# Karl Bodmer artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/karl-bodmer/
Profile generated: 2026-04-30T11:36:42.189Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1809-02-06
- Death date: 1893-10-30
- Nationality: Swiss, French
- Common media: etching, lithography, zinc engraving, oil painting, drawing, printmaking

## About Karl Bodmer

Karl Bodmer (1809–1893) was a Swiss-French printmaker, painter, etcher, and lithographer whose technical versatility spanned zinc engraving, drawing, and book illustration. Born Johann Carl Bodmer in Zurich, he trained as an engraver and was active from the mid-1820s through the end of the nineteenth century. He is recognized in museum and library authority records—including the Library of Congress, VIAF, and the RKD—as a significant graphic artist of Swiss and French heritage. Over a career lasting nearly seven decades, Bodmer produced prints, paintings, and illustrations that secured him a lasting presence in European and American collections. After 1843, following the birth of his son, he adopted the shorter signature K Bodmer. His brothers Rudolf and sons Henri-Adolphe and Frédéric-Rodolphe were also artists, a family pattern well documented in Dutch and Swiss art-historical records.

## Common works and media

Collectors most frequently encounter Bodmer's work in the form of hand-colored etchings and aquatints, lithographs, and zinc engravings. Oil paintings and drawings also appear at auction, though less often than prints. His graphic output covers landscape, travel, and natural-history illustration subjects. Many lots are single plates or bound series from published travel narratives.

## Market and appraisal context

Karl Bodmer maintains a deep and active auction market with 671 recorded lots (588 with prices) spanning 1991 through May 2026. Prices cluster between $550 (25th percentile) and $2,250 (75th percentile), with a median of $1,150 and a ceiling at $32,500—reflecting a market where most individual prints trade in the mid-hundreds to low thousands, while exceptional hand-colored aquatints of iconic Native American portraits can reach five figures. Liquidity has softened recently: 46 priced lots in the trailing twelve months versus 127 in the prior period, though this may reflect cyclical listing cadence rather than diminished demand. Ten auction houses appear in the top-ten roster, including Sotheby's, Bonhams, and Heritage Auctions alongside specialist print dealers such as Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books and Arader Galleries, indicating both blue-chip and specialist-channel demand. The most sought-after subjects are Bodmer's hand-colored aquatint portraits of Mandan, Sioux, and Gros Ventres figures—especially the "Pehriska-Ruhpa" compositions, which have recently realized $5,050–$8,500 at Nadeau's and Trillium. Scenic landscape and hunting subjects from the Maximilian expedition typically trade between $400 and $1,450 per plate. Group lots of three to four engravings generally sell in the $300–$425 range.

## Auction-house-backed market evidence

Karl Bodmer maintains a deep and active auction market with 671 recorded lots (588 with prices) spanning 1991 through May 2026. Prices cluster between $550 (25th percentile) and $2,250 (75th percentile), with a median of $1,150 and a ceiling at $32,500—reflecting a market where most individual prints trade in the mid-hundreds to low thousands, while exceptional hand-colored aquatints of iconic Native American portraits can reach five figures. Liquidity has softened recently: 46 priced lots in the trailing twelve months versus 127 in the prior period, though this may reflect cyclical listing cadence rather than diminished demand. Ten auction houses appear in the top-ten roster, including Sotheby's, Bonhams, and Heritage Auctions alongside specialist print dealers such as Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books and Arader Galleries, indicating both blue-chip and specialist-channel demand. The most sought-after subjects are Bodmer's hand-colored aquatint portraits of Mandan, Sioux, and Gros Ventres figures—especially the "Pehriska-Ruhpa" compositions, which have recently realized $5,050–$8,500 at Nadeau's and Trillium. Scenic landscape and hunting subjects from the Maximilian expedition typically trade between $400 and $1,450 per plate. Group lots of three to four engravings generally sell in the $300–$425 range.

### Appraisal notes

An Appraisily appraisal for a Karl Bodmer work would combine these auction records with close examination of the piece itself: medium (hand-colored aquatint, line engraving, etching, lithograph, oil, or drawing), plate dimensions, paper quality and watermark, hand-coloring fidelity versus later tinting, signature form (full name before 1843 or "K Bodmer" after), plate state (first strike, reissue, or restrike), edition information from the Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied travel narrative or later publications, and condition (foxing, trimming, margin integrity, color stability). Comparable lots are most reliable when matched by subject, plate number, technique, and hand-coloring status. The extensive record base—671 lots with strong price-band coverage—supports defensible fair-market and replacement-value estimates. Provenance documentation and catalogue-raisonné references further strengthen higher-value appraisals.

### Valuation factors

- Medium and technique: hand-colored aquatints command the highest prices among prints; uncolored engravings and later tinted etchings trade at lower levels.
- Subject matter: Native American portraits (Mandan, Sioux, Gros Ventres) consistently outperform scenic landscape and wildlife plates.
- Plate state and edition: first-edition pulls from the 1839–1844 Travels in the Interior of North America are more valuable than reissues or restrikes.
- Condition: foxing, trimmed margins, faded hand-coloring, and paper losses materially reduce value for prints.
- Signature form: full-signature works predate 1843; "K Bodmer" signatures date later and help narrow attribution.
- Hand-coloring quality: original period hand-coloring is preferred over modern or later tinting.
- Group versus individual lots: single important plates regularly exceed $1,000; group lots of three to four prints typically sell below $500.
- Provenance: documented ownership history and exhibition records enhance value, especially for oil paintings and drawings.

### Collector notes

- Bodmer's market is well-established and liquid, making both acquisition and resale straightforward through major and specialist auction houses. Collectors seeking the strongest value appreciation should focus on individual hand-colored aquatints of Native American portrait subjects in excellent condition with full margins. Group lots of scenic engravings offer an accessible entry point below $500 but appreciate more slowly. Verify that hand-coloring is original period work, not later addition—compare against documented examples from the Maximilian expedition plates. Be aware that Bodmer's prints have been widely reproduced; authentic first-edition plates from the 1839–1844 publication carry a premium over later reissues. The recent decline in annual lot volume (46 versus 127 in the prior year) may present buying opportunities but could also signal softening demand—monitor upcoming Sotheby's, Bonhams, and Heritage results for trend confirmation.

### Market caveats

- Auction records reflect 671 lots over 35 years; individual sale prices vary widely by subject, condition, and house, and past results do not guarantee future value.
- Attribution should be confirmed through plate signatures, catalogue references, and expert examination; variant signatures and later restrikes can be confused with first-edition work.
- Some lots in the record are group offerings of multiple prints, which skews individual-plate price interpretation—review lot descriptions carefully before using as comparables.
- The source pack does not include museum collection records or a catalogue raisonné, so comprehensive subject and edition verification relies on published references beyond these records.
- The decline from 127 to 46 priced lots year-over-year may reflect normal market cyclicality, reduced consignment volume, or data-collection timing rather than a structural demand shift.

### Market evidence sources

- Appraisily auction record index: https://appraisily.com/api/scraper-search/artists/karl-bodmer/seo-profile?recentLimit=24&relatedLimit=0
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-idols-of-the-mandan-indians-25-6670-c-0fd320084e
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-swiss-1809-1893-mandeh-pachu-a-young-mandan-indian-eagle-s-beak-1844-finely-hand-colored-aquatint-and-line-engraving-depicting-a-mandan-youth-adorned-in-elaborate-tribal-regalia-with-hair-ornaments-274-c-df6158db8a
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-swiss-1809-1893-wak-te-geli-1844-hand-colored-aquatint-and-line-engraving-depicting-a-sioux-warrior-standing-in-full-ceremonial-dress-with-feathered-headdress-fur-robe-and-tomahawk-in-hand-rendered-273-c-6d20502836
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-pehriska-ruhpa-moennitarri-warrior-in-the-costume-of-the-dog-danse-5548-c-00c2b3e03c
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-sih-chida-and-mahchsi-karehde-mandan-indians-6274-c-5e69256bed
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-herd-of-bisons-and-elks-on-the-upper-missouri-47-4268-c-e8a0298f15
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-pehriska-ruhpa-a-minitarre-or-big-bellied-indian-17-3875-c-2524559a68
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-camp-of-the-gros-ventres-of-the-prairies-on-the-upper-missouri-38-5260-c-75a60261cc
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-george-catlin-color-tinted-etchings-26-c-12a94f1eb5
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-4-early-americana-scenic-engravings-2280-c-a024c70968
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-cave-in-rock-view-on-the-ohio-7-1268-c-2bb496d941
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-3-native-american-scene-engravings-1267-c-8eb44e6842
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-3-native-american-scene-engravings-864-c-241416687f
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-tombs-of-the-assiniboin-indians-on-trees-30-668-c-dca41729cf
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-washinga-sahba-s-grave-on-blackbirds-hill-12-468-c-8b94e6d812
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-massika-saki-indian-wakusasse-musquake-indian-3-257-c-ad146d5832
- Invaluable: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot-karl-bodmer-pehriska-ruhpa-17-60-c-9684d1ca91

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from museum, library, and authority-file sources with auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Karl Bodmer, identity data draws on the Library of Congress Name Authority File, VIAF, the RKD, and Wikidata.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124099
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Bodmer
- VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/71387631/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50010061
- RKD – Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/9570