William Aiken Walker Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William Aiken Walker Art Value Price Guide

May. 18, 2025
W.A. WALKER PAINTING - SHARECROPPERS
Est: $1,400 - $1,800
19th century primitive oil on wood panel depicting an African-American man and woman in field with bales of cotton on their head. Unsigned, attributed to William Aiken Walker (1839-1921). Walker was known for naive Cotton Kingdom paintings and sharecropper figures. 10 x 8 inches, framed 15.5 x 13.5 in. Mounted under glass.
Americana Auctions
Apr. 29, 2025
ATTRIBUTED TO WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (AMERICAN, 1838-1921) LITTLE GIRL AND BOY AT ARDEN, NORTH CAROLINA Oil on canvas: 12 x 9 in.
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
ATTRIBUTED TO WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER AMERICAN, 1838-1921 LITTLE GIRL AND BOY AT ARDEN, NORTH CAROLINA Oil on canvas: 12 x 9 in. Framed; lower left signed and dated: W. A. Walker, Sept. 1 1880 (the date is barely visible now); verso exhibition label: North Carolina Years/ 1885 First Exhibition of the Artists Association of New Orleans / (Walker exhibited each year through 1905); "Little Negro Girl and Boy at Arden, North Carolina"/ L.l. W.A. Walker, Sept. 21, 1880 / Oil on canvas 9 ½ x 12 inches Catalogue note: According to the chronology listed in "William Aiken Walker: Southern Genre Painter" by August P. Trovaioli and Roulhac B. Toledano, published in 1972, Aiken did exhibit in 1880 and was in Arden, North Carolina in 1880.
Potomack Company
Feb. 13, 2025
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER, AMERICAN 1838-1921, MAN IN A COTTON FIELD, Oil on board, 8 1/4 x 4 in. (21 x 10.2 cm.), Frame: 12 3/4 x 8 3/4 in. (32.4 x 22.2 cm.)
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER AMERICAN, 1838-1921 MAN IN A COTTON FIELD Oil on board Lower left signed: Walker Note: 'Based upon a digital image, this work will be included in the proposed Catalogue Raisonne of paintings by William Aiken Walker being researched by John Fowler.'
Potomack Company
Jan. 18, 2025
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921), "Cotton Picker," H.- 8 3/8 in., W.- 4 1/2 in., Framed- H.- 14 1/8 in., W.- 10 1/8 in.
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
† William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921), "Cotton Picker," oil on artist board, faintly signed lower left, presented in a gilt frame,
Crescent City Auction Gallery
Jan. 18, 2025
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921), "Couple in Cotton Field," H.- 6 1/2 in., W.- 12 1/2 in., Framed- H.- 12 in., W.- 18 in.
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
† William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921), "Couple in Cotton Field," oil on academy board, signed lower left, Sotheby's and Dobiaschofsky's auction labels en verso, presented in a giltwood frame,
Crescent City Auction Gallery
Nov. 22, 2024
William Aiken Walker (American, 1839-1921) "Old Man on Horseback"
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Oil on artist board. Signed 'W. A. Walker' (lower left) and titled on reverse.
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 22, 2024
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Cabin Scene
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Oil on artist board. Signed 'W. A. Walker' (lower left).
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 22, 2024
Unusual William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Cotton Pickers Triptych
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Oil on artist board. Each panel signed 'W. A. Walker'.
Cottone Auctions
Oct. 24, 2024
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER, American 1838-1921, Fresh Sunned Pillows Tonight, (North Carolina Cabin), oil on canvas, 12 1/4 x 18 1/4 in. (31.1 x 46.4 cm.), Frame: 15 3/4 x 21 3/4 x 2 in. (40 x 55.2 x 5.1 cm.)
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER American, 1838-1921 Fresh Sunned Pillows Tonight (North Carolina Cabin) oil on canvas signed lower left "WA Walker."
Shannon's
Jul. 09, 2024
William Aiken Walker, American 1838-1921- The Cotton Pickers' Cabin; o
Est: £2,500 - £3,500
William Aiken Walker, American 1838-1921- The Cotton Pickers' Cabin; oil on board, signed 'WA Walker' (lower left), 23.8 x 31.3 cm. (unframed). Note: Walker established an artistic career as a painter of scenes from the American South throughout the late 19th century. During the 1880s, he regularly made trips along the Mississippi River recording and documenting the lives of African American families going about their everyday routines and created many small scale compositions similar to the present work that would go on to be sold to tourists as souvenirs of the Old South. These paintings became increasingly popular during the period and documented the changing socio-economic structure of the South through the late 19th century. His works are held in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Yale University Art Gallery, Virginia Museum of Fine Art, High Museum of Art, Parrish Art Museum, Morris Museum of Art, and Historic New Orleans Collection. His work is still highly regarded and circulated across the world and this painting displays a balanced and well executed composition typical of his small scale paintings. Based on examination of images of this painting, John Fowler will be including this work in his forthcoming catalogue raisonné.
Roseberys
Jul. 06, 2024
William Aiken Walker W/C, Black Musicians, 1864
Est: $2,400 - $2,800
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Civil War-era watercolor on paper painting, dated 1864, depicting four African American musicians (three men and one woman) seated on chairs and playing various instruments including tambourines, triangle, spoons, and guitar. Dated and Signed "WAW fecit 1864" in pencil lower left corner, with inscription, possibly a title, lower margin: "Select Private Entertainment." 6 1/2" W x 4 1/8" H. Note: this painting, which is dated early in Walker's artistic career, during his service in the Confederate Army, was found in the same envelope with a pencil note reading, "This is my first & only attempt in water colours - I should have had the pleasure of sending you a better piece but unfortunately my teacher Col. Ed White removed to NY and I am left to struggle on in a rudderless patience trying way / with a deep sigh I say Excelsior." The painting and note were discovered in a re-used envelope originally addressed to E. Milby Burton of the Charleston Museum from John D. Lane of Clemson, SC (with sender and addressee names scratched out), inscribed in pencil, "Colored Sketch - by W.A. Walker" with the name "Sally _ Burton" written above. Note: Sally Pinckney Burton was the wife of E. Milby Burton (1898-1977), historian and director of the Charleston Museum. Biography and Context: The son of a prominent cotton agent, Charleston-born William Aiken Walker exhibited his first painting at the South Carolina Institute Fair at the age of 12. He went to Europe to study art in 1860 but returned to America at the outbreak of the Civil War, in which he served as a Confederate private and, following an injury, as a cartographer (in 1864, he was stationed in Charleston, NC and Richmond). While in Richmond, Walker was close with other artists stationed there at the same time, including Adalbert John Volck, William Ludlow Sheppard, and Lt. John R. Key (ref. Trovaioli and Toledano, p. 18). After the war, Walker spent time in Baltimore, MD; Arden, NC; Georgia, Louisiana, and Cuba. In 1870 the Baltimore Sun reported that he had taken a study trip to Europe, but he soon returned to the South. Walker became primarily known for his prolific Southern scenes, mostly depicting rural plantations and the daily life of African Americans. Contrary to the note found with it (which may or may not refer to it), this painting, dated 1864, was not Walker's only or last painting in watercolor, although he became far better known for his oils. In fact, he is known to have painted a series of other small watercolors on cardstock including "crude primitive studies of soldiers and Negroes" (ref. Trovaioli and Toledano, p. 18) during his army service in 1864. The reference in this note to a teacher, "Col. Ed White," is intriguing and might point to a heretofore unknown connection with the renowned American historical genre painter Edwin White who, like Walker, studied abroad but returned to the U.S. on the eve of the Civil War. White then set up a studio at New York University in 1860. In 1869, White returned to Europe where he remained until 1875. He died in New York in 1877. White reached the height of his fame with his painting "Major Anderson Raising the Flag on the Morning of His Taking Possession of Fort Sumter (SC), Dec. 27, 1860," completed in 1862. Biographical Sources cited: Augustus P. Trovaioli and Roulhac B. Toedano, WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER: SOUTHERN GENRE PAINTER; The Johnson Collection; the Archives of Maryland Biographical Series. PROVENANCE: By descent in the historic Pinckney family of South Carolina. For a discussion of Walker's close relationship with the family, see WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER: SOUTHERN GENRE PAINTER, by Trovaioli and Toledano, Preface XV and p. 22.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jul. 06, 2024
William Aiken Walker Painting, View of Charleston Battery
Est: $3,000 - $4,000
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) oil on academy board painting depicting the Charleston Battery. At center left, two figures walk along the promenade before a row of mansions overlooking Charleston Harbor, with a cloudy gray sky overhead. Partial signature lower right. Partial F.W. Devoe Artist Supply label en verso. Unframed. 13" W x 6 1/2" H. Note: At far right, one can see the William Ravenel House at 13 Battery Street, constructed 1845. Its original facade featured Corinthian columns which were destroyed in the earthquake of 1885 and are not present in this image. Next to it is 9 East Battery, the William Roper House, built 1838. It has been a National Historic Landmark since 1973 and was restored by the Richard Jenrette Foundation. The Italianate stucco house at 5 East Battery was built by John Ravenel in 1848; it also suffered damage in the 1885 earthquake but was rebuilt to its original appearance and later painted. It is now popularly known as "The Pink House". (There is no house at 3 East Battery.) 1 East Battery, at far left, is shown here in its original bi-color facade. The home was constructed for Louis DeSaussure in 1858-60; the iron balconies seen here were added by its second owner, Bernard O'Neill, who bought the house in 1888, making it likely that this painting was completed by Walker sometime around 1890-1920. (By the 1920s, the metal roof balustrade seen in this painting had been removed.) (Source: Historic Charleston Foundation). Biography: The son of a prominent cotton agent, Charleston-born William Aiken Walker exhibited his first painting at the South Carolina Institute Fair at the age of 12. He went to Europe to study art in 1860 but returned to America during the Civil War, in which he served as a Confederate private and, following an injury, as a cartographer. After the war, Walker became primarily known for his prolific Southern scenes, mostly depicting rural plantations and the daily life of African Americans. His city/architectural views of Charleston are far more rare. PROVENANCE: By descent in the historic Pinckney family of South Carolina. For a discussion of Walker's close relationship with the family, ref. WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER: SOUTHERN GENRE PAINTER, Trovaioli and Toledano, Preface XV and p. 22.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jul. 06, 2024
Exhibited William Aiken Walker W/C, Cabin at Arden NC
Est: $3,000 - $3,400
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1839-1921), "Cabin at Arden, North Carolina, 1885", exhibited watercolor on paper painting depicting two Black figures in the yard of a small log cabin, with another figure visible just inside the doorway, and mountains in the background under a gray and white cloudy sky. Signed W.A. Walker lower left and dated 1885, with artist's name and title of work written on the beige mat. Label en verso states the work was exhibited at "The World of William Aiken Walker", the Louisiana State Museum, Dec. 1972-Jan. 1973. Inscribed with title, artist and original owner's name, Sally Pinckney Burton, en verso, and retaining part of an old Gordon's Art Shop, Charleston, framing label. Framed under glass in a narrow oak frame. Sight - 9 1/2"H x 6 1/2"W. Frame - 15"H x 11"W. Note: according to WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER: SOUTHERN GENRE PAINTER by Trovaioli and Toledano, Sally Pinckney Burton, the wife of E. Milby Burton, Charleston Museum director, historian and author, "recalled Walker's visits to Runnymede, the family estate near Charleston, and their summer home in Arden." (Preface XV) Artist Biography: Biography: The son of a prominent cotton agent, Charleston-born William Aiken Walker exhibited his first painting at the South Carolina Institute Fair at the age of 12. He went to Europe to study art in 1860 but returned to America during the Civil War, in which he served as a Confederate private and, following an injury, as a cartographer. After the war, Walker became primarily known for his prolific Southern scenes, mostly depicting rural plantations and the daily life of African Americans. PROVENANCE: By descent in the historic Pinckney family of South Carolina.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jun. 29, 2024
William Aiken Walker (1838–1921) American
Est: $3,500 - $5,500
William Aiken Walker (1838–1921) Oil on carved wood paddle, signed lower right and on verso, actual wood paddle piece measures 14 x 3 inches and framed in circular frame 22 x 18.5 inches with window on back showing signature on verso. A genre painter, William Aiken Walker, is primarily known for his expressions of plantations, cotton fields, African Americans, and dock scenes. The son of a prominent cotton agent, he was a true Southerner, born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1838. Walker completed his first painting at twelve and painted until his death in 1921. Although he studied in Dusseldorf sometime during the 1860s, he was primarily self-taught. A social and friendly man, Walker often entertained friends with stories of his southern travels, which included Florida, Galveston, Texas, and the Carolinas. It is thought that he was somewhat inspired by European artistic subjects and styles, and also made at least one trip to that continent. Currier and Ives published several of his color lithographs in 1884; most notably "Cotton Plantation on the Mississippi" and "The Levee, New Orleans," and his recognition soon grew. Throughout the Civil War, Walker remained in Charleston; becoming a member of the Confederate Engineer Corps, drafting sketches and preparing maps for the Confederacy. From 1876 to 1905, Walker regarded New Orleans as his home. There he became especially close to Everett B. D. Fabino Julio, with whom he tried to form an art league. Although their league did not succeed, the project led to what would later become the Southern Art Union, which was formed in 1880, the earliest such association in New Orleans. Walkers most productive period was during the early 1880s when he painted hundreds of pictures of poor rustic blacks. He enjoyed North Carolina, and spent many summers at Arden Park Lodge in the Asheville area, until it burned in 1919. The lodge was owned by Charles Beale of Arden, who became Walkers patron, enabling him to become a regular artist-in-residence and to sell his paintings at the lodge, with scenes of blacks working on tobacco farms.His works are detailed due to some use of a camera, and sometimes lack of emotional depth. The number of landscapes he painted increased after 1890. Walker had added talents, and was known to sing, play the violin and piano, and compose poetry in English and French. One of his art students was Blanche Blanchard, who copied some of his work and painted in Walkers style.
Cutler Bay Auctions
Jun. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker (Pair)
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Two Figures, A Man with Cane and a Woman, signed lower left "WAWalker", oil on artist board, each 12 x 6 in.; matching gilt wood frames, 15-1/2 x 9-1/2 in. Provenance: Collection of Steve Stewart, Lake Lure, North Carolina
Brunk Auctions
Jun. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Man with a Pipe, signed lower left "WAWalker", oil on board, 8-1/4 x 4 in.; giltwood frame, 11-1/4 x 7-1/2 in. Provenance: Private Collection, California
Brunk Auctions
Jun. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Apex and Annie, Pair of Cotton Pickers, each signed lower left "WAWalker", oil on academy board, 8-1/4 x 4-1/4 in.; giltwood frames with linen spacers,14 x 9-3/4 in. Provenance: Robert M. Hicklin Jr., Inc., Spartanburg, SC; Collection of Steve Stewart, Lake Lure, North Carolina
Brunk Auctions
Jun. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker (Pair)
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Two Figures, A Man and a Woman, signed lower left "WAWalker", oil on artist board, each 12 x 6 in.; matching gilt wood frames, 15-1/2 x 9-1/2 in. Provenance: Robert M Hicklin, Jr., Inc., Spartanburg, South Carolina; Collection of Steve Stewart, Lake Lure, North Carolina
Brunk Auctions
Jun. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Cabin Scene, signed lower left "WAWalker", inscribed in pencil verso "Cabin / 6 x 12 / each $10 / pair $15", oil on board, 6-1/4 x 12-1/2 in.; gilt wood frame, 12 x 18 in. Provenance: Collection of Steve Stewart, Lake Lure, North Carolina
Brunk Auctions
Jun. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Possum Hunter, signed lower left "WAWalker", oil on academy board, 12-3/8 x 6-1/8 in.; reworked period frame,15-3/4 x 9-3/4 in. Provenance: Sold at Pook & Pook, 27 October 2006, for $15,000; Collection of Steve Stewart, Lake Lure, North Carolina
Brunk Auctions
Jun. 26, 2024
William Aiken Walker. Napoleon at Austerlitz
Est: -
Oil on canvas. Signed in the lower left corner.
Duran Arte y Subastas
Jun. 25, 2024
William Aiken Walker (1839-1921), Possum Hunter, O/B
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Property from a Private Collection, Charleston, SC Description: William Aiken Walker (SC, 1839-1921), Possum Hunter, Oil on Board, signed lower left, depicting a man standing in a field of cotton holding a possum by the tail, inscription with title and measurements on verso, with John Hanna Galleries Detroit label on frame, in a giltwood frame. Frame size: 18 1/8 in. x 12 in. William Aiken Walker was an American painter known for his depictions of Black Americans in the post-Reconstruction South. Born and raised in South Carolina, Walker served in the Confederate Army before an injury gave him time to paint. He spent the latter half of the war as a draftsman creating maps and drawings of Charleston’s defenses. When the war ended, he moved to Baltimore and created small paintings of the ‘Old South’ to sell to tourists. He also supported himself by hand-coloring photographs and travelled in search of commissions. Two of his paintings were reproduced by Currier and Ives as color lithographs. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the MFA, Boston, Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Parrish Art Museum, Morris Museum of Art and the High Museum of Art, among others. Measurements: Height: by sight, 12 1/8 in. x Width: 6 in. Condition: Good condition, minor inpainting on either side of tail and to right of back legs of possum, craquelure, some rubbing along left frame edge, frame with some chips and losses. Notice to bidders: The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections, or the conditions of aging. PHOTOS MAY ALSO ACT AS A CONDITION REPORT. Please review all photos closely prior to bidding. Complete condition reports are available by request, no later than 24 hours prior to the live auction. All lots are offered and sold 'AS IS’, and Everard Auctions will not provide refunds based on condition. Timepiece movements, lighting and electrics have not been tested, and art has not been examined out of the frame unless otherwise stated. We do not guarantee the condition of frames. By placing a bid, either in person, by phone, absentee or via the Internet, you signify that you agree to be bound by the conditions of sale. Everard Auctions does not provide any shipping or packing services. We recommend that all potential buyers obtain pack/ship estimates prior to bidding. Please contact us for a list of recommended shippers.
Everard Auctions and Appraisals
May. 09, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) The Cottonfield, signed lower left "WA Walker", oil on academy board, 6-1/4 x 12-1/4 in.; gilt wood frame, 10-1/2 x 17 x 2 in. Provenance: Kennedy Galleries, New York, New York; Christies, New York, 25 March, 2015, lot 57; Private Collection, Florida
Brunk Auctions
May. 03, 2024
* WALKER, WILLIAM AIKEN: Cabin scene.
Est: CHF3,000 - CHF4,500
WALKER, WILLIAM AIKEN (1838 Charleston/South Carolina 1921) * : Cabin scene; Öl auf Holz; 15,5x32 cm; sig. u.l.
Dobiaschofsky Auktionen AG
May. 02, 2024
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER, American 1838-1921, Sunday Afternoon, oil on board, 9 x 12 in. (22.9 x 30.5 cm.), Frame: 11 3/4 x 14 3/4 x 1 1/4 in. (29.8 x 37.5 x 3.2 cm.)
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER American, 1838-1921 Sunday Afternoon oil on board signed lower left "WA Walker"
Shannon's
Apr. 07, 2024
PAIR WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER LTD ED PRINTS
Est: $250 - $300
Pair William Aiken Walker Edition :Prints. Numbered. Professionally framed and double matted 17"x12"x1". Weight 5 lbs.William Aiken Walker (Charleston, SC 1839 - 1921) was an American artist best known for genre paintings of African-American sharecroppers. He also documented the American Civil War era during his service in the Confederate Army.
Charleston Estate Services Auctions & Appraisals
Apr. 05, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $9,000 - $12,000
William Aiken Walker (South Carolina, 1838-1921) LOWCOUNTRY CABIN SCENE oil on board, framed, signed H6" W12" Provenance: Private collection
Charlton Hall
Mar. 23, 2024
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (1839 - 1921)
Est: $5,000 - $9,000
framed to 17" x 12" - paint on board, signed. 100% authentic. Period frame.
Ledbetter Auctions
Jan. 31, 2024
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (AMERICAN 1838-1921), THE COTTON PICKER
Est: £600 - £800
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (AMERICAN 1838-1921)THE COTTON PICKEROil on boardSigned (lower left)19.5 x 9.3cm (7½ x 3½ in.)
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Jan. 27, 2024
William Aiken Walker O/C Seascape, likely Coastal Florida
Est: $7,000 - $8,000
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) oil on linen painting laid to card-stock, depicting a coastal landscape with sandy beach, palm tree, cactus, and various beach shrubs, likely Florida. Signed lower left, "W. A. Walker." With McCrary & Branson gallery labels affixed to verso. Housed under glass in the original McCrary & Branson molded giltwood frame with repeating floral and leaf designs and gold mat. Sight: 5 7/8" H x 17 5/8" W. Framed: 12 1/2" H x 24 1/2" W. Note: McCrary & Branson was a Knoxville-based commercial art gallery and portrait studio operated by artist Lloyd Branson and partner Frank McCrary from the early 1880s until 1903. Biography: The son of a prominent cotton agent, Charleston-born William Aiken Walker exhibited his first painting at the South Carolina Institute Fair at the age of 12. He went to Europe to study art in 1860 but returned to America during the Civil War, in which he served as a Confederate private and, following an injury, as a cartographer. After the war, Walker became primarily known for his prolific Southern scenes including plantations, African-Americans, and dock scenes. Some were commissioned by wealthy patrons; others were produced as souvenirs of the Old South for the tourist trade. Currier and Ives published several of these works as lithographs. In his later years, he painted scenes in Florida and North Carolina.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 24, 2024
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Cotton Field
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Oil on academy board. Signed 'W. A. Walker' (lower left).
Cottone Auctions
Jan. 11, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $8,000 - $10,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) The Cottonfield, signed lower left "WA Walker", oil on academy board, 6-1/4 x 12-1/4 in.; gilt wood frame, 10-1/2 x 17 x 2 in. Provenance: Kennedy Galleries, New York, New York; Christies, New York, 25 March, 2015, lot 57; Private Collection, Florida
Brunk Auctions
Jan. 10, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $4,000 - $5,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Sharecropper's Cabin, signed lower left, "WA Walker", oil on academy board, 9-1/4 x 12-1/8 in.; modern gilt wood frame, 15-1/2 x 18 in. Provenance: Property from a Historic South Carolina Plantation
Brunk Auctions
Jan. 10, 2024
William Aiken Walker
Est: $6,000 - $8,000
(American/South Carolina, 1838-1921) Sharecroppers, signed lower left, "WA Walker", oil on academy board, 6-1/4 x 12-5/8 in.; modern gilt wood frame, 11-1/4 x 17-1/2 in. Provenance: Property from a Historic South Carolina Plantation
Brunk Auctions
Dec. 09, 2023
WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (1839 - 1921)
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
American Artist. From the collection of Quincy Scarborough. Quincy is noted for collecting works by WA Walker over the last 40 years.
Ledbetter Auctions
Dec. 03, 2023
William Aiken Walker, (American/South Carolina, 1839-1921), "Family Wash Day, Cabin Scene"
Est: $4,000 - $7,000
William Aiken Walker (American/South Carolina, 1839-1921) "Family Wash Day, Cabin Scene" oil on academy board signed lower left. Framed. 6" x 12", framed 8-3/4" x 14-3/4"
New Orleans Auction Galleries
Dec. 02, 2023
William Aiken Walker, Charleston South Carolina, Maryland, New Orleans (1838-1921), Homestead, oil on board
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
William Aiken Walker Charleston South Carolina, Maryland, New Orleans, (1838-1921) Homestead oil on board signed lower left, unframed. This intricately painted family portrait and homestead scene by William Aiken Walker, who worked as an itinerant painter documenting the lives of African Americans in the South, shows us in tiny yet great detail what life was like for a family of African Americans living on a homestead in a wooden home of Creole style. A mother (or grandmother) sits on the front porch with two small children standing next to her, and another couple stand outside around a wash basin and next to another child. Various farm animals roam free: about a dozen chickens (their wooden coop is on the left), a couple of dogs, and a pig. A large cauldron of boiling water is under a fire out front in the yard. We also see jugs, boxes, an animal skin nailed to the façade of the home, red peppers hanging outside to dry, a broom, some boxes, a fence and some laundry hanging on it that had been set out to dry. The genre scene features Black emancipated farmers (former slaves working as sharecroppers) in Reconstruction-era South at work on their laundry day. This painting is a terrific example of Walker's work as he paid close attention to the detail of the lives and livelihoods of those he painted. Walker's father was a cotton agent so he had the chance to travel with him throughout the South and see firsthand what life was like for those who lived and worked there in the late 19th and early 20th c.
Link Auction Galleries
Nov. 30, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Beach Scene with Palm Tree
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
1904. Oil on academy board. Signed W.A. Walker (lower left).
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 30, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Possum Hunter
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Oil on academy board. Signed W.A. Walker (lower left)
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 30, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Portrait
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Oil on academy board. Signed W.A. Walker (lower left)
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 30, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Cabin Scene
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
Oil on panel. Signed W.A. Walker (lower left).
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 30, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Cabin Scene
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Oil on panel. Signed W.A. Walker (lower left).
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 10, 2023
William Aiken Walker
Est: $5,000 - $7,000
William Aiken Walker (South Carolina, 1838-1921) MAN WITH CANE IN FIELD oil on board, framed, signed H8 3/4" W4 1/2" Provenance: Private collection
Charlton Hall
Sep. 29, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921), Seascape
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
Oil on artist board. Signed and dated 1905 (lower left). Willaim Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) William Aiken Walker was an American artist best known for genre paintings of black sharecroppers. He also documented the American civil ware era during his service in the confederate army. William Aiken Walker was born to an Irish Protestant father and a mother of South Carolina background in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1861, during the American Civil War, Walker was conscripted into the Confederate Army and was sent to Morris Island as part of the Palmetto Guard. Almost immediately, Walker was sent on to Richmond and Camp Davis. He was medically discharged from the army four months later. For the remainder of the war, he served as a civilian draftsman to the Confederate Engineers Corps and made maps and drawings of Charleston’s defenses. After the Civil War, Walker moved to Baltimore, where he produced small paintings of the “Old South” to sell as tourist souvenirs. He is best known for his paintings depicting the lives of poor black emancipated slaves, especially sharecroppers in the post-reconstruction American South.
Cottone Auctions
Sep. 29, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921), "View of New Smyrna Beach, FL"
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
Oil on canvas. Signed (lower left). Willaim Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) William Aiken Walker was an American artist best known for genre paintings of black sharecroppers. He also documented the American civil ware era during his service in the confederate army. William Aiken Walker was born to an Irish Protestant father and a mother of South Carolina background in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1861, during the American Civil War, Walker was conscripted into the Confederate Army and was sent to Morris Island as part of the Palmetto Guard. Almost immediately, Walker was sent on to Richmond and Camp Davis. He was medically discharged from the army four months later. For the remainder of the war, he served as a civilian draftsman to the Confederate Engineers Corps and made maps and drawings of Charleston’s defenses. After the Civil War, Walker moved to Baltimore, where he produced small paintings of the “Old South” to sell as tourist souvenirs. He is best known for his paintings depicting the lives of poor black emancipated slaves, especially sharecroppers in the post-reconstruction American South.
Cottone Auctions
Sep. 29, 2023
William Aiken Walker (1838-1921), Cotton Workers
Est: $7,000 - $10,000
Oil on artist board. Signed (lower left). Willaim Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) William Aiken Walker was an American artist best known for genre paintings of black sharecroppers. He also documented the American civil ware era during his service in the confederate army. William Aiken Walker was born to an Irish Protestant father and a mother of South Carolina background in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1861, during the American Civil War, Walker was conscripted into the Confederate Army and was sent to Morris Island as part of the Palmetto Guard. Almost immediately, Walker was sent on to Richmond and Camp Davis. He was medically discharged from the army four months later. For the remainder of the war, he served as a civilian draftsman to the Confederate Engineers Corps and made maps and drawings of Charleston’s defenses. After the Civil War, Walker moved to Baltimore, where he produced small paintings of the “Old South” to sell as tourist souvenirs. He is best known for his paintings depicting the lives of poor black emancipated slaves, especially sharecroppers in the post-reconstruction American South.
Cottone Auctions
Sep. 23, 2023
RARE WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (AMERICAN, 1839-1921) PORTRAIT TRIPTYCH
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
RARE WILLIAM AIKEN WALKER (AMERICAN, 1839-1921) PORTRAIT TRIPTYCH, oil on board, each a fine full-length depiction with excellent detail of a cotton picker in the field, two men flanking a woman at center, and signed at lower edge, each bearing period pencil inscription verso, probably in the artist's hand, regarding price and size, the verso inscription for the portrait of the man on the left reads "4 x 8 / each $3.00 / pair $5.00 / man". Housed in a period, possibly original, gilt frame with molded-composition ornament retaining period printed framer's label applied verso for "P. KAUFFMAN / FINE ARTS / BROADWAY / NEW YORK". Fourth quarter 19th/early 20th century. Each 4" x 8" object, 13 3/4" x 19 1/4" OA. Catalogue Note: Born in Charleston, South Carolina, William Aiken Walker (1839-1921) was a prolific painter of souvenir portraits that depicted working class subjects, mostly poor African-Americans, in the American South during Reconstruction. Primarily self-taught, Walker served as a cartographer for the Confederacy during the Civil War, and began a pattern of itineracy after the war's conclusion that included stops in Charleston, the mountains of North Carolina, and New Orleans. Extremely popular in his lifetime, Walker painted two large Louisiana landscapes that were reproduced as lithographs by Currier & Ives.
Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates
Sep. 19, 2023
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Man with a Basket of Cotton 8 1/4 x 4 1/8 in. framed 14 x 10 1/4 x 2 in.
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
William Aiken Walker (American, 1838-1921) Man with a Basket of Cotton signed 'WA Walker.' (lower left) oil on board 8 1/4 x 4 1/8 in. framed 14 x 10 1/4 x 2 in.
Bonhams