Muirhead Bone Auction Prices and Value Guide
Muirhead Bone auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 764 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Muirhead Bone auction prices: quick answer
Muirhead Bone auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Muirhead Bone
- Source records
- 764
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Muirhead Bone
Sir Muirhead Bone (1876–1953) was a Scottish etcher, draftsman, and painter recognised for his meticulous architectural subjects and his influential role as a British war artist. Born in Glasgow and trained as an architect before turning to printmaking, Bone developed a reputation for large-scale, finely detailed etchings of urban construction sites, railway yards, and European cityscapes. His Amsterdam views from around 1913–1914 are particularly admired. During the First World War he was appointed Britain's first official war artist, producing panoramic drawings of the Western Front and naval operations that were widely exhibited and reproduced. Knighted in 1937, Bone is represented in the collections of the Tate, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Rijksmuseum print cabinet. Collectors most often encounter his work through etchings and drypoints, though he also produced oil paintings, watercolours, and lithographs throughout a career spanning both world wars.
British war artetchingdrypointdrawingoil paintingarchitectural viewsurban and industrial sceneswar subjects
Common works and media
Collectors are most likely to encounter Bone's etchings and drypoints, especially architectural views of London, Glasgow, Amsterdam, and other European cities, as well as wartime subjects depicting trenches, naval yards, and construction sites. He also produced lithographs, watercolours, and oil paintings, though these appear less frequently on the market. Many prints were issued in signed, limited editions for print dealers and portfolio subscribers.
Market and appraisal context
Muirhead Bone has a well-established and liquid auction market spanning over two decades, with 222 total lots recorded and 152 priced results dating from November 2002 through January 2026. His work appears at a broad range of auction houses, from major international firms (Christie's, Bonhams, Swann Auction Galleries) to regional specialists (Rachel Davis Fine Arts, Mallams, John Moran Auctioneers, Chiswick Auctions, Burstow & Hewett, Peterborough Auctions). The price distribution is wide but bottom-heavy: the median realised price is approximately $200, with an interquartile range of $110–$400. The majority of lots are etchings, drypoints, and lithographs in the low-to-mid hundreds of dollars. Exceptional works command substantially more — the top result in the recent sample is £9,525 at Christie's (September 2025) for 'The Great Gantry, Charing Cross Station,' followed by $1,270 at Swann Auction Galleries for 'Manhattan Excavation' (drypoint, 1928) and £1,000 at Bonhams for 'The Bridge of a Merchant Ship at Sea.' Market liquidity is steady: 14 lots appeared in the most recent 12-month period versus 16 in the prior 12 months, indicating stable collector interest without oversaturation.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- etching
- drypoint
- lithography
- drawing
- watercolour
Value drivers
- Medium: etchings and drypoints are most commonly encountered at auction; paintings are rarer and command higher prices
- Edition: many prints were published in signed editions; edition size and proof status affect value
- Subject: wartime and architectural subjects are most sought after by collectors
- Condition: plate tone, margins, and paper condition are critical for print valuation
- Medium: etchings and drypoints are most common and typically sell in the $100–$400 range; oil paintings and major watercolours are far rarer and can reach thousands at major houses
- Subject: architectural views (Charing Cross, Manhattan, Amsterdam, Glasgow) and wartime/industrial subjects consistently attract the strongest prices
Appraisal caveats
- Market data is not directly available from the source pack; auction prices and recent sale records should be verified through live databases.
- Attribution of unsigned prints requires careful connoisseurship; consult a specialist for works without clear signatures or catalogue references.
- Price data includes multiple currencies (USD, GBP, AUD, CZK); cross-currency comparisons should account for exchange rates at the time of sale rather than using raw figures directly.
- Some recent lots (e.g. the Einszwei Gallery results priced in CZK) may represent very different value levels once converted; treat non-USD/GBP results with caution when benchmarking.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- VIAF library authority
- RKD library authority
- Tate museum or university
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Getty Vocabulary Program 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 Muirhead Bone 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 Muirhead Bone artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.