Wilhelm von Kobell Auction Prices and Value Guide

Wilhelm von Kobell auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 196 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

Wilhelm von Kobell auction prices: quick answer

Wilhelm von Kobell auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
Wilhelm von Kobell
Source records
196
Market update
2026-02-06

Artist context

About Wilhelm von Kobell

Wilhelm von Kobell (1766–1853) was a German painter, printmaker, and draftsman who served as a court painter in Bavaria. Born in Mannheim on April 6, 1766, he came from a prominent artistic family: his father Ferdinand Kobell and his cousin Franz Innocenz Kobell were both established painters. Wilhelm trained within this family workshop tradition and became known for his oil paintings, watercolors, engravings, and reproductive prints. His work spans landscapes, animal subjects, and battle scenes, reflecting the late 18th- and early 19th-century German court milieu. Over 600 works are documented in the RKD images database, and he is recorded as both a teacher and a prolific printmaker. His monogram, WK, appears on many works that surface at auction.

Late 18th- to mid-19th-century German painting; associated with the Kobell family workshop tradition in Munich and the Bavarian courtoil paintingwatercolorengravingprintmakinglandscapebattle scenesanimal painting

Common works and media

Collectors and appraisers most frequently encounter von Kobell's landscape paintings in oil, battle-scene compositions, animal studies, watercolor landscapes, pen-and-ink drawings, and reproductive engravings after other Old Masters. Prints are typically etchings or engravings, sometimes monogrammed WK. Works range from small cabinet paintings to larger canvases. Drawings and watercolors on paper are well-represented in institutional collections and at auction.

Market and appraisal context

Wilhelm von Kobell's works appear regularly in the Old Master Paintings and Old Master Prints and Drawings categories at auction. His oil paintings of landscapes and battle scenes tend to attract the strongest interest, while reproductive engravings after other artists are more commonly available and priced accordingly. Attribution can be complicated by the Kobell family workshop: father Ferdinand and cousin Franz Innocenz worked in similar genres and mediums, so careful connoisseurship is important. Condition, provenance (especially any link to Bavarian court collections), and whether a work is an original composition versus a reproductive print all affect appraisal outcomes. The artist's works on paper survive in varying condition, which can significantly influence value.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Value drivers

  1. Attribution and monogram authentication (signed WK or full signature)
  2. Medium distinction: original paintings command stronger results than reproductive prints
  3. Provenance linking to Bavarian court or Kobell family circle
  4. Condition and completeness; many works on paper survive in variable states
  5. Subject matter: battle scenes and landscapes are the most frequently encountered categories at auction

Appraisal caveats

  • The Kobell family produced multiple artists (father Ferdinand Kobell, cousin Franz Innocenz Kobell); works may be misattributed between family members without careful connoisseurship.
  • Reproductive engravings after other artists are well-documented in RKD; these are distinct from original compositions and should be catalogued accordingly.
  • Death year is reported as both 1853 (RKD, BNF, Getty ULAN) and 1855 (SUDOC, some VIAF records); cataloguing should note this discrepancy.

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 Wilhelm von Kobell

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is Wilhelm von Kobell 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 Wilhelm von Kobell artwork?

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