# James Gillray artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/james-gillray/
Profile generated: 2026-04-30T11:40:00.000Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1756-08-13
- Death date: 1815-06-01
- Nationality: British, English
- Movements: Georgian-era political caricature and satire
- Common media: Etching, Engraving, Hand-coloured etched prints

## About James Gillray

James Gillray (1756–1815) was an English caricaturist and printmaker whose etched political and social satires made him one of the most influential graphic satirists of the Georgian era. Born in Chelsea, London, he trained as an engraver and began producing satirical prints in the 1780s, rising to prominence in the 1790s. His principal period of activity spanned roughly 1792 to 1810, during which he published hundreds of biting caricatures targeting King George III, Napoleon Bonaparte, leading politicians, and fashionable society. Working primarily in etching with hand-colouring, Gillray sold his prints through the shop of Hannah Humphrey in London's West End. His works are held by major institutions including the National Portrait Gallery, Tate, MoMA, and the Library of Congress, and he is widely regarded as a foundational figure in the history of British caricature and editorial cartooning.

## Common works and media

Gillray's surviving output consists almost entirely of hand-coloured etchings with engraving, typically published as single-sheet prints. Common subjects include satirical portraits of British and European political figures, scenes ridiculing court life and military campaigns, and social commentaries on fashion, drinking, and class. Prints were issued by Hannah Humphrey and often carry her publication line and date. Collectors may also encounter bound collections, later restrikes, reproductive engravings by followers, and exhibition catalogues reproducing his work.

## Market and appraisal context

James Gillray has a deep and liquid auction market spanning over three decades, with 1,053 recorded lots and 845 priced results dating from March 1995 through April 2026. The market is well-distributed across major and regional houses including Bonhams, Christie's, Gorringes, Roseberys, Cheffins, and Dreweatts 1759. Realized prices range from as low as $10–25 for common or later-strike prints up to $72,000 for exceptional early impressions. The interquartile spread (P25 $275, median $598, P75 $1,100) shows that most individual prints trade in the mid-hundreds, while rare plates, bound folio collections, and fine early impressions command substantial premiums. Auction activity has increased noticeably: 34 lots in the most recent 12-month period versus 16 in the prior 12 months, suggesting renewed collector interest in Georgian-era satire. The market spans multiple currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD), confirming genuinely international demand. Collectors should expect wide plate-to-plate price variation rather than a narrow artist-level average.

## Auction-house-backed market evidence

James Gillray has a deep and liquid auction market spanning over three decades, with 1,053 recorded lots and 845 priced results dating from March 1995 through April 2026. The market is well-distributed across major and regional houses including Bonhams, Christie's, Gorringes, Roseberys, Cheffins, and Dreweatts 1759. Realized prices range from as low as $10–25 for common or later-strike prints up to $72,000 for exceptional early impressions. The interquartile spread (P25 $275, median $598, P75 $1,100) shows that most individual prints trade in the mid-hundreds, while rare plates, bound folio collections, and fine early impressions command substantial premiums. Auction activity has increased noticeably: 34 lots in the most recent 12-month period versus 16 in the prior 12 months, suggesting renewed collector interest in Georgian-era satire. The market spans multiple currencies (USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD), confirming genuinely international demand. Collectors should expect wide plate-to-plate price variation rather than a narrow artist-level average.

### Appraisal notes

Appraisily would combine these 1,053 auction records with the specific work's photographs, plate dimensions, medium confirmation (hand-coloured etching vs. later colouring), signature or publication line (especially H. Humphrey imprints), impression state, paper quality, condition report, and any documented provenance. Because Gillray prints vary dramatically in value by individual plate, comparable-lot analysis at the specific-title level is essential. The appraiser would filter for lots matching the same or similar subjects, date the impression against published catalogues to distinguish early strikes from restrikes, and weigh condition and colouring quality against the observed price distribution to estimate fair market or replacement value.

### Valuation factors

- [object Object]
- [object Object]
- [object Object]
- [object Object]
- [object Object]
- [object Object]
- [object Object]

### Collector notes

- The Gillray market is broad and active: expect regular availability at mid-tier and major auction houses, particularly in the UK. With 34 lots in the last 12 months, buyers have reasonable selection.
- Single hand-coloured etchings in good condition typically realise £200–600 ($275–750) at regional UK houses like Roseberys and Gorringes. Exceptional early impressions can reach £1,700–4,200 ($2,100–5,300) at Bonhams or Christie's.
- Be cautious of later restrikes and reproductive copies. Verify impression dating against Wright and Evans's catalogue or modern scholarly references before purchasing.
- Bound folio collections represent a distinct segment. An 85-print folio achieved $1,900 at Nadeau's (Jan 2026); a 'Works of James Gillray' volume made A$1,000 at Sydney Rare Book Auctions (Jan 2026). Assess completeness and individual plate condition within volumes.
- Currency matters when comparing results. The dataset includes GBP, USD, EUR, CAD, and AUD results. Convert using appropriate exchange rates for accurate comparison.
- The doubling of lot volume (16 to 34 year-over-year) suggests growing interest. Collectors entering the market now may find competition increasing for higher-quality impressions.

### Market caveats

- Gillray's large output and the existence of restrikes, reproductive copies, and later colouring mean attribution and impression dating should always be verified by a specialist before purchase or appraisal.
- The $72,000 maximum reflects a single exceptional lot; the vast majority of individual prints trade well below $2,000. Do not infer broad market value from outlier results.
- Auction records span 31 years (1995–2026). Earlier results may not reflect current market conditions. Weight recent comparable sales more heavily.
- Some recent lots lack price-realised data (e.g. Dawson's 'Union Club' lots), suggesting unsold or yet-to-be-reported results. Absence of a price does not indicate low value.
- The dataset mixes currencies without conversion. Direct price comparisons across currencies require normalization.
- Common auction categories are inferred from lot titles, observed mediums in the existing profile, and house specialisations rather than explicit category fields in the source data.

### Market evidence sources

- undefined: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/james-gillray/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1756-1815-monstrous-craws-at-a-new-coalition-feast-hand-colored-etching-454-c-f7b6d8a054
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1756-1815-the-caricatures-of-james-gillray-folio-london-published-by-john-miller-bridge-street-and-w-blackwood-edinburgh-circa-1825-large-folio-volume-containing-85-finely-hand-color-637-c-72cf46991f
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1756-1815-political-candour-i-e-122-c-285dce2d64
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1756-1815-sketches-of-a-man-from-120-c-4ab158f206
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1757-1815-the-union-club-published-january-21st-1801-by-h-humphrey-st-james-s-street-etching-with-later-hand-colouring-plate-30-x-44-cm-framed-and-glazed-54-x-65-5-cm-133-c-d5256cbef8
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-1756-1815-the-daily-advertiser-coloured-engraving-35-5-x-25cm-after-the-original-published-by-hannah-humphreys-in-1797-198-c-2bdab104f7
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-hand-colored-engraving-1804-2287-c-454c4600e8
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-english-1756-1815-257-c-493441e907
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-temperance-enjoying-a-frugal-meal-138-c-76e4b1a9f8
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-germans-eating-sour-kraut-175-c-3ff43b9bac
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-napoleon-receives-the-obeisance-of-the-enormous-mrs-fox-366-c-921ea0b1c1
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-works-of-james-gillray-148-c-0bdb853135
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-7-antique-prints-caricature-966-c-6384ebfbe5
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-the-national-assembly-revivified-259-c-b714c7f838
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-uk-1757-1815-1101-c-3114476947
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-temperance-enjoying-a-frugal-meal-138-c-76e4b1a9f8
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1757-1815-the-union-club-published-january-21st-1801-by-h-humphrey-st-james-s-street-etching-with-later-hand-colouring-plate-30-x-44-cm-framed-and-glazed-54-x-65-5-cm-38-c-f6f991be7f
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-the-national-assembly-revivified-262-c-7ee4ffba9c
- undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-gillray-british-1756-1815-contemplations-upon-a-c-121-c-6ef17bfee9

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from museum, library, and authority sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For James Gillray, identity data is drawn from the Library of Congress Name Authority File, RKD Netherlands Institute for Art History, VIAF, Wikidata, Tate, and MoMA.

## Sources

- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50033402
- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/31738
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q520806
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/66735065/
- The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/63155
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/james-gillray-2739
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Gillray