John Kay Auction Prices and Value Guide

John Kay auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 187 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

John Kay auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
John Kay
Source records
187
Market update
2026-02-06

John Kay market snapshot

John Kay shows solid auction liquidity with 97 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $60. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 11 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-09-14.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (100.0% · 37 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (0.0% · 0 sales)
  • $10,000+ (0.0% · 0 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$12
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
11
Median shift vs prior year
0.0%
Latest recorded sale
2025-09-14

Artist context

About John Kay

John Kay portrait
John Kay · Public domain · Source

Born

1742

Died

1826

Nationality

British, Scottish

John Kay (1742–1826) was a British artist identified in Scottish biographical sources as a caricaturist and engraver. International authority records consistently distinguish him by these life dates, while VIAF also identifies him as a miniaturist. The available evidence therefore places his practice in the visual culture of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, with caricature, engraving, and miniature painting forming the clearest documented contexts. No named movement or school is securely established by the collected sources, so his work is better described through its period, media, and caricatural function. Collectors may encounter works catalogued as engravings, caricatures, or miniatures, but the common name requires careful identity matching. The most useful identifiers are his 1742–1826 lifespan and linked Wikidata, VIAF, Getty ULAN, and Library of Congress authority records. These identifiers help separate this historical Scottish-associated artist from unrelated people and artists named John Kay.

EngravingMiniature paintingCaricature

Common works and media

The documented work types associated with John Kay are caricatures, engravings, and miniature paintings. In an auction or appraisal setting, an object may therefore appear as an engraved image, a caricatural work, or a miniature. The present evidence does not establish a catalogue of named series, recurring sitters, edition practices, or specific signature conventions, so those details should be verified from the individual object and stronger specialist documentation.

Market and appraisal context

An appraisal should begin by confirming that a work belongs to John Kay (1742–1826), using the artist's authority identifiers and documented roles as a caricaturist, engraver, and miniaturist. Works described only with the name “John Kay” should not automatically be grouped with this artist's auction record. Once identity is secure, comparison should focus on like object types, such as engravings versus painted miniatures, and on public records with sufficiently detailed cataloguing. The collected source pack does not supply individual lot descriptions, condition reports, provenance, dimensions, editions, or realized prices, so it cannot support a price prediction. Those object-level facts and comparable sale records would be needed for a defensible valuation.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Engravings and caricatures
  • Miniatures

Value drivers

  1. Secure attribution to the John Kay who lived from 1742 to 1826
  2. Medium and object type, particularly whether a work is an engraving, caricature, or miniature
  3. Comparison with public auction records for works assigned to the same artist identity and work type

Appraisal caveats

  • The collected source pack does not provide object-level provenance, condition, dimensions, edition information, or individual realized prices.
  • John Kay is an identity-sensitive name; auction records should be reconciled against the 1742–1826 authority profile before they are treated as comparable evidence.
  • No major auction-house biography or lot essay was available in the collected source pack.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context is based on collected public records: medium confidence, adequate source quality.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

Recent sale records

Selected public auction records currently in the Appraisily lot index. Use them as market context, then request a formal appraisal before you sell, insure, or donate.

Don't price your John Kay from these lots

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 John Kay

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is John Kay 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 Kay artwork?

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