# James Montgomery Flagg artist context and auction value notes Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/james-montgomery-flagg/ Profile generated: 2026-05-04T01:34:39.535Z Quality: high confidence, strong sources ## Artist identity - Birth date: 1877-06-18 - Death date: 1960-05-27 - Nationality: American - Movements: American illustration and poster art - Common media: Lithographic posters, Oil painting, Pen-and-ink illustration, Watercolor ## About James Montgomery Flagg James Montgomery Flagg (1877–1960) was an American illustrator, painter, cartoonist, and author whose career spanned more than five decades. Born in Pelham Manor, New York, Flagg demonstrated artistic talent early and was contributing illustrations to national magazines by his mid-teens. He studied at the Art Students League of New York and in Europe before establishing himself as one of the most prolific illustrators of his era, working for publications including Life, Judge, and Harper's Weekly. Flagg is best known for his wartime propaganda posters—most famously the 1917 Uncle Sam recruitment image ('I Want YOU for U.S. Army')—which became one of the most recognizable graphic images in American history. Beyond posters, he produced oil paintings, pen-and-ink drawings, watercolors, and comic strips, and also wrote and illustrated several books. His work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. ## Common works and media Collectors and appraisers most commonly encounter Flagg's work in the form of lithographic propaganda posters from World War I and World War II, magazine-cover illustrations (particularly for Life and Judge), pen-and-ink editorial cartoons, original oil paintings, preparatory sketches and drawings, and illustrated books he authored. Printed posters were produced in large quantities, so surviving examples vary widely in condition and value. Original artworks—paintings, drawings, and preliminary studies for published pieces—are far less common in the market. ## Market and appraisal context James Montgomery Flagg has a well-established and liquid auction market spanning over two decades, with 401 recorded lots and 309 priced results dating from November 2001 through April 2026. His work trades regularly across dedicated poster auctions, general fine-art sales, and illustration-art sessions. Price dispersion is wide—realized prices range from $15 to $31,070—reflecting the material divide between common printed posters and rare original artworks. The median price of $960 and interquartile range of $425–$2,750 indicate that mid-tier results are dominated by period lithographic posters in collectible condition, while the upper tail is driven by original oils, illustration originals, and iconic poster designs such as the Uncle Sam recruitment image. Liquidity has moderated recently: 11 lots appeared in the trailing twelve months versus 23 in the prior period, which may reflect natural auction-cycle variation rather than declining demand. The market is concentrated among specialist and regional houses—Swann Auction Galleries, Poster Auctions International, Heritage Auctions, and John Moran Auctioneers are the most active venues—giving collectors multiple reliable entry points. ## Auction-house-backed market evidence James Montgomery Flagg has a well-established and liquid auction market spanning over two decades, with 401 recorded lots and 309 priced results dating from November 2001 through April 2026. His work trades regularly across dedicated poster auctions, general fine-art sales, and illustration-art sessions. Price dispersion is wide—realized prices range from $15 to $31,070—reflecting the material divide between common printed posters and rare original artworks. The median price of $960 and interquartile range of $425–$2,750 indicate that mid-tier results are dominated by period lithographic posters in collectible condition, while the upper tail is driven by original oils, illustration originals, and iconic poster designs such as the Uncle Sam recruitment image. Liquidity has moderated recently: 11 lots appeared in the trailing twelve months versus 23 in the prior period, which may reflect natural auction-cycle variation rather than declining demand. The market is concentrated among specialist and regional houses—Swann Auction Galleries, Poster Auctions International, Heritage Auctions, and John Moran Auctioneers are the most active venues—giving collectors multiple reliable entry points. ### Appraisal notes Appraisily would use the 401-lot auction record index to establish a baseline price distribution for Flagg's work, then refine against the specific item's characteristics. Key appraisal inputs beyond auction comps include: photographs (front, back, signature detail), measured dimensions, confirmed medium (original oil, watercolor, pen-and-ink, or lithographic print), signature presence and location, condition grading (creasing, foxing, toning, restoration, linen-backing for posters), provenance documentation, and edition or printing details that distinguish original 1917–1918 lithographs from later reproductions. Comparable lots should be filtered by medium and subject: an Uncle Sam poster should be compared against other WWI-era Flagg posters at Swann and Poster Auctions International, while an original oil painting should be benchmarked against illustration-art results at houses like Weschler's and Heritage. The large dataset (309 priced lots) supports meaningful statistical analysis, but outliers at the high end ($31,070) and low end ($15) should be examined individually before inclusion in a valuation range. ### Valuation factors - Medium is the strongest value driver: original oils and preparatory drawings for published illustrations command multiples over printed posters (e.g., The Spirit of America oil realized $5,000; a WWI Victory Garden poster realized $225) - Subject rarity: the Uncle Sam 'I Want YOU' poster is the most iconic and traded Flagg design—a period example realized $5,750 at Swann in August 2024, well above the $960 median - Print vs. original distinction: printed posters were produced in large editions and trade in a distinct bracket from unique works; authentication and edition verification are essential - Condition heavily affects poster values: linen-backing, foxing, edge tears, fading, and toning can shift results by 50% or more within the same title - Group lots compress per-item value (29 WWII-era cartoons sold together for $8,750 at Swann), while single premium lots stretch higher - Provenance and exhibition history add measurable premiums for original paintings and drawings - Period-correct printing versus later reproduction: many Uncle Sam posters are reprints; only 1917–1918 original lithographs carry full collector value ### Collector notes ### Market caveats - The Appraisily auction-record index aggregates results from multiple auction houses and online platforms; individual lot descriptions and condition reports should be verified directly with the selling house before relying on a specific comparable. - Price-realized figures include the buyer's premium at some houses and not others; direct comparison without normalizing for premium structure may over- or under-state values. - Several recent lots show null price-realized values (e.g., the I Need Your Skill poster at RoGallery, Together We Win at Poster Auctions International), indicating either unsold lots or results not yet reported—these should not be treated as zero-value data points. - The max price of $31,070 represents a single outlier and should not be used as a typical ceiling without examining the specific lot's characteristics. - Printed posters exist in multiple editions and reprintings over decades; cataloguing accuracy varies between auction houses, and some lots described as original may be later reproductions. - The recent 12-month lot count (11) is roughly half the prior 12-month count (23); this may reflect auction scheduling, market conditions, or data-reporting lag rather than a structural decline in demand. ### Market evidence sources - undefined: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/james-montgomery-flagg/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0 - undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-montgomery-flagg-american-1877-1960-world-war-i-ww1-victory-garden-poster-2309-c-c0e4a90e82 - undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-montgomery-flagg-ny-1877-1960-wwi-poster-871-c-66d453d935 - undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-montgomery-flagg-1877-1960-ink-drawing-illutration-pg-wodehouse-jeeves-97-c-de3414eb56 - undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-montgomery-flagg-1877-1960-american-framed-enlistment-poster-2079-c-ad64f2abb5 - undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-montgomery-flagg-american-1877-1960-the-spirit-of-america-oil-on-canvas-together-with-a-study-of-the-model-watercolor-on-illustration-board-the-first-33-x-25-in-83-x-63-cm-164-c-66d41e49d8 - undefined: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-james-montgomery-flagg-1870-1960-wake-up-america-day-1917-401-2x281-4-inches-103x713-4-cm-22-c-e26b1bc4f5 ## Appraisily data basis Appraisily artist pages combine structured artist-identity research from museum records, library authority files, and biographical sources with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. The information on this page is drawn from the sources listed and should be supplemented by professional appraisal for any specific artwork. ## Sources - Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n82096252 - VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/49456246/ - The Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/artists/1906 - RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/28210 - Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q537266 - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Montgomery_Flagg