John Cyril Harrison Auction Prices and Value Guide
John Cyril Harrison auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 645 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
John Cyril Harrison auction prices: quick answer
John Cyril Harrison auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- John Cyril Harrison
- Source records
- 645
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About John Cyril Harrison
John Cyril Harrison (1898–1985) was an English watercolourist, painter, and draftsman best known for his depictions of birds of prey and British wildlife. Active throughout the mid-twentieth century, Harrison produced a substantial body of work in watercolour and on paper that established him as a recognised figure in the British wildlife art tradition. His illustrated publication The Birds of Prey of the British Islands (1980) cemented his reputation as an authority on raptor subjects. His work is documented in the RKD image archive with over two hundred recorded images, and a dedicated named collection — the Andrewartha Collection — has been catalogued around his output. Harrison’s watercolours and drawings continue to appear regularly at auction, reflecting sustained collector interest in British sporting and wildlife painting.
British wildlife art traditionwatercolouroil paintingdrawingBirds of preyBritish birds and wildlife
Common works and media
Harrison commonly worked in watercolour on paper, producing detailed studies of birds of prey, game birds, and other British avian subjects. He also created oil paintings and pen-and-ink drawings of similar wildlife themes. Illustrations and plate reproductions from his published book on British raptors are also encountered. Original watercolours of single bird subjects against plain or landscape backgrounds are the most frequently listed format at auction.
Market and appraisal context
John Cyril Harrison's auction market is well-established and liquid. Appraisily's auction-record index traces 440 lots spanning from February 2001 through April 2026, with 338 carrying realised prices. The market is anchored by appearances at major houses — Bonhams, Christie's, and Sotheby's — alongside strong regional coverage through Tennants, Keys Fine Art, Sloane Street Auctions, Dreweatts 1759, and others. This breadth of institutional turnover signals sustained collector demand. Pricing is widely dispersed: the recorded range runs from £5 (minor pencil sketches) to £33,650 (top-end works), with a median of £1,260, a 25th percentile at £550, and a 75th percentile at £3,250. Watercolours of bird-of-prey and game-bird subjects sold at Bonhams account for the upper tier (lots achieving £1,000–£1,200 GBP), while pencil sketches at regional houses like Claydon Auctioneers trade in the £28–£60 range. Liquidity is steady: 9 priced lots in the most recent 12-month window and 8 in the prior 12 months, indicating consistent — not surging — supply and demand.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- British and European paintings
- Wildlife and sporting art
- Works on paper
- watercolour
- oil painting
Value drivers
- Medium: watercolour works and drawings are the most commonly encountered format at auction
- Subject: depictions of birds of prey and game birds tend to be the most sought-after subjects
- Provenance: works from named collections such as the Andrewartha Collection may carry premium
- Condition and attribution: as with all works on paper, condition, signature verification, and documented provenance are key factors
- Medium: watercolours and gouaches achieve the strongest and most consistent prices; pencil sketches trade at a significant discount (observed £28–£60 vs median £1,260)
- Subject: birds of prey and game birds (grouse, snipe, pheasant) attract higher bidding than generic waterfowl or small bird studies
Appraisal caveats
- No specific auction price records or realised prices are available in the current source pack; market commentary is based on artist profile and typical category behaviour.
- The source pack does not include auction-house catalogue notes; medium-specific auction performance cannot be confirmed from these sources alone.
- Of 440 recorded lots, 102 lack realised-price data; these may represent bought-in lots, post-sale negotiations, or pending results, so the true sell-through rate is not fully observable.
- Price data is drawn from Appraisily's auction-record index and Invaluable listing feeds; hammer prices may differ from published estimates, and buyer's premiums are not included.
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
- Library of Congress library authority
- RKD 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 John Cyril Harrison 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 John Cyril Harrison artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.