John Tunnard Auction Prices and Value Guide

John Tunnard auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 311 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

John Tunnard auction prices: quick answer

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

Artist
John Tunnard
Source records
311
Market update
2026-02-16

John Tunnard market snapshot

John Tunnard shows deep auction liquidity with 433 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $600. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 18 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2026-01-27.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (59.2% · 173 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (28.4% · 83 sales)
  • $10,000+ (12.3% · 36 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$260
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
18
Median shift vs prior year
0.0%
Latest recorded sale
2026-01-27

Artist context

About John Tunnard

John Samuel Tunnard (1900–1971) was an English modernist painter and designer whose work bridges abstract and surrealist tendencies in mid-twentieth-century British art. Born in Sandy, Bedfordshire, he trained and practised as a textile designer before turning fully to painting around 1929. His mature work combines abstracted landscapes, geometric forms, and imaginative imagery, often inspired by natural science, music, and the Cornish coastline where he lived. Tunnard exhibited widely in Britain and his paintings entered major public collections including Tate and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He was also known as a conscientious objector and anti-hunting campaigner. He taught the painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham and was a cousin of the landscape architect Christopher Tunnard. Collectors encounter his work at auction primarily within Modern British and Post-War painting categories.

ModernismAbstract paintingOil on canvas and boardGouacheWatercolourTextile designAbstractionLandscapeCoastal and marine imageryGeometric and imaginative compositions

Common works and media

Common works by Tunnard include oil paintings on canvas and board, gouaches, watercolours, and ink drawings. His subjects range from abstracted landscapes and coastal scenes to imaginative compositions featuring geometric forms, celestial motifs, and natural-history imagery. He also produced textile designs during his early career. Works on paper are encountered more frequently at auction than large-scale oils.

Market and appraisal context

Tunnard's paintings appear at auction chiefly under Modern British and Post-War British art. Oil paintings on canvas from the 1940s and 1950s—when his signature abstract-landscape language was most resolved—tend to attract the strongest interest. Works on paper, including gouaches and watercolours, are more frequently encountered and generally trade at lower levels. Provenance linking to notable galleries or museum exhibitions can add meaningful premium. Condition is a significant factor, as his surfaces may be delicate. Early textile designs form a separate collecting area and require specialist attribution. Appraisers should consult current comparable-sale records for up-to-date market benchmarks.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Modern British Paintings
  • Post-War British Art
  • Works on Paper

Value drivers

  1. Medium: oil paintings on canvas tend to achieve higher results than works on paper
  2. Date of execution: works from the 1940s–1950s, when his mature abstract-landscape style was most developed, attract particular collector interest
  3. Provenance: distinguished gallery or museum exhibition history adds premium
  4. Size and condition: surface condition can materially affect value

Appraisal caveats

  • Market data in the source pack is limited to museum and authority records; no live auction-house result URLs were captured. Appraisers should cross-reference with current comparable sale databases.
  • Early textile designs are a distinct body of work from his fine-art painting career and may require specialist attribution review.

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 John Tunnard

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is John Tunnard 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 Tunnard artwork?

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