–$1,125 interquartile range

Appraisal caveats

  • No auction-house provenance records were available in this source pack; valuation should reference comparable realised prices from major auction databases.
  • McBey's output spans several decades and geographies; subject and date significantly influence collector interest.
  • Auction results in this addendum are drawn from the Appraisily auction-record index and Invaluable listings; not every McBey lot at every house worldwide may be captured, and results in currencies other than USD have not been normalised to a single currency.
  • The $38,000 maximum likely represents an outlier or a particularly significant work; the interquartile range ($250–$1,125) is a more reliable guide for typical etchings and watercolors.

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 Mcbey

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is James Mcbey 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 Mcbey artwork?

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