American, 1919–1996
William N. Copley
109results on record
85%sell-through
$7,095median result (USD, incl. premium; 98% observed, 2% estimated from hammer)
$368,535record in our coverage
Drawn from 109 recorded results (97 sold · 12 passed) across 11 auction houses, 1998–2026. 2 upcoming lots on the ledger. What we cover
Median sold price by year typical estimate range median result USD, incl. premium; 98% observed, 2% estimated from hammer method · log scale
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.
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
| Medium | Results | Sell-through | Median result (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| painting | 20 | 67% | $95,361 |
| works on paper | 7 | 100% | $11,070 |
| other | 3 | 67% | $1,728 |
Medium is recorded for 30 of 109 results (28%) — rows above cover that subset; the rest of the record is in the full ledger below.
Compared with Andy Warhol William N. Copley Andy Warhol
| Metric | William N. Copley | Andy Warhol |
|---|---|---|
| Median result | $7,095 | $32,500 |
| Record price | $368,535 | $195,040,000 |
| Results on record | 109 | 15,103 |
| Years active at auction | 1998–2026 | 1998–2026 |
Related artists: Andy WarholSol LewittSam FrancisTom Wesselmann
Market strength liquidity score, 0–100 · method
78/ 100
- Sell-through85%
- Meets estimate59%
- Market depth109 results
How readily and near-estimate this market clears — sell-through, estimate reliability, and depth, blended into one score. "Meets estimate" is the share of sold lots hammering at or above the low estimate, over catalogs that print a real appraisal: a house whose printed low is a starting bid would meet its estimate on every lot, so those lots are excluded from this term only — their prices and outcomes still count in the other two. Method →
Where this artist sells best
| House | Results | Sell-through | Median | vs. estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips | 34 | 82% | $6,214 | — |
| Sotheby's | 30 | 86% | $10,000 | 1.37× |
| Wright | 10 | 100% | $376 | — |
| Ketterer Kunst | 10 | — | $149,992 | — |
| Christie's | 8 | — | $33,745 | — |
| Bonhams | 6 | 83% | $4,462 | 0.64× |
| Rago | 4 | 75% | $2,016 | — |
| Grisebach | 2 | — | $134,783 | — |
| Freeman's | Hindman | 2 | 100% | $27,344 | 3.17× |
| Heritage Auctions | 3 | 67% | $3,250 | — |
| Artcurial | 1 | — | $11,070 | 1.88× |
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 112 recorded lots — sold, passed, and upcoming — results in USD incl. premium; est. marks a premium estimated from the house's schedule ✓ Includes 12 passed lots
| Date | Lot | Medium | vs. estimate | Estimate USD | Result USD, incl. premium | House |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 realized prices on this page are locked. A Research Pass reads 50 of them for $19, once — buy a pass | ||||||
| 2007·02 | Untitled | $2,367–$3,550 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2006·03 | Ohne Titel (aus X-Rated), 1973 | Charcoal drawing | $2,421–$2,421 | Ketterer Kunst | ||
| 2006·02 | Untitled | $1,740–$2,610 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2005·03 | Ohne Titel (Pfeife), 1971 | Acrylic | $3,984–$3,984 | Ketterer Kunst | ||
| 2005·02 | Untitled | $2,806–$3,741 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2005·02 | Untitled | $1,496–$2,244 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2005·02 | Interior | $935–$1,309 | Sotheby's | |||
| 2002·09 | Dig We Must | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | |||
| 2000·10 | Letter to Marcel Duchamp from the S.M.S. Portfolio | $200–$300 | Wright | |||
| 2000·10 | The Barber's Shop from the S.M.S. Portfolio | $200–$300 | Wright | |||
| 1999·08 | Violated Viola | $12,000–$18,000 | Christie's | |||
| 1998·03 | Thus Spake Patrick Henry | $6,000–$8,000 | Christie's | |||
Realized prices are sold by the record: 50 for $19, non-expiring. Reading them at volume is what Starter is for.