Thomas Sidney Cooper Auction Prices and Value Guide

Thomas Sidney Cooper auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 1,269 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Thomas Sidney Cooper auction prices: quick answer

Thomas Sidney Cooper auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Thomas Sidney Cooper
Source records
1,269
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Thomas Sidney Cooper

Thomas Sidney Cooper (1803–1902) was an English painter born in Canterbury, Kent, celebrated for his detailed depictions of cattle, sheep, and other farm animals set within the British pastoral landscape. Known colloquially as "Cow Cooper," he became one of the most recognizable Victorian animal painters, with a career spanning over seven decades. Cooper worked in oil, watercolor, and lithography, and his compositions often feature sunlit meadows, riverbanks, and grazing herds rendered with careful attention to animal anatomy and rural atmosphere. His works are held in major public collections including the Tate, and his prolific output made him a fixture in the Victorian art market. He was also uncle to the painter William Sidney Cooper, and his monogram "TSC" appears on many canvases.

Victorian landscape and animal paintingOil on canvasLithographyDrawingCattle and sheep in pastoral landscapesFarm animalsEnglish rural landscapes

Common works and media

Cooper is most commonly encountered in appraisal contexts through oil-on-canvas paintings of cattle and sheep grazing or watering in rural landscapes. He also produced watercolor studies, preparatory drawings, and lithographic prints. Subjects range from single-animal studies to expansive multi-figure pastoral compositions with mountain or river backdrops. Signed works typically bear the monogram "TSC" or the full signature "T. Sidney Cooper." Editioned prints after his compositions also circulate, generally at lower values than original paintings.

Market and appraisal context

Thomas Sidney Cooper maintains an active and well-documented secondary market with 363 auction lots recorded in the Appraisily index (223 with published prices), spanning sales from 1993 through April 2026. Works appear regularly at major international houses including Sotheby's and Christie's alongside a broad network of UK regional and international salerooms (Dreweatts, Chiswick, Roseberys, Mallams, Canterbury Auction Galleries, Gorringes, Sworders, Adam's, Waddington's). The observed price distribution is wide: from $20 for minor prints or attribution-questionable works up to $230,000 for major signed canvases, with a median of $1,200 and an interquartile range of $400–$3,200. The most recent 12 months saw 19 lots offered, down modestly from 24 in the prior 12-month window, indicating a still-liquid but slightly cooling market. Recent results cluster around a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for mid-size oils and watercolors: a small oil-on-paper game study made £150 at Mallams (July 2025), a watercolor pair reached $350 at South Bay Auctions (August 2025), a signed oil-on-canvas pastoral landscape (75×126 cm) achieved €3,400 at Adam's (June 2025), and a signed 1868 Canterbury Meadows oil brought CAD 7,500 at Waddington's (December 2025). Larger, well-attributed pastoral cattle compositions consistently outperform small studies, workshop pieces, and works on paper.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Old Master & British Paintings
  • Victorian Paintings and Drawings
  • Oil on canvas
  • Lithography
  • Drawing

Value drivers

  1. Provenance and exhibition history
  2. Subject matter — large-scale cattle compositions tend to command stronger results than minor sketches
  3. Condition and attribution authenticity, given the large body of workshop and follower works
  4. Size and medium — oil paintings carry more weight than watercolors or prints
  5. Subject matter and composition complexity — large multi-figure cattle landscapes command substantially more than single-animal studies or game pieces
  6. Size — Cooper's larger canvases (75×126 cm and above) consistently outperform small panels and works on paper

Appraisal caveats

  • Cooper was prolific and his workshop produced many works; attribution should be confirmed by a specialist.
  • The RKD records over 1,000 images attributed to Cooper, indicating a large and varied output that spans decades.
  • Comparable auction records should be reviewed for similar subject, size, date, and medium before any valuation conclusion.
  • Cooper was prolific over a 70-year career with a large workshop; attribution should be confirmed by a specialist before any valuation is finalized.

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 Thomas Sidney Cooper

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Thomas Sidney Cooper 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 Thomas Sidney Cooper artwork?

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