William Frederick Yeames Auction Prices and Value Guide

William Frederick Yeames auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 286 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

William Frederick Yeames auction prices: quick answer

William Frederick Yeames auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
William Frederick Yeames
Source records
286
Market update
2026-02-16

Artist context

About William Frederick Yeames

William Frederick Yeames (1835–1918) was a British painter known for genre and narrative subjects drawn from history. Born in Taganrog, Russia, to a British family, he trained and worked primarily in England and became associated with the Victorian tradition of historical storytelling on canvas. His most celebrated work, "And When Did You Last See Your Father?" (1878), portrays a young Royalist boy questioned by Parliamentarians during the English Civil War and remains one of the most widely recognized images of Victorian narrative art. Yeames produced history paintings, domestic genre scenes, and portraits throughout a career spanning several decades. His work is held in major British public collections including Tate and the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. Collectors encounter his paintings at auction primarily as oil-on-canvas historical and genre compositions.

Victorian genre paintingoil on canvashistorical narrative scenesgenre subjectsEnglish Civil War

Common works and media

Yeames worked chiefly in oil on canvas. His most commonly encountered works include historical narrative paintings depicting scenes from the English Civil War and Tudor England, domestic genre scenes with dramatic or moralizing content, and occasional portraits. Prints and reproductions of "And When Did You Last See Your Father?" are widespread. Original oil paintings range from large exhibition-scale canvases to smaller cabinet-sized compositions.

Market and appraisal context

Yeames's auction profile is anchored in the Victorian art market. His historical narrative oils — especially scenes from the English Civil War and Tudor-Stuart periods — tend to attract the strongest collector interest. Value depends heavily on subject matter, size, condition, and documented provenance. Works with clear attribution, exhibition history, or literature references (such as entries in Bénézit or Johnson/Greutzner) carry stronger market confidence. Smaller genre scenes and portrait commissions appear less frequently and may trade at lower levels. Collectors should verify attribution carefully, as Victorian narrative painters of similar style are sometimes confused.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Common auction categories

  • Old Master & British Paintings
  • Victorian Art

Value drivers

  1. Subject matter: historical narrative scenes from the English Civil War period are most sought after
  2. Medium: oil on canvas is the primary documented medium
  3. Provenance and attribution should be confirmed, as Yeames is well-documented but works may be misattributed to other Victorian narrative painters

Appraisal caveats

  • No direct auction-price evidence was available in the source pack; appraisal should reference comparable Victorian narrative painting sale records from major auction houses.
  • Condition, provenance, and exhibition history significantly affect value for Victorian-era works.

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 William Frederick Yeames

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is William Frederick Yeames 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 William Frederick Yeames artwork?

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