# Robert Adam artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/robert-adam/
Profile generated: 2026-05-30T14:44:54.875Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1728-07-03
- Death date: 1792-03-03
- Nationality: British, Scottish
- Movements: Neoclassicism
- Common media: Architectural drawings and plans, Interior design schemes, Furniture design

## About Robert Adam

Robert Adam (1728–1792) was a Scottish architect, interior designer, and furniture designer who became the leading figure of British neoclassicism. Born in Kirkcaldy, he trained under his father William Adam, then Scotland's foremost architect, before joining the family practice with his brother John. Adam's Grand Tour of Italy and exposure to classical antiquity shaped the refined decorative idiom that came to be known as the Adam style. His influence extended across country houses, urban townhouses, and public buildings throughout Britain, and the Tate, RKD, and Getty ULAN all document his significance. Collectors most often encounter his work through architectural drawings, furniture, and interior design schemes that circulated widely and were imitated for decades after his death.

## Common works and media

Collectors may encounter Adam's work as original architectural elevations and plans, furniture designs and executed pieces, ornamental plasterwork drawings, carpet and textile designs, and interior scheme presentations. The RKD records over 230 catalogued images attributed to him, spanning drawings, prints, and design records. Works on paper are the most frequently traded category at auction.

## Market and appraisal context

Robert Adam's auction market centers on architectural drawings, original furniture, and decorative objects attributed to his workshop. Provenance and confident attribution are the primary valuation drivers: works with documented links to specific Adam commissions command premiums. Many pieces described as "Adam style" are later reproductions, so specialist verification of date, medium, and workshop origin is essential. Condition, completeness of design sets, and whether a drawing relates to a known built project also affect appraisal. His 199 documented auction appearances at Invaluable suggest a steady but specialized collector market.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research from authority files and museum collections with auction records, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots. For Robert Adam, sources include Getty ULAN, VIAF, the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), Tate, Wikidata, and Invaluable auction records. When specific sale records are available, they are reflected in the market data shown on this page.

## Sources

- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q312635
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Adam
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500008907
- VIAF / OCLC: https://viaf.org/viaf/59122607/
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50035115
- Tate: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/robert-adam-2411
- Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/364