# Stephen James Ferris artist context and auction value notes

Canonical page: https://appraisily.com/artist/stephen-james-ferris/
Profile generated: 2026-05-30T13:54:20.129Z
Quality: high confidence, strong sources

## Artist identity

- Birth date: 1835-12-25
- Death date: 1915-07-09
- Nationality: American
- Common media: painting, photography, engraving

## About Stephen James Ferris

Stephen James Ferris (1835–1915) was an American painter, photographer, and engraver based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Active during the second half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth, Ferris worked across multiple media at a time when American printmaking and photography were expanding rapidly as both artistic and commercial practices. His skill as an engraver placed him within a respected tradition of American graphic arts, while his painting and photographic work reflected the era's growing interest in reproductive and fine-art imaging. Ferris died in Plattsburgh, New York, in 1915. Today collectors encounter his work primarily through engraved prints and related graphic works that appear at auction.

## Common works and media

Engraved prints (including reproductive engravings after other artists), oil paintings, and photographic works. Prints may include portraiture, historical subjects, or genre scenes typical of nineteenth-century American graphic arts. Collectors should distinguish between original compositions and reproductive engravings when evaluating Ferris material.

## Market and appraisal context

Ferris's works appear at auction principally as engraved prints, though paintings and photographs also surface. Value depends heavily on medium, with original paintings typically commanding more than reproductive engravings. Condition, plate size, paper quality, and whether a print is signed or titled affect prices. Attribution can be nuanced: engravings bearing Ferris's name may reproduce compositions by other artists. Provenance documentation and comparison with known catalogued works are important steps in any appraisal.

## Appraisily data basis

Appraisily artist pages combine artist identity research with auction records, auction-house context, sale dates, realized prices, and comparable lots when those records are available. For Stephen James Ferris, biographical data is drawn from authority files at the Getty ULAN, VIAF, RKD, and Wikidata.

## Sources

- RKD — Netherlands Institute for Art History: https://rkd.nl/en/explore/artists/27812
- VIAF (OCLC): https://viaf.org/viaf/19574488/
- VIAF (OCLC): https://viaf.org/viaf/306132708/
- Wikidata: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19730649
- Getty Vocabulary Program: https://vocab.getty.edu/page/ulan/500006340
- Library of Congress: https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr96003143