LIVE LOTS 17,750,507 HOUSES 866 UNSOLD RECORDED 4,679,484 UPDATED NIGHTLY
TheBasis.Art

1723–1790

Smith, Adam. 1723-1790.

30results on record
100%sell-through
$2,341median result (USD, incl. premium; 97% observed, 3% estimated from hammer)
$137,000record in our coverage

Drawn from 30 recorded results (30 sold · 0 passed) across 4 auction houses, 2010–2025. What we cover

Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 97% observed, 3% estimated from hammer method · log scale

$37K$74K$111K2010: $5.0K median, 1 sold2012: $1.2K median, 1 sold2013: $89K median, 1 sold2014: $81K median, 1 sold2015: $137K median, 1 sold2016: $6.4K median, 1 sold2017: $1.8K median, 16 sold2018: $1.9K median, 1 sold2019: $29K median, 2 sold2020: $6.7K median, 2 sold2024: $57K median, 2 sold2025: $1.7K median, 1 sold201020132016201920222025

Where does a value land in this market?

$

The same figure also answers the seller's question: which house clears a work like this, and for how much — expected proceeds by house, from the sell-through the rest of this page is built on.

$2.3K$646$137K

Every sold result for this market, low to high (log scale) — the dashed line is the median. Enter a value to see where it lands.

By medium where medium is recorded or stated in the catalog line

MediumResultsSell-throughMedian result (USD)
other 25 100% $2,260

Medium is recorded for 25 of 30 results (83%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.

Compared with Darwin Smith, Adam. 1723-1790. Darwin

$37K$74K$111K1998: $7.4K median2012: $1.2K median2013: $1.4K median2014: $3.2K median2015: $12K median2016: $8.0K median2017: $3.1K median2018: $4.8K median2019: $9.2K median2020: $5.7K median2021: $7.7K median2022: $5.0K median2023: $7.8K median2024: $6.5K median2025: $8.2K median2026: $5.1K median2010: $5.0K median2012: $1.2K median2013: $89K median2014: $81K median2015: $137K median2016: $6.4K median2017: $1.8K median2018: $1.9K median2019: $29K median2020: $6.7K median2024: $57K median2025: $1.7K median19982005201220192026
MetricSmith, Adam. 1723-1790.Darwin
Median result$2,341$5,120
Record price $137,000 $500,075
Results on record30246
Years active at auction 2010–2025 1998–2026

Related artists: DarwinDickens, Charles. 1812-1870.Wilde, Oscar. 1854-1900.Johnson, Samuel. 1709-1784.

Where this artist sells best

HouseResultsSell-throughMedianvs. estimate
Sotheby's 22 100% $2,341 0.90×
Bonhams 6 100% $6,058 1.34×
Christie's 1 100% $112,966
Bolli & Romiti 1 100% $1,181 2.57×

The same artist across every house we cover — hammer-vs-estimate side by side. A dash in the estimate column can mean withheld rather than unpublished: the house publishes no hammer price, or its printed low is a starting bid rather than an appraisal. Method →

Prices realized 30 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule

DateLotMediumvs. estimateEstimate USDResult USD, incl. premiumHouse
30 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass
2025·03 Essays on Philosophical Subjects. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1795. $800–$1,200 Bonhams
2024·12 Smith, Adam (1723 - 1790) $315–$420 Bolli & Romiti
2024·07 An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations . London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1776. $89,655–$128,079 Christie's
2020·12 SMITH, ADAM | An Inquiry into the...Weath of Nations, third edition, 1784, 3 volumes $930–$1,196 Sotheby's
2020·03 Investigacion de la naturaleza y causas de la riqueza de las naciones. Valladolid: Viuda e Hijos de Santander, 1794. $8,000–$12,000 Bonhams
2019·06 An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: A. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1791. $600–$800 Bonhams
2019·03 The Theory of Moral Sentiments. London: A. Millar, A. Kincaid and J. Bell, 1759. $20,000–$30,000 Bonhams
2018·12 smith, an inquiry into the nature and the causes of the wealth of nations, 1796, 3 volumes $1,266–$1,899 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments. london: w. strahan, j. & f. rivington [&c.], 1774 $1,291–$1,937 Sotheby's
2017·07 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. printed for a. strahan; and t. cadell, 1796 $969–$1,291 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments...the sixth edition...   for a. strahan and a. cadell and (edinburgh:) w. creech and j. bell & co, 1790 $517–$775 Sotheby's
2017·07 two copies of essays on philosophical subjects, comprising: $517–$775 Sotheby's
2017·07 two editions of the wealth of nations, comprising: $517–$775 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments, to which is added a dissertation on the origin of language. london: a. millar, and edinburgh: a. kincaid and j. bell, 1767 $1,937–$3,228 Sotheby's
2017·07 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. dublin: printed for w. colles, r. moncrieffe, g. burnet, et al., 1785 $646–$904 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments. london: a millar, and edinburgh: a. kincaid and j. bell, 1761 $2,583–$3,874 Sotheby's
2017·07 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. london: printed for a. strahan and t. cadell, 1791 $646–$904 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments, to which is added a dissertation on the origin of language. london: a. millar, and edinburgh: a. kincaid and j. bell, 1767 $1,937–$3,228 Sotheby's
2017·07 two copies of the theory of moral sentiments: $904–$1,162 Sotheby's
2017·07 three copies of the wealth of nations, comprising: $517–$775 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments...the fifth edition. for w. strahan, j. and f. rivington, t. longman and t. cadell and (edinburgh:) w. creech, 1781 $969–$1,614 Sotheby's
2017·07 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. london: printed for w. strahan and t. cadell, 1784 $1,937–$3,228 Sotheby's
2017·07 the theory of moral sentiments. london: a. millar, and edinburgh: a. kincaid and j. bell, 1759 $19,370–$25,827 Sotheby's
2017·07 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. london: w. strahan; and t. cadell, 1778 [with] additions and corrections to the first and second editions of dr. adam smith's inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. [london: w. strahan and t. cadell, 1784] $9,685–$12,914 Sotheby's
2016·12 essays on philosophical subjects...to which is prefixed, an account of the life and writings of the author; by dugald stewart, f.r.s.e. london and edinburgh: printed for t. cadell and w. davies...and w. creech, 1795 $2,542–$3,177 Sotheby's
2015·09 An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: W. Strahan; and T. Cadell, 1776. $70,000–$90,000 Bonhams
2014·06 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. london: printed for w. strahan and t. cadell, 1776 $70,000–$100,000 Sotheby's
2013·07 an inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. for w. strahan and t. cadell, 1776 $59,581–$89,372 Sotheby's
2012·10 An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: A. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1786. $800–$1,200 Bonhams
2010·05 recherches sur la nature et les causes de la richesse des nations. seconde édition, avec des notes et observations nouvelles. paris, chez mme veuve agasse, 1822. $1,864–$3,107 Sotheby's

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