William Lester Paintings & Artwork for Sale | William Lester Art Value Price Guide

Dec. 13, 2024
William Lester Stevens Oil, Fall Foliage
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Fall Foliage, oil on panel, signed lower left. Panel apprx 30" x 32", framed in gilt wood, overall apprx 37" x 38-1/4". Gallery label on verso from Child's Gallery, procured from the estate of the artist.
Neue Auctions
Oct. 16, 2024
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS (Massachusetts, 1888-1969), Harbor scene with fishing shack., Watercolor on paper, 20" x 28". Framed 27.5" x 35.5".
Est: $500 - $800
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS Massachusetts, 1888-1969 Harbor scene with fishing shack. Signed lower right.
Eldred's
Aug. 18, 2024
William Lester Stevens, Rockport, Watercolor
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
William Lester Stevens (1888-1969), Rockport, watercolor, signed L/R, 10 1/2" x 13 1/2", framed 19" x 11". Provenance: Hamilton, Massachusetts collection.
Kaminski Auctions
Jul. 26, 2024
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS (Massachusetts, 1888-1969), Clouds over the coast., Oil on board, 10" x 12". Framed 14.5" x 16.5".
Est: $800 - $1,200
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS Massachusetts, 1888-1969 Clouds over the coast. Signed lower right "W. Lester Stevens".
Eldred's
Jul. 26, 2024
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS (Massachusetts, 1888-1969), Sunset over a rocky coast., Oil on canvas board, 8" x 10". Framed 14.5" x 16.5".
Est: $800 - $1,200
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS Massachusetts, 1888-1969 Sunset over a rocky coast. Signed lower right "W.L. Stevens".
Eldred's
Jul. 26, 2024
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS (Massachusetts, 1888-1969), Sun reflecting off snow-covered roofs., Oil on masonite, 16" x 20". Framed 19.5" x 23.5".
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS Massachusetts, 1888-1969 Sun reflecting off snow-covered roofs. Signed lower right "W. Lester Stevens N.A.".
Eldred's
Jul. 26, 2024
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS (Massachusetts, 1888-1969), Village in summertime., Oil on canvas, 40” x 36”. Framed 50” x 46”.
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS Massachusetts, 1888-1969 Village in summertime. Signed lower right "W. Lester Stevens".
Eldred's
May. 01, 2024
William Lester Stevens (American 1888-1969), Rocky Coastal Landscape
Est: $300 - $500
William Lester Stevens American, 1888-1969 Rocky Coastal Landscape watercolor on paper signed 'W. Lester Stevens, N.A.' in pencil lower right. Matted and unframed.
South Bay Auctions Inc
Apr. 18, 2024
William Lester Stevens, oil on canvas landscape
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
William Lester Stevens (American 1888-1969), oil on canvas winter landscape titled Way Down East, was the cover for American Legion magazine February 1937, 36" x 30", frame - 42" x 36". Provenance: A Chester County estate. NO in-house shipping for this lot.
Pook & Pook Inc.
Jan. 27, 2024
William Lester Stevens W/C of Cabin, possibly North Carolina
Est: $400 - $500
William Lester Stevens (American, 1888-1969) watercolor painting, possibly a Southern scene, depicting a cabin in a rural landscape setting. Signed "W. Lester Stevens, N.A." lower right. Housed under glass in a faux wood tramp art style frame with dark gray mat and navy blue reveal. Sight - 21 1/2" W x 17 1/2" H. Frame - 32" W x 28"H. Biography: Rockport, Massachusetts-born William Lester Stevens attended the Boston Museum School as a student of Edmund Tarbell, Frank Benson, Philip Hale and William Paxton. Although he is most commonly associated with the Boston School of painters, Stevens also painted for a period in Charlotte and Asheville, NC, where he gave lessons and held one man shows. In 1921 Stevens and his friend Aldro Hibbard were instrumental in organizing the Rockport Art Association. Stevens was best known for his traditional and impressionist landscapes. He was prolific, and by 1964 had won more awards than any other living artist. Source: American Art Review, Oct. 2003; Falk, Peter Hastings (ed.) Who Was Who in American Art , 1564-1975.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Apr. 22, 2023
William Lester (American/Texas, 1910-1991), "Untitled"
Est: $1,400 - $1,800
William Lester (American/Texas, 1910-1991) "Untitled" gouache on paper signed on framer's backing board. Float-mounted, glazed and framed. 22" x 29", framed 24-3/4" x 32-1/4" Provenance: Catherine and Daniel Stetson Collection, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
New Orleans Auction Galleries
Dec. 04, 2022
William Lester (American/Texas, 1910-1991), "Untitled"
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
William Lester (American/Texas, 1910-1991) "Untitled" gouache on paper signed on framer's backing board. Float-mounted, glazed and framed. 22" x 29", framed 24-3/4" x 32-1/4" Provenance: Catherine and Daniel Stetson Collection, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
New Orleans Auction Galleries
Nov. 12, 2022
William Lester Stevens
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
(American, 1888-1969) Chimney Rock Mountain, NC, signed lower right "W.L.Stevens, N.A.", inscribed verso "Chimney Rock Mountain/Chimney Rock, No Carolina", watercolor on board, 19 x 23-1/2 in.; unframed Provenance: Private Collection, Los Angeles, California
Brunk Auctions
Nov. 05, 2022
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS, (American, 1888-1969), Westfield River In Winter, oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in., frame: 34 1/2 x 40 1/2 in.
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS (American, 1888-1969) Westfield River In Winter oil on canvas signed W Lester Stevens lower right, titled verso
Grogan & Company
Sep. 07, 2022
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS, WATERCOLOR, SHORELINE.
Est: $500 - $800
Wooded oceanside landscape, watercolor on paper. Signed lower right in pencil, W. Lester Stevens N.A. A.W.S. Image 14” x 17”, in gilt wood frame, under glass 24” x 27”.
William Smith Auctions
Apr. 24, 2022
William Lester Stevens. American. Large landscape with house and barn with silo. Oil on canvas.
Est: $3,000 - $4,000
William Lester Stevens. American. Large landscape with house and barn with silo. Oil on canvas. Framed. Signed lower right with N. A. Tiny puncture upper left near side, shows just under the stretcher. Sight: 25 x 30in. Overall: 32 x 37in. In original frame.
Tremont Auctions
Jan. 29, 2022
William Lester Stevens Oil Painting, Horse in a Field
Est: $700 - $900
William Lester Stevens (Massachusetts, 1888-1969) impressionistic oil on canvasboard painting depicting a brown horse grazing in a fenced pasture beneath trees and a blue sky. Signed "W. Lester Stevens N.A." lower left. Phillips, New York, NY auction tag affixed en verso. Housed in a wooden frame with an off white linen liner and a wooden fillet. Sight: 11 3/4" H x 15 3/4" W. Framed: 20 1/4" H x 24 1/4" W. Biography: "Born in Rockport, Massachusetts, impressionist painter William Stevens lived and worked in the area for many years. In the later part of his life, he moved to Conway, Massachusetts. His first art study was with Parker Perkins, and then he attended the Boston Museum School as a student of Edmund Tarbell, Frank Benson, Philip Hale and William Paxton. He taught at Princeton and Boston Universities, and by 1964 had won more awards than any other living artist. Stevens, along with his friend Aldro Hibbard, was instrumental in organizing the Rockport Art Association in 1921 with the goal of making art more accessible to common people. Later in his life Stevens also organized the Conway Festival of the Hills and the Berkshire Arts Festival. Stevens was a member of the Boston School, traditionalists and impressionists, opposed to abstraction in art. The subject matter was usually landscape, views of everyday life, and portraits. William Lester Stevens died on June 10, 1969." (source: American Art Review, October 2003).
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 29, 2022
Large William Lester O/C Expressionist Landscape, Ship Channel
Est: $6,000 - $7,000
Large William Lewis Lester (Texas, 1910-1991) oil on canvas Expressionist landscape painting, titled "Ship Channel", depicting a bird's eye view of a man-made waterway emptying into a body of water to the right with a tree line, road, and hills in the midground and a lock system with ships in the background below a blue sky. Signed, titled and dated 1959 en verso. Additional handwritten label with artist name, title, year, and Austin, TX and additional numbering, en verso. Housed and matted in a modern ebonized wooden frame with a white wooden fillet. Sight: 29 5/8" H x 43 3/4" W. Frame: 36" H x 50 1/8" W. Biography: William Lewis Lester was raised in Dallas, TX, and studied with Thomas Stell and Olin Travis at the Dallas Art Institute. He was an active member of the Dallas Artists League from its inception in 1932 where he exerted his influence during the Great Depression in the evolution of Texas Regionalists art. Lester was also a founding member of the Lone Star Printmakers who created and exhibited lithographic prints. He taught at the school of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (Dallas Museum of Art) as well as at the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, where he also served as chairman from 1952-1954. Lester was highly influenced from the mid-1950s onwards by the striking color and compositions of Mexican artworks, particularly the works of Rufino Tamayo, which led his painting towards greater levels of abstraction. He has been exhibited at the Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas, the Rockefeller Center, The New York World's Fair Exhibition, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Pan American Union. His work is permanently exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Witte Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the American Embassy in Paris among many others. (Adapted from "Lester, William Lewis" by Earl D. Weed and Paul D. Lester, published Oct. 1, 1995 in the handbook of Dallas-Fort Worth; accessed 11/17/21 https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/lester-william-lewis)
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 20, 2022
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS, American (1888-1969), Fall Landscape, oil on canvas, 20 x 22 inches
Est: $800 - $1,200
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS American, (1888-1969) Fall Landscape oil on canvas signed lower left "W. Lester Stevens"
Shannon's
Sep. 19, 2021
William Lester Stevens. American. Large watercolor
Est: $300 - $500
William Lester Stevens. American. Large watercolor street scene with buildings and church steeples. Signed lower right. Framed under glass. Sight: 24.5 x 18.75in. Overall: 31.5 x 25.5in.
Tremont Auctions
Sep. 19, 2021
William Lester Stevens. American. Large watercolor dock
Est: $400 - $600
William Lester Stevens. American. Large watercolor dock scene with boats and buildings. Framed under glass. Signed lower right. Sight: 18.75 x 24.5in. Overall: 25.5 x 31.5in.
Tremont Auctions
Sep. 19, 2021
William Lester Stevens. American. Large watercolor dock
Est: $400 - $600
William Lester Stevens. American. Large watercolor dock scene with boats and buildings. Framed under glass. Signed lower right. Sight: 18.75 x 24.5in. Overall: 25.5 x 31.5in.
Tremont Auctions
Jun. 28, 2020
William Lester Stevens Maine Landscape "Vinal Haven"
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
William Lester Stevens. Monogrammed on reverse- "Vinal Haven". Maine seaside village scene painting. Oil on canvas. Signed lower left W. Lester Stevens N.A. Label with title verso, “Vinal Haven II”. Sight size: 30" x 40". Overall size: 40 ¼" x 50 ½”.
Tremont Auctions
Apr. 22, 2018
LESTER, William. Oil on Board. "Cowboy & Indian"
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
1946. Signed, titled and dated verso. William Lester (American, 1910 - 1991).
Clarke Auction Gallery
Apr. 21, 2018
William Lester Stevens Untitled Watercolor
Est: $480 - $520
William Lester Stevens (United States,1888-1969) single matted and framed under glass water color depicting a house and red barn against a mountain backdrop. Signed to lower right "W. Lester Stevens". Gold painted wood frame measures 25-1/4" in height with width of 31-1/4" and depth of 1-1/4"; the sight image measures 16-1/4" in height with width of 21-1/4". In overall good condition, all measurements are approximate. It is our recommendation that all lots be examined in person by prospective bidders or by a trusted expert they have asked to advise on the purchase.
Bremo Auctions
Mar. 17, 2018
William Harold Lester oil
Est: $300 - $500
Attributed to William Harold Lester (American 1885-1920)- The Toast- oil on cnavas board, minor surface scratches, 1/4'' dent in upper right corner. 24 3/4 x 19''
Rachel Davis Fine Arts
Nov. 19, 2017
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS NA WATERCOLOR
Est: $1,000 - $2,000
WILLIAM LESTER STEVENS, NA (AMERICAN, 1888-1969), WATERCOLOR, H 8", W 11", FALL LANDSCAPE:Depicting a rural landscape with a cottage probably in New England. Framed and matted under acrylic. Member of National Academy and American Watercolor Society. Worked in Leverett, Mass. Primarily.
DuMouchelles
May. 03, 2017
William Lester Stevens Watercolor
Est: $800 - $1,000
Autumn in New England
Arthaz
Jan. 24, 2015
Lester, William
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
White Fence, 1944
David Dike Fine Art
Jan. 24, 2015
Lester, William
Est: $5,000 - $10,000
Primitive Fantasy, 1955
David Dike Fine Art
Jan. 24, 2015
Lester, William
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
Landscape Interior, 1971-1972
David Dike Fine Art
Jan. 28, 2012
William Lester (1910-1991), "Green Cliff" oil on
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
William Lester (1910-1991), "Green Cliff" oil on masonite. Masonite: 24"H x 36"W; Frame: 33.5"H x 45.25"W. Signed verso, "Wm. Lester"; titled verso.
Dallas Fine Art Auction
Jan. 28, 2012
William Lester (1910-1991), "Mesquite Tree" oil
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
William Lester (1910-1991), "Mesquite Tree" oil on board. Board: 24"H x 30"W; Frame: 29.5"H x 36"W. Signed, titled and dated 1944-1945 verso.
Dallas Fine Art Auction
Jan. 28, 2012
William Lester (1910-1991), "Untitled" oil on
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
William Lester (1910-1991), "Untitled" oil on board. Board: 24"H x 28"W; Frame: 31.5"H x 35.5"W. Signed verso, "Wm Lester (S.L.)". Lester, a Dallas artist, studied under Alexandre Hogue, Olin Travis and Tom Stell. He graduated from the Dallas Art Institute in 1932. He was one of the celebrated Dallas Nine artists and taught at the Dallas Museum of Fine Art and then at the University of Texas at Austin. He also painted along the Texas Gulf Coast. This painting is a reflection of his time there and the experimental use of color and technique he was acclaimed for. He has been exhibited nationally, and is in the collections of the Dallas Museum of Art, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.
Dallas Fine Art Auction
May. 14, 2011
WILLIAM LEWIS LESTER (American, 1910-1991) The Mime Oil
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
WILLIAM LEWIS LESTER (American, 1910-1991) The Mime Oil on board 16 x 11 inches (40.6 x 27.9 cm) Inscribed verso: The Mime / WM Lester (S.L.)
Heritage Auctions
Jan. 29, 2011
William Lester (1910-1991), "The Fencemaker" 1941
Est: $6,000 - $9,000
William Lester (1910-1991), "The Fencemaker" 1941 watercolor on paper. Paper: 22"H x 30"W; Frame: 29"H x 36"W. Signed lower left, "Lester". Exhibited: Longview Museum and Art Center; Survey of Texas Artists, September 7-November 9, 1991.
Dallas Fine Art Auction
Jan. 29, 2011
William Lester (1910-1991) "Birds & Old House"
Est: $6,000 - $12,000
William Lester (1910-1991) "Birds & Old House" 1967 oil on board. Board: 22"H x 31"W; Frame: 29.5"H x 38"W. Signed middle right and dated, "Wm Lester 1967". Verso: "Minor Key"
Dallas Fine Art Auction
May. 15, 2010
Untitled
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
WILLIAM LEWIS LESTER (American, 1910-1991) Untitled Watercolor on paper 20 x 28 inches (50.8 x 71.1 cm)
Heritage Auctions
May. 08, 2008
WILLIAM LEWIS LESTER (American, 1910-1991) Musicians, 1959 Oil on linen 30 x 44 inches (76.2 x 111.8 cm) Signed, dated and titled verso on top stretcher: 1959 XI / Musicians Wm. Lester (S.L.) PROVENANCE: Estate of William Lester; Valley House
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
WILLIAM LEWIS LESTER (American, 1910-1991) Musicians, 1959 Oil on linen 30 x 44 inches (76.2 x 111.8 cm) Signed, dated and titled verso on top stretcher: 1959 XI / Musicians Wm. Lester (S.L.) PROVENANCE: Estate of William Lester; Valley House Gallery, Dallas, Texas.
Heritage Auctions
Dec. 02, 2006
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991)
Est: $3,500 - $4,500
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991) Evening, 1957-1959 Oil on linen 44in. x 34in. Signed upper left Signed, titled, and dated verso Strong linear elements provide the basis for this abstract composition of high-rise buildings in the 1950s. Provenance: Sylvia Lester Valley House Gallery Acquired from the above by the present owner
Heritage Auctions
Dec. 02, 2006
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991)
Est: $3,000 - $4,000
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991) Musicians, 1959 Oil on linen 30in. x 44in. Signed and titled verso A modernist depiction of probably a New Orleans jazz quintet including guitar, percussion, banjo, bass, and trumpet. Provenance: Sylvia Lester Valley House Gallery Acquired from the above by the present owner
Heritage Auctions
Dec. 02, 2006
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991)
Est: $3,500 - $4,500
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991) Fire Escape, 1957 Oil on canvas 44in. x 34in. Signed, dated, and titled verso The interplay of geometric shapes and color provides the compositional device William Lester uses in this painting. Without the figure of the woman, this painting would pass as a non-representational geometric abstraction. Provenance: Estate of William Lester Valley House Gallery Acquired from the above by the present owner
Heritage Auctions
Dec. 02, 2006
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991)
Est: $3,000 - $4,000
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991) Fisherman at Night, 1959 Oil on linen 34in. x 44in. Signed upper left Signed, titled, and dated verso The Texas Gulf Coast was a favorite subject of William Lester in his exploration of form and color. Provenance: Sylvia Lester Valley House Gallery Acquired from the above by the present owner
Heritage Auctions
Dec. 02, 2006
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991)
Est: $750 - $1,500
WILLIAM LESTER (1910-1991) Abstraction, 1934 Litho crayon on paper 11in. x 8in. Signed and titled on old mounting This abstraction, derived from natural forms, contains elements of surrealism that were to hallmark William Lester's work from the mid-1930s to the mid-1940s.
Heritage Auctions