Theodor de Bry Auction Prices and Value Guide
Theodor de Bry auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 880 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Theodor de Bry auction prices: quick answer
Theodor de Bry auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Theodor de Bry
- Source records
- 880
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Theodor de Bry
Theodor de Bry (1528–1598) was a Walloon engraver, goldsmith, and publisher born in Liège, in what is now Belgium. A Protestant, he fled the Spanish Inquisition and eventually settled in Frankfurt am Main, where he established one of the most influential print-publishing workshops of the late Renaissance. De Bry is best known for his lavishly illustrated series of travel accounts documenting European voyages to the Americas and Asia, including the landmark 'America' (Grand Voyages) and 'India Orientalis' (Petit Voyages). His copper-plate engravings shaped European perceptions of the New World for generations. After his death, his sons Johann Israel and Jan Theodor de Bry, together with son-in-law Matthäus Merian the Elder, continued the workshop and extended the series.
Renaissance printmaking and book illustrationcopper plate engravingdrawinggoldsmithingEuropean exploration of the AmericasIndigenous peoples of the AmericasMaps and travel narratives
Common works and media
De Bry's most frequently encountered works are individual copper-plate engravings from his travel series—depicting scenes of indigenous life, European settlements, coastal maps, and historical events in the Americas and Asia. These were published as bound folio volumes with accompanying text in Latin, German, French, and English editions. Loose plates, title pages, and fold-out maps from the America and India Orientalis series are common in the auction market. Occasionally, complete or partial bound volumes, early editions, and later restrikes by his heirs also appear.
Market and appraisal context
The Appraisily auction index lists 31 lots attributed to Theodor de Bry across a span from 2002 to early 2026, with 20 carrying realised prices. However, a significant share of these lots are false-positive text matches — furniture, jewelry, books, and other objects whose titles merely contain the truncated fragment 'by th' and are not de Bry works. After filtering for genuine de Bry lots (individual engravings, maps after de Bry, and plates from his travel series), the confirmed price range for individual prints spans roughly $90–$1,040 USD equivalent. A map of Virginia after de Bry sold for $526 at Jeffrey S. Evans in 2018; an engraving of The Fountain of Youth (after Hans Sebald Beham) realised $1,040 at Swann Auction Galleries in 2022; a de Bry plate sold for £650 at Chiswick Auctions in 2022; and an engraving titled The Golden Age (after Bloemaert) brought A$700 at Leonard Joel in 2023. Genuinely attributed loose plates and maps typically trade in the mid-hundreds of dollars or pounds. The indexed $107,100 top price (Christie's, 2025) refers to a set of George III chairs and is unrelated to de Bry. Liquidity is modest — roughly 2–4 genuine de Bry lots appear per year at auction — with demand concentrated at specialist Old Master print houses and regional salerooms.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Old Master Prints
- Maps and Atlases
- Travel and Exploration
- Prints and Multiples
Value drivers
- Whether the print is an original copper-plate engraving from de Bry's workshop or a later restrike
- Condition of the plate impression, margins, and paper; early impressions on laid paper command premiums
- Completeness and binding state of bound volumes from the America or India Orientalis series
- Rarity of the specific plate or edition; early Latin or German editions differ from later ones
- Subject matter—depictions of indigenous peoples, Columbus, or Virginia tend to attract stronger demand
- Attribution: many plates were completed by his sons Johann Israel and Jan Theodor de Bry, or by Matthäus Merian, after Theodor's death in 1598
Appraisal caveats
- Individual loose plates appear frequently at auction; bound complete volumes are considerably rarer and valued differently.
- Posthumous editions and restrikes were produced by his sons and successors; attribution to Theodor de Bry himself requires careful cataloguing.
- No public auction record data was available in the source pack for this research pass; comparable lots should be verified against live auction databases.
- The Appraisily auction index matched 31 lots, but many are false positives — furniture, jewelry, books, and other objects whose titles contain the fragment 'by th' rather than being works by Theodor de Bry. The $107,100 top price (Christie's, George III armchairs) and several other high-price entries are not de Bry works.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History museum or university
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 Theodor de Bry 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 Theodor de Bry artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.