# James Watterson Herald artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/james-watterson-herald/
Profile generated: 2026-08-24T14:55:47.559Z
Quality: medium confidence, adequate sources

## Artist identity

- Nationality: Scottish, British
- Common media: Painting, Sketchbook leaves

## About James Watterson Herald

James Watterson Herald (1859–1914) was a Scottish painter, also described more broadly in authority data as British. Wikidata, VIAF, and Getty ULAN records converge on his identity, occupation, and life years, while VIAF preserves the alternate spelling James Watterston Herald. Public collection-linked image records document an East Coast harbour work and several leaves from an artist's sketchbook, including studies connected with Broughty Ferry, trees, and dancing putti. Together, these records indicate a practice encompassing painted views and direct sketchbook study, although the collected evidence does not establish a named movement or a detailed career chronology. Collectors may encounter his name attached to coastal imagery, paintings, and works on paper. Authority identifiers and spelling variants are especially useful when distinguishing securely matched records from loosely catalogued auction entries. The present source pack is stronger on identity than on training, exhibitions, critical reception, or artistic affiliations.

## Common works and media

The collected evidence identifies Herald as a painter and documents an East Coast harbour work alongside leaves from an artist's sketchbook. Recorded sketchbook subjects include Broughty Ferry, trees, and dancing putti. These examples support paintings and sketchbook works as relevant appraisal categories, but they are not sufficient to define the full range or relative frequency of his output.

## Market and appraisal context

An appraisal of a work attributed to James Watterson Herald should begin with identity matching, particularly because authority records preserve both Watterson and Watterston spellings. Comparisons should distinguish paintings from sketchbook leaves and other works on paper, then consider whether the subject is comparable to documented harbour, coastal, landscape, or figurative studies. Public auction records can add useful evidence through sale dates, realized prices, and similar lots, but the collected source pack does not expose individual auction results or support a price trend. Any valuation should therefore be based on a close examination of the specific object and carefully matched public records rather than the artist name alone.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine researched identity records with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. Source gaps and unresolved attribution questions are retained rather than converted into unsupported conclusions.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21457887
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/95730074/
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500008027
- Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:East_Coast_Harbour_-_James_Watterson_Herald_-_ABDAG010593.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Signature_-_Leaf_from_Artist%27s_Sketchbook_-_James_Watterson_Herald_-_ABDAG017791.2.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Recto-_Broughty_Ferry_-_Leaf_from_Artist%27s_Sketchbook_-_James_Watterson_Herald_-_ABDAG017791.22.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Recto-_Trees_-_Leaf_from_Artist%27s_Sketchbook_-_James_Watterson_Herald_-_ABDAG017791.24.jpg
- Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Recto-_Dancing_Putti_-_Leaf_from_Artist%27s_Sketchbook_-_James_Watterson_Herald_-_ABDAG017791.29.jpg
- Appraisily: https://appraisily.com/artist/james-watterson-herald/