Joseph (1820) Wolf Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Joseph (1820) Wolf Art Value Price Guide

Apr. 09, 2025
Wolf (Joseph, 1820-1899). Six Lithographs of Birds [1866 - 69]
Est: £300 - £500
Wolf (Joseph, 1820-1899). Six Lithographs of Birds [1866 - 69] * Wolf (Joseph, 1820-1899). Six Lithographs of Birds: Fratercula Glacialis, Meleagris Mexicana, Falco Candicans, Falco Iclandicus, Aegiothus Exilipes & Campylorhynchus Affinis, originally published in Daniel G. Elliot's The New and Heretofore Unfigured Species of the Birds of North America, Philadelphia: Bowen & Co. [1866 - 69], six lithographs with bright contemporary hand-colouring, slight spotting and staining, Campylorhynchus Affinis toned and mount stained, each approximately 560 x 440 mm QTY: (6)
Dominic Winter Auctions
Apr. 05, 2025
Joseph Wolf Original Watercolor Study of a European Goshawk for Gould's Birds of a Great Britain
Est: $120,000 - $160,000
WOLF, Joseph (German, 1820-1899). European Goshawk (Adult Female). Partial study for John Goulds Birds of Great Britain, Vol. I, Pl. 9. Watercolor on paper. Signed lower right: "J Wolf". 1861. 26" x 17 1/2" visible, 34" x 25 1/2" framed. A Magnificent Painting of a Bird of Prey in Life Size WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE BEST ALL-ROUND ANIMAL PAINTER THAT EVER LIVED (Sir Edwin Landseer) Wolfs depiction of the Goshawk is related to the composition in Goulds Birds of Great Britain, but differs a bit in that it does not include the second bird, but rather a landscape beyond. Gould wrote of this bird: "The many instances on record of the breeding and capture of this truly noble species of Hawk in the midland and eastern counties of England and in Scotland, preclude its being regarded as one of our rarer birds; at the same time how difficult would it be to say with certainty when and where it may be seen with us in a state of nature? A pair or more, if fortunate enough to escape the vigilance of the keeper, may this year establish themselves in a suitable locality, breed, and rear their young; the next, a similar attempt would be rendered futile by their destruction; and a somewhat lengthened period may elapse before others arrive from the great nurseries of France, Germany, and Scandinavia.... This fine bird has been carefully preserved and, I believe, is still at Somerleyton Hall, now the property of Sir Francis Crossley, Bart... The Goshawk does not appear to be common in any part of North Africa, from Morocco to the Nile; and the Rev. H. B. Tristram says it cannot be regarded as a bird of Palestine southward of the wooded districts of Lebanon ; but Signor Fidas, a zealous Italian collector at Beyrout, showed him the skin of one he had purchased in the flesh in the market of that city (Ibis, 1865, p. 259). Lord Lilford states that it is not very common in the Ionian Islands; he only met with two immature examples in Epirus, but saw at Santa Maura a fine pair that had been killed on that island a few weeks previously ; he was told that the species is common, and breeds in Albania proper, Montenegro, and Bosnia, in which last province it is trained for taking Hares ; his Lordship adds, The Goshawk seems to be an object of special aversion to Rooks, Magpies, Jays, &c., who will allow a Buzzard, Harrier, or Falcon to remain unmolested in their haunts, but immediately pursue this species with loud cries and every appearance of excessive hatred and defiance. Ibis, 1860, p. 9. Lord Lilford bas once or twice seen the Goshawk in Andalusia, and also in Catalonia. The Spaniards call the bird Azov. In Portugal, where it is said to be tolerably common, it is known as the Ago? The veteran Temminck informs us that it is very common in France, Germany, and Switzerland, hut is very rare in Holland; while every traveller who has visited Sweden, Lapland, Bothnia, and Finmark speaks of it as a summer visitant, and as breeding in those countries as far north as the Scotch fir extends. We have yet to speak of its occurrence in a more easterly direction; India, China, and Amoorland claim for it a place in their avifaunas. The Goshawk, says Mr. Jerdon, is found in the Himalayas, and, I think, also on the Neilgherries, though more rarely. There, as in Europe and elsewhere, it ever affects the mountainous districts; and, continues Mr. Jerdon, if it ever occurs in the plains it is only a straggler or bird of passage. The female is the most highly esteemed bird of prey in India, and a trained bird used to be sold for a large sum in former days. They are caught when young, and sold on the skirts of the N. W. Himalayas to falconers from different parts of India, for prices varying from 20 to 50 rupees for the female, and from iO to 20 or 30 for the male. The female is trained to strike the Houbara Bustard, Kites, and Neophrons, Ducks, and many other large water-birds, such as Cormorants, Herons, Ibises, &c. It is, however, chiefly trained to catch Hares. For this purpose she is booted, or furnished with leather leggings, to prevent her legs being injured by thorns, as the Hare generally drags the Hawk some yards after being struck. She strikes with one leg only, and stretches the other out behind to clutch grass, twigs, or anything on the ground, to put the drag, as it were, on the Hare. The male is trained to strike Partridges, Rock-pigeons, Crows, Teal, &c. The Goshawk flies direct at its prey, and gets its speed at once; if it does not reach the quarry within a reasonable distance (say, from 100 to 200 yards) it generally gives up the chase, and either returns to the falconers fist or perches on some neighbouring tree or the ground. The disposition, actions, and mode of flight, and the manner in which the Goshawk steals upon its prey, are both singular and interesting. It is never seen hovering, like the Kestril, and but seldom high in the air, like the Falcons; on the contrary, it sits motionless, for hours together, under the shadowy canopy of a leafy tree, mostly close to the bole, and not on the exposed branches whence it scans the surrounding space, and, upon the appearance of a Hare, Partridge, or any quadruped or bird upon which it feeds, sneaks upon its prey in the most artful manner. Mr. Wolf tells me that he has known it, when pressed by hunger, dash out of its retreat and give chase to a Short-eared Owl... The Plate represents an adult female, about two-thirds of the natural size, with a reduced figure of a young bird in the distance.
Arader Galleries
Apr. 05, 2025
Joseph Wolf Original Watercolor Study of a Saker Falcon for Gould's Birds of Asia
Est: $60,000 - $80,000
WOLF, Joseph (German, 1820-1899). Saker Falcon; Falco sacer; Falco cherrug Gray Study for John Gould The Birds of Asia, I, plate 5. Pencil and watercolor heightened with bodycolor and gum arabic ca. 1850 21 3/4" x 14 3/4" sheet, 31" x 24" framed. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE BEST ALL-ROUND ANIMAL PAINTER THAT EVER LIVED (Sir Edwin Landseer) Provenance: Thomas L. Powys, 4th Baron Lilford (1833-1896); Frederick Du Cane Godman. Goulds designation of this species as cherrug indicates that it is the subspecies that ranges from Central Europe to Central Asia. The saker falcon distinction as the second-fastest bird in flight makes it a covetable symbol of speed, agility and power. This bird has been used in falconry throughout the Arabian Peninsula for thousands of years and has played a significant role in Arab heritage and culture for over 9,000 years. The saker falcon serves as the national emblem of several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Yemen. Gould wrote of this bird in his description of vol. 1, plate 5, he provides his own insights as well as his noted contemporaries: In south-eastern Europe, in Asia Minor, and in the intermediate countries as far as Afghanistan, this bird will probably be found in all situations suited to its habits. It is known to breed in abundance in the low, flat, country of Bulgaria, and it is doubtless also to be found in the sandy deserts of Asia Minor and northern Persia. In the Rev. H. B. Tristrams Notes on the Ornithology of Palestine, that gentleman says : This splendid Falcon only came once under my observation in the oak-forests of Bashan, where I was close to it, as it perched in a tree overhead. It seems to prefer the wide plains and deserts to the cliffs of the Jordan valley. The Sheikhs of the Beni Sakkr (sons of the Falcon) make it a point of distinction to possess several of these birds trained for the chase of the gazelle; and the distinction between it and the Lanner is well known to all the Arabs... In the appendix at the end of the third volume of the Birds of India/ Dr. Jerdon says : This rare European bird, the Saker Falcon of old writers, is brought in tolerable abundance from the Hazara country and the Alpine Punjab generally, and is much used for hawking the Indian Houbara Bustard, Hares, &c.Professor Schlegel remarks that The name of Saker, used in Europe since the time of the Emperor Frederick II and Marco Polo, is evidently of Arab origin; for it is by this name the Arabs designate Falcons in general; it is consequently an error to render this word into the Latin 'sacer which signifies, sacred... The Plate represents a female, from the Collection of Lord Lilford, somewhat less than the natural size, and a young bird in the distance. This drawing comes from the distinguished collection of Thomas L. Powys, 4th Baron Lilford (1833-1896). Lilford was one of the eight founders of the British Ornithologist Union in 1858. Lilford travelled widely, especially around the Mediterranean and his extensive collection of birds was maintained in the grounds of Lilford Hall which had extensive aviaries of birds collected worldwide.
Arader Galleries
Apr. 05, 2025
Joseph Wolf Original Watercolor Study of a Merlin for Gould's Birds of a Great Britain
Est: $60,000 - $80,000
WOLF, Joseph (German, 1820-1899). Merlin; Falco aesalon; Falco columbarius Linnaeus. Study for John Goulds Birds of Great Britain, Vol. I, plate 19. Pencil and watercolor heightened with bodycolor, white heightening, and gum Arabic. ca. 1862. 21" x 14 1/2" sheet, 31" x 24" framed. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE BEST ALL-ROUND ANIMAL PAINTER THAT EVER LIVED (Sir Edwin Landseer) Provenance: Frederick Du Cane Godman. The Merlin (Falco columbarius) Falco columbarius columbarius is native to Canada and the northernmost United States east of the Rocky Mountains, except the Great Plains. Migratory winters in Central America, the Caribbean, and North and South America from the Guyanas to the northern Andes foothills. In 1758, Carl Linnaeus included this species in the tenth edition of his work, Systema Naturae. He assigned it the current binomial name, Falco columbarius, and designated America as the type locality. The genus name, derived from Latin, is falco, which comes from falx, falcis, meaning sickle, referencing the birds claws. The species name columbarius is Latin for of doves, originating from columba, which means dove. Joseph Wolfs charming composition of a Merlin was prepared for John Goulds monumental Birds of Great Britain (London, 1862-1873). Wolf provides much information about the Merlin in this engaging image that simultaneously shows various stages of development, feeding practices, and nesting arrangements. Here, the male Merlin is delivering a freshly caught titlark. Wolf brilliantly portrays not only the diet of the species but also the hunting prowess that makes this bird favored by falconers. Goulds description of the Merlin begins by asserting the many falcons were being depleted but both predators and hunters, but the Merlin did not suffer the same fate because its secluded habits, the wild situations it affects, and its power of rapid flight have tended to its preservation, and enabled the Merlin to hold its own, while the other Hawks have fallen victims to the traps and destroying devices of the keeper. They prefer a more desolate area to set a nest, Gould stating In such situations it breeds and nurtures its young, making its nest (if a few crossed stalks of ling can so be called) generally on the bare ground, often by the side of a stone or bunch of heath. Here, on the bleak hill-side, the white nestling first sees the light; here, far away from the haunts of man, do the parents sally forth to keep their charge supplied with fresh-killed Titlarks, Linnets, or any other small species that may catch the eyes of these vigilant birds...Although I did not succeed in finding the nest of the Merlin when I visited the Dovrefjeld, I am certain that the bird was then engaged in feeding its young; for the old birds passed and repassed certain parts of the moor with a degree of regularity that attracted my attention; and as I sat on a stone watching them, I observed that they always took the same direction coming and going from the scrubby parts of the country to the hill-side. The kind of food they carried home I was unable to ascertain; probably small birds... the plate represents a male and a female, with their four young of a few days old, of the size of life.
Arader Galleries
Dec. 04, 2024
Joseph Wolf, Germany (1820-1899), Steller's Sea Eagle, 1866-1869, color lithograph on cream wove paper, 22"H x 17"W (sight), 29 1/4"H x 23 1/2"W (mat)
Est: -
Joseph Wolf Germany, (1820-1899) Steller's Sea Eagle, 1866-1869 color lithograph on cream wove paper Folio from Daliel Giraud Elliot's "The New and Heretofore Unfigured Species of the Birds of North America" published by Bowen & Co., Philadelphia.
Ripley Auctions
Dec. 04, 2024
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899)
Est: £300 - £500
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Ptarmigan in a rocky winter landscape signed lower right 'J Wolf' watercolour 27 x 24.5cm There is a repaired tear in the upper section which measures 2cm. The upper section also displays discolouration to the paper, especially where the mount is in contact with the sheet. In general, the paper has discoloured with brown tint, and this can also be found in the lower section, again where the mount is in contact with the sheet. There are no visible signs of foxing or spotting. The colour pigment has retained well in many areas, especially the white and red pigment. Unexamined out of the frame. Frame size: 45cm x 41cm
Cheffins
Dec. 04, 2024
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899)
Est: £200 - £400
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Study of a chamois on the run signed lower right 'JWolf' watercolour 17 x 13cm The paper has discoloured in varying degrees, with the deepest yellowing having in the centre of the composition.There is some small signs of foxing found in the right upper section close to the mount. There is a visible previous mount line in the upper section which is mainly hidden by the mount. There are areas of staining to the paper throughout the composition, again at varying degrees. The signature is visible lower right. There are no visible signs of tears or rips. The blue colour pigment has faded, but the colour pigment for the cahmois has retained well. Unexamined out of the frame Frame size: 31cm x 26cm
Cheffins
Nov. 23, 2024
JOSEPH WOLF CHALK DRAWING OF PTARMIGAN IN THEIR HIGHLAND RETREAT
Est: $20,000 - $40,000
WOLF, Joseph (1820-1899). Ptarmigan In Their Highland Retreat. Black chalk on paper laid onto canvas. 59 1/2" x 46 5/8" visible, 66 1/4" x 52 1/2" framed. A dramatic large-scale monochromatic chalk drawing of a male and female ptarmigan and their brood perched on a rocky crag in the Scottish Highlands. This detailed drawing was likely executed as preparatory work for a series of large-scale paintings for a patron. In scale, subject, and materiality, two similar compositions were sold at Christie's auction house on April 6, 2009. While Ptarmigan In Their Highland Retreat is not signed, the companion works were signed: "Cartoon sketch by/J. Wolf left unfinished/and finished by C. Whymper." Wolf worked and actively exhibited drawings and watercolors; he also painted in oil. Working first in charcoal to finesse his vision and then either transfer the imagery to the canvas in oil or, if meant for publication, a draughtsman would move the image to a lithograph stone for printing. Wolf generally shot and drew each specimen based on Palmer’s account of the artist. Writing, “[John] Gould skinned the specimens that Wolf shot and drew.” (p. 78) After preparing the specimen, he would consider his subject on paper before the canvas. Palmer wrote, “In the oil subject, part of the single-primed canvas is still bare, and the painting is in an early stage. The life and soul of the picture is yet to come, but there is nothing tentative about the preliminary work. Before he put charcoal to paper, the preconception in the artist’s mind was definite. ‘It must be here, you know,” says Wolf, touching his forehead, ‘before it comes out there’ — holding up his fingers.” (p. 234-235) Visitors to Wolf’s studio would often find him, “pliers and wires in hand, sitting before a pile of little bones and a charcoal sketch... carefully setting up a complete skeleton of the bird in the chosen action.” (p. 220) In this composition, the artist portrays a brood of ptarmigan he spotted on a rocky crag. The artist celebrates this bird from several angles. At the apex, a male and female silhouetted against an atmospheric sunlit sky. Below them, their young virtually hidden by their feathery camouflage in a crypsis attempt at avoiding detection. Animal camouflage seems to repeat in several Wolf’s subjects, a sensibility which his biographer considered, writing, “The episode occurs so often that it is evident he took an especial interest in the marvellous power of concealment — in the contrast between the huge irresistible robber and the small quarry which cheat the hungry eye. Wolf says: — ‘It was a favourite subject. I loved the solitude of the grand surroundings.’” The ptarmigan has seasonal camouflaging, meaning its feathers molt from white during winter, though keeping a black tail brown flecked with grey in spring and summer. Wolf described seeing this natural phenomenon with a group of Willow Grouse he spotted, described by his biographer, “those little incidents occurred that have always delighted Wolf. He was out one day, sketching by himself, when he disturbed a brood of Willow Ptarmigan; one of which, with a rapid grab, he succeeded in catching. Meanwhile all the others had suddenly become utterly invisible. When the captive saw its mother it began to call to her, and se came close up with her beak open, but then retired. Wishing to discover how the young had hidden themselves, Wolf liberated the one he held, which instantly dived under the Reindeer moss. He then retreated, and watched with his glasses. As the old bird called, he saw the young ones emerge one by one from their concealment, until all were once more visible.” (p.142) References: Alfred Palmer The Life of Joseph Wolf, Animal Painter. 1895.
Arader Galleries
Sep. 26, 2024
Joseph Wolf (1820 - 1899) Rabbits signed, pencil drawing, 26.5cm x 44cm
Est: £30 - £40
Joseph Wolf (1820 - 1899) Rabbits signed, pencil drawing, 26.5cm x 44cm
Bamfords Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd
Sep. 21, 2024
JOSEPH WOLF OIL ON CANVAS, AUTUMN - WOUNDED WOODCOCK
Est: $25,000 - $35,000
WOLF, Joseph (1820-1899). Autumn - Wounded Woodcock. Oil on canvas. Signed and dated 1850. 23" x 19 1/2" visible, 29" x 25" framed. Provenance: Property from the Collection of the Saint Louis Zoo Association, St. Louis, Missouri.
Arader Galleries
Sep. 19, 2024
Joseph Wolf
Est: $800 - $1,200
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) TERRIERS ON THE HUNT oil on canvas, framed, signed H18" W24" Provenance: Private collection
Charlton Hall
Aug. 14, 2024
Joseph Wolf, Germany (1820-1899), Steller's Sea Eagle, 1866-1869, color lithograph on cream wove paper, 22"H x 17"W (sight), 29 1/4"H x 23 1/2"W (mat)
Est: $300 - $400
Joseph Wolf Germany, (1820-1899) Steller's Sea Eagle, 1866-1869 color lithograph on cream wove paper Folio from Daliel Giraud Elliot's "The New and Heretofore Unfigured Species of the Birds of North America" published by Bowen & Co., Philadelphia.
Ripley Auctions
Nov. 22, 2023
Joseph Wolf & Henry Constantine Richter, - Cygnus Ferus (Whooper Swan); from J…
Est: £150 - £200
Joseph Wolf & Henry Constantine Richter, German 1820-1899 and British 1821-1901- Cygnus Ferus (Whooper Swan); from John Gould's 'Birds of Great Britain', 1862-1873; hand-coloured lithograph, 33.4 x 51 cm. Provenance: with Henry Sotheran Ltd, London. Anon. sale, Bonhams, Oxford, 11 November 2009, lot 114 (part). Private Collection, UK. Note: Gould worked primarily as a taxidermist, and possessed an in-depth knowledge of ornithology, culminating in the 'Birds of Great Britain', his most successful publication. He also assisted Charles Darwin (1809-1882) in his identification of the specimens he collected in his 1836 'Beagle' voyage to the Galapagos islands, concluding that the birds collected were not different species, but varieties of the same species, a discovery which greatly informed Darwin's theory of natural selection.
Roseberys
Oct. 20, 2023
JOSEPH WOLF (BRITISH, 1820-1899) Peregrine Falcon pencil and watercolor hei
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
JOSEPH WOLF (BRITISH, 1820-1899) Peregrine Falcon pencil and watercolor heightened with white and with scratching out on paper 21 7/8 x 14 7/8 in. (55.6 x 38 cm.)
Christie's
Oct. 18, 2023
After Joseph Wolf (Prussian/British, 1820-1899)
Est: $500 - $700
After Joseph Wolf (Prussian/British, 1820-1899), "Felis Bengalensis", 1883, hand-colored lithograph, from A Monograph of the Felidae or Family of the Cats, printed by M. & H. Hanhart, London, published by Daniel Giraud Elliot (1835-1915), London, with corresponding text, sheet 23 5/8 in. x 18 3/4 in., unframed. Condition: Overall fair condition.
Neal Auction Company
Aug. 24, 2023
JOSEPH WOLF (1820-1899), ATHLE
Est: -
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899), athletic horse with galloping saddle, light brown patinated bronze on oval terrain plinth, signed on the front, rubbed due to age, l. 26 cm
Historia Auctionata
Jul. 13, 2023
JOSEPH WOLF (GERMAN, 1820-1899) A Gyrfalcon, hooded pencil and watercolour,
Est: £4,000 - £6,000
JOSEPH WOLF (GERMAN, 1820-1899) A Gyrfalcon, hooded pencil and watercolour, heightened with bodycolour on buff paper 10 3/4 x 7 in. (27.4 x 17.8 cm.)
Christie's
Jun. 26, 2023
Attributed to Joseph Wolf (1820-1899), Watercolour…
Est: £80 - £120
Attributed to Joseph Wolf (1820-1899), Watercolour sketch, A study of a bird on a branch, possibly a falcon. Unsigned. Approx. 13 1/2" x 7" Provenance - By descent from the family of Josiah Wood Whymper, engraver to Joseph Wolf.
Claydon Auctioneers
Jun. 24, 2023
Joseph Wolf original chalk drawing of a Ptarmigan In Their Highland Retreat
Est: $25,000 - $45,000
WOLF, Joseph (1820-1899). Ptarmigan In Their Highland Retreat. Black chalk on paper laid onto canvas. 59 1/2" x 46 5/8" visible, 66 1/4" x 52 1/2" framed. A dramatic large-scale monochromatic chalk drawing of a male and female ptarmigan and their brood perched on a rocky crag in the Scottish Highlands. This detailed drawing was likely executed as preparatory work for a series of large-scale paintings for a patron. In scale, subject, and materiality, two similar compositions were sold at Christie's auction house on April 6, 2009. While Ptarmigan In Their Highland Retreat is not signed, the companion works were signed: "Cartoon sketch by/J. Wolf left unfinished/and finished by C. Whymper." Wolf worked and actively exhibited drawings and watercolors; he also painted in oil. Working first in charcoal to finesse his vision and then either transfer the imagery to the canvas in oil or, if meant for publication, a draughtsman would move the image to a lithograph stone for printing. Wolf generally shot and drew each specimen based on Palmer’s account of the artist. Writing, “[John] Gould skinned the specimens that Wolf shot and drew.” (p. 78) After preparing the specimen, he would consider his subject on paper before the canvas. Palmer wrote, “In the oil subject, part of the single-primed canvas is still bare, and the painting is in an early stage. The life and soul of the picture is yet to come, but there is nothing tentative about the preliminary work. Before he put charcoal to paper, the preconception in the artist’s mind was definite. ‘It must be here, you know,” says Wolf, touching his forehead, ‘before it comes out there’ — holding up his fingers.” (p. 234-235) Visitors to Wolf’s studio would often find him, “pliers and wires in hand, sitting before a pile of little bones and a charcoal sketch... carefully setting up a complete skeleton of the bird in the chosen action.” (p. 220) In this composition, the artist portrays a brood of ptarmigan he spotted on a rocky crag. The artist celebrates this bird from several angles. At the apex, a male and female silhouetted against an atmospheric sunlit sky. Below them, their young virtually hidden by their feathery camouflage in a crypsis attempt at avoiding detection. Animal camouflage seems to repeat in several Wolf’s subjects, a sensibility which his biographer considered, writing, “The episode occurs so often that it is evident he took an especial interest in the marvellous power of concealment — in the contrast between the huge irresistible robber and the small quarry which cheat the hungry eye. Wolf says: — ‘It was a favourite subject. I loved the solitude of the grand surroundings.’” The ptarmigan has seasonal camouflaging, meaning its feathers molt from white during winter, though keeping a black tail brown flecked with grey in spring and summer. Wolf described seeing this natural phenomenon with a group of Willow Grouse he spotted, described by his biographer, “those little incidents occurred that have always delighted Wolf. He was out one day, sketching by himself, when he disturbed a brood of Willow Ptarmigan; one of which, with a rapid grab, he succeeded in catching. Meanwhile all the others had suddenly become utterly invisible. When the captive saw its mother it began to call to her, and se came close up with her beak open, but then retired. Wishing to discover how the young had hidden themselves, Wolf liberated the one he held, which instantly dived under the Reindeer moss. He then retreated, and watched with his glasses. As the old bird called, he saw the young ones emerge one by one from their concealment, until all were once more visible.” (p.142) References: Alfred Palmer The Life of Joseph Wolf, Animal Painter. 1895.
Arader Galleries
May. 25, 2023
Wolf, Joseph
Est: €120 - €180
(1820 Mörz in Münstermaifeld - London 1899), zugeschrieben. Flusslandschaft mit Brücke. Aquarell auf Papier. Ca. 24 x 37 cm. Unten rechts sowie links mit Bleistift sign. "Jo. Wolf". Auf Karton und unter Passep. mont. Leichte Gebrauchssp. - ╔Dabei: Dems. zugeschrieben. Portrait.╗ Bleistiftzeichnung, 1858. Ca. 17 x 13 cm. Auf Trägerpapier und unter Passep. mont. Dort zugeschrieben. - Leicht stockfl. R
Kiefer Buch- und Kunstauktionen
Mar. 31, 2023
JOSEPH WOLF (1820-1899), ATHLETIC HORSE WITH GALLOPING SADDLE, LIGHT BROWN PATINATED BRONZE ON
Est: -
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899), athletic horse with galloping saddle, light brown patinated bronze on oval terrain plinth, signed on the front, rubbed due to age, l. 26 cm Joseph Wolf (1820-1899), athletisches Pferd mit Galopprennsattel, hellbraun patinierte Bronze auf ovaler Terrainplinthe, darin schauseitig sign., altersbed. ber., L. 26 cm
Historia Auctionata
Feb. 18, 2023
Wolf, Joseph
Est: €160 - €240
(1820 Mörz in Münstermaifeld - London 1899), zugeschrieben. Flusslandschaft mit Brücke. Aquarell auf Papier. Ca. 24 x 37 cm. Unten rechts sowie links mit Bleistift sign. "Jo. Wolf". Auf Karton und unter Passep. mont. Leichte Gebrauchssp. - ╔Dabei: Dems. zugeschrieben. Portrait.╗ Bleistiftzeichnung, 1858. Ca. 17 x 13 cm. Auf Trägerpapier und unter Passep. mont. Dort zugeschrieben. - Leicht stockfl. R
Kiefer Buch- und Kunstauktionen
Feb. 08, 2023
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Study of flamingos
Est: £700 - £900
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Study of flamingos signed 'J Wolf' (lower right) watercolour 11.8 x 8.3cm (4 5/8 x 3 1/4in).
Bonhams
Dec. 17, 2022
Wolf, Joseph
Est: €200 - €300
(1820 Mörz in Münstermaifeld - London 1899), zugeschrieben. Flusslandschaft mit Brücke. Aquarell auf Papier. Ca. 24 x 37 cm. Unten rechts sowie links mit Bleistift sign. "Jo. Wolf". Auf Karton und unter Passep. mont. Leichte Gebrauchssp. - ╔Dabei: Dems. zugeschrieben. Portrait.╗ Bleistiftzeichnung, 1858. Ca. 17 x 13 cm. Auf Trägerpapier und unter Passep. mont. Dort zugeschrieben. - Leicht stockfl. R
Kiefer Buch- und Kunstauktionen
Jul. 13, 2022
A Bear with Honeycomb JOSEPH WOLF (1820-1899) 315 x 450 x 170mm
Est: £5,000 - £8,000
A Bear with Honeycomb JOSEPH WOLF (1820-1899) 315 x 450 x 170mm
Christie's
Jul. 13, 2022
JOSEPH WOLF (1820-1899) 14 original watercolours for The Poets of the Wood
Est: £20,000 - £30,000
JOSEPH WOLF (1820-1899) 14 original watercolours for The Poets of the Wood and Feathered...
Christie's
Jul. 09, 2022
Wolf, Joseph
Est: €240 - €360
(1820 Mörz in Münstermaifeld - London 1899), zugeschrieben. Flusslandschaft mit Brücke. Aquarell auf Papier. Ca. 24 x 37 cm. Unten rechts sowie links mit Bleistift sign. "Jo. Wolf". Auf Karton und unter Passep. mont. Leichte Gebrauchssp. - ╔Dabei: Dems. zugeschrieben. Portrait.╗ Bleistiftzeichnung, 1858. Ca. 17 x 13 cm. Auf Trägerpapier und unter Passep. mont. Dort zugeschrieben. - Leicht stockfl. R
Kiefer Buch- und Kunstauktionen
Dec. 14, 2021
Joseph Wolf (German 1820-1899), The big bull bison
Est: £1,000 - £2,000
Joseph Wolf (German 1820-1899)The big bull bisonOil on canvas Signed with initials and indistinctly dated (lower right)57 x 77cm (22¼ x 30¼ in.)Provenance:Sale, Christie's, Viscount Allanbrooke, 11 June 1993, lot 222Literature:O.L. Stephen (ed.), Sir Victor Brooke-Memoirs of his Life, 1894 (illustrated opp. p. 129)
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Jul. 29, 2021
JOSEPH WOLF (1820 - 1899): "BUTEO VULGARIS"
Est: $100 - $200
color lithograph; H.C. Richter lithographer; printed by Walter & Cohn; 20 1/4 x 13 1/2 inches sight; 28 3/4 x 21 1/4 inches frame
Abell Auction
Jun. 16, 2021
JOSEPH WOLF (GERMAN 1820-1899), THE BIG BULL BISON
Est: £2,500 - £3,500
JOSEPH WOLF (GERMAN 1820-1899)THE BIG BULL BISON Oil on canvas Signed with initials and indistinctly dated (lower right)57 x 77cm (22¼ x 30¼ in.)Provenance:Sale, Christie's, Viscount Allanbrooke, 11 June 1993, lot 222Literature:O.L. Stephen (ed.), Sir Victor Brooke-Memoirs of his Life, 1894 (illustrated opp. p. 129)
Dreweatts 1759 Fine Sales
Oct. 06, 2020
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899)
Est: £800 - £1,200
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Bullfinch signed and dated 1878 l.r., inscribed on a label verso 'This little picture is the original study which I did from the Queens Bullfinch at Buckingham Palace in May 1878, for a picture I was then painting for H.R.H. the Princess Louise, to be presented to her majesty on Her Birthday', watercolour 25 x 18cm
Sworders
Sep. 09, 2020
* Wolf, (Joseph, 1820-1899 & Smit, Joseph 1836-1929). Epimachus Ellioti,
Est: £200 - £300
* Wolf, (Joseph, 1820-1899 & Smit, Joseph 1836-1929). Epimachus Ellioti, from A Monograph of the Paradiseidae or Birds of Paradise, by Daniel Elliot Giraud 1873, hand-coloured lithograph on pale cream wove paper, printed by M. & N. Hanhart, pale mount stain to outer blank margins, closed tears repaired to centre of left margin, centre of top margin, and shorter closed tear to the blank area near centre of right margin, all without loss, laid down on modern card, sheet size 54.5 x 45.5 cm (21.5 x 18 ins), framed and perspex glazed, together with another hand-coloured lithograph from Giraud's A Monograph of the Paradiseidae or Birds of Paradise, 1873, by Joseph Wolf and Joseph Smit, with some damage, particularly to lower edge of the image, including some damp staining and one or two closed tears, with printed title no longer visible, laid down on modern card, 54 x 44 cm (21.25 x 17.25 ins), framed and perspex glazed Qty: (2)
Dominic Winter Auctions
May. 30, 2020
Joseph WOLF (1820-1899)
Est: €100 - €150
Joseph WOLF (1820-1899) Merlins (oiseaux) Aquarelle sur papier Titré sur une étiquette au dos 9 x 12 cm
Carvajal SVV
May. 11, 2020
Joseph Wolf; German 1820-1899; The Greater Kudu and Zebra
Est: R40,000 - R60,000
signed and dated 1882; inscribed with the artist's name and title on a Tryon Gallery label; further inscribed 'A Kudu and two Zebra at a watering hole' on a label alongside a Spink Gallery label adhered to the reverse; watercolour heightened with bodycolour on paper; 48 by 60,5cm
Strauss & Co
Mar. 11, 2020
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899)
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
A couple of bullfinches on woodbine signed and dated "Wolf 1878" lower right watercolour 25 x 18cm
Cheffins
Dec. 01, 2019
19thC Hand Colored Lithograph, Pucrasia Duvauceli
Est: $400 - $600
19th century hand-colored lithograph, 'Pucrasia Duvauceli' by Joseph Wolf (1820-1889) and Joseph Smit (1820-1889), from 'Family of the Pheasants' by D.G. Elliot, published 1872, 19" x 23 3/4" (sight), framed 26 1/2" x 32". Provenance: From a North Andover, Massachusetts estate.
Kaminski Auctions
Nov. 12, 2019
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Terrier playing with lions
Est: £800 - £1,200
Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) Terrier playing with lions signed 'J.W' (lower right) watercolour heightened with white 14 x 23.5cm (5 1/2 x 9 1/4in). For further information on this lot please visit the Bonhams website
Bonhams
Sep. 28, 2019
Wolf Zoological Sketches
Est: $15,000 - $25,000
WOLF, Joseph (1820-1899). Zoological Sketches by Joseph Wolf. Made for the Zoological Society of London, from animals in their vivarium, in the Regent's Park. Explanatory text by D.W. Mitchell and Philip Lutley Sclater. London: Henry Graves & Company, 1861-1867. 2 volumes. Folio (20 x 13 4/8 inches). Letterpress title-pages, list of subscribers. Additional mounted hand-coloured lithographic title-pages printed by Vincent Brooks, and 100 fine hand-coloured lithographic plates, drawn on stone by Joseph Smit after the drawings of Joseph Wolf, each plate cut to the edge of the image and mounted on thin card in imitation of a watercolour, with the caption printed in gilt lettering beneath, as issued. Contemporary half maroon morocco, purple cloth, gilt, all edges gilt (extremities scuffed, edges of cloth lifting, unevenly faded). "WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE BEST ALL-ROUND ANIMAL PAINTER THAT EVER LIVED" (Sir Edwin Landseer) First edition, with the revised and final text by Philip Lutley Sclater. The plates were originally issued monthly with an accompanying temporary text for parts I-VII written by David William Mitchell, secretary to the society. On Mitchell's death in 1859, Sclater completed the work, selecting the subjects and writing both the initial letterpress and then the final published text, as here, which was issued with the thirteenth and final part. The work was commissioned by the Council of the Zoological Society in 1852, to provide "an accurate artistic record of the living form and expression of the many rare species of animals which exist from time to time in the menagerie". The council chose Wolf, already well-known for his work for the ornithologist Rüpell and Gould's "Birds of Great Britain". Originally from Prussia, Wolf's paintings of wild animals are renowned for their spectacular use of colour: pinks, blues, and greens; for the astonishing realism of feet, fur, and feather texture; and for their detailed backgrounds, which often include smaller but still perfectly painted and fully animated. As a young man he was apprenticed to Gebrüder Becker, lithographers at Koblenz, where he was employed as designer, principally of trade circulars. A chance meeting with Eduard Rüppell, the ornithologist and explorer, "gave him an introduction to the director of the grand ducal natural history museum at Darmstadt, Johann Kaup. Wolf obtained employment in Darmstadt as a lithographer with the publisher Ernst Kern, and in his free time worked for Rüppell, executing drawings for Rüppell's "Systematische Uebersicht der Vögel Nord-Ost-Afrikas" (1845). He was subsequently given illustrative work for Hermann Schlegel and H. Wulverhorst's "Traité de fauconnerie" (1844), but an attack of ague forced his return to Darmstadt, where he attended the art school, going in 1847 to study at the Antwerp Academy. In February 1848, as revolution spread across the continent, Wolf went to London at the invitation of David William Mitchell, secretary of the Zoological Society of London. There he assisted Mitchell with a British Museum-based project, illustrating Robert Gray's "Genera of Birds" (1844-9); afterwards he assisted John Gould with illustrations for "Birds of Great Britain" (1862-73)... Two books may be considered especially his, though he did not write the text: "Zoological Sketches" [as here], issued in two series (1861 and 1867), and "Life and Habits of Wild Animals", with letterpress by D. G. Elliot (1874); the latter was reissued in 1882 as "Wild Animals and Birds: their Haunts and Habits" (Clemency Thorne Fisher for DNB).Anker 539; Fine Bird Books (1990) p.158; Nissen IVB 1012; BM(NH) V,p.2349; Wood p.633. Comparable: Christies, 2019 - 15,000 GBP.
Arader Galleries
Aug. 02, 2019
Gould, Richter, and Wolf Avian Lithographs, Plus, Lot of Four
Est: $100 - $300
Gould, Richter, and Wolf Avian Lithographs, Plus, Lot of Four Three lithographs, including: British, ca. 1862-1873. Joseph Wolf (German, 1820-1899) and Henry Constantine Richter (English, 1821-1902). Titled l.c. LAGOPUS MUTUS, Winter Plumage; inscribed J. Wolf and H.C. Richter, del et lith l.l., and Walter & Cohn, Imp. l.r., framed; 13.75 x 20.75 in. (sight), 15.5 x 22.25 in. (frame); British, late 19th century. John Gould (English, 1804-1881) and Henry Constantine Richter (English, 1821-1902). Titled l.c. SYLOCHELIDON STRENCUS: Gould; inscribed J. Gould and H.C. Richter, del et lith l.l.; and inscribed Hullmandel & Walton Imp. l.r., matted and unframed; 14.25 x 20.5 in. (sight), 19 x 25 in. (mat); British, ca. 1873. John Gould (English, 1804-1881). Titled l.c. MERGUS CUCULLATUS, Linn.; inscribed Hooded Merganser l.r., framed; 13.25 x 19.75 in. (sight), 26.75 x 37.75 in. (frame); PLUS, one lithograph, late 19th-early 20th century, titled l.c. Kameel mit zwei Höckern.; inscribed TAF. 65. u.r., framed; 8.5 x 11.5 in. (sight), 13.25 x 16.25 in. (frame).
Cowan's Auctions
Jun. 04, 2019
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) Study for 'A row in the jungle': A tiger on the prowl pencil and watercolour heightened with bodycolour on buff paper 27 ¼ x 21 in. (69.3 x 53.3 cm.)
Est: £3,000 - £5,000
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) Study for 'A row in the jungle': A tiger on the prowl signed 'J. Wolf' (lower right) pencil and watercolour heightened with bodycolour on buff paper 27 ¼ x 21 in. (69.3 x 53.3 cm.)
Christie's
Apr. 09, 2019
Joseph Wolf (British, 1820-1899), (2) zoological sketches, lithographs, "The Black-Necked Swan" and "The Rufous-Tailed Pheasant", ha...
Est: $100 - $200
Joseph Wolf (British, 1820-1899), (2) zoological sketches, lithographs, "The Black-Necked Swan" and "The Rufous-Tailed Pheasant", hand colored lithographs, each approx. 9-1/2" x 13-1/2" sheet on original captioned mountings, framed size 22-1/2" x 25-1/4", good condition, wear to frames
William Bunch Auctions & Appraisals
Mar. 07, 2019
* Wolf (Joseph, 1820-1899). Sketches of Herons,
Est: £150 - £200
pencil on paper, unsigned, some light overall toning, title and artist's name supplied in ink to mount, old gilt frame, glazed, with printed label of S. Coombes, 175 Strand W.C.2 to verso, and also inscribed in white chalk 16/9/81, 123, 1 - Quantity (1)
Dominic Winter Auctions
Jan. 31, 2019
WOLF, JOSEPH [1820-1899] TWO ORIGINAL SKETCHES
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
WOLF, JOSEPH [1820-1899] TWO ORIGINAL SKETCHES ''Maternal Courage'', black chalk on grey paper, depicting a chamois and kid being attacked by a lammergeier, subsequently printed as plate xiv in The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, 21 x 15cm, framed and glazed; ''The Avalanche'', black chalk on toned paper, depicting red deer stags and a hind caught in the snow, subsequently printed as plate xx in The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, 20 x 14.5cm, framed and glazed; Elliot, Daniel Giraud The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf. London: Alexander Macmillan & Co., 1874. Folio, original green cloth gilt neatly rebacked retaining original cloth and spine, endpapers renewed (3)
Lyon & Turnbull
Dec. 08, 2018
J. Wolf watercolor of two Elks
Est: $12,000 - $20,000
Wolf, Joseph (1820-1899). Two Elk Watercolor on paper Signed and dated: "J Wolf Jan 29 1876" 13" x 9 1/2" sheet, 23 x 19 1/4" framed Sir Edwin Landseer described Joseph Wolf as ...without exception the best all-round animal painter who ever lived. Born and educated in Prussia, Wolf left home at the age of 16 and apprenticed himself to the lithographic firm of Gebruder Becker in Coblenz, where he first met his future patron Hermann Schlegel, then the assistant keeper at the museum in Leyden and a prolific author of ornithological works. After brief spells in Frankfurt and Darmstadt, Wolf went to Holland and settled in Leyden in 1840. After developing contact with John Gould, Wolf established himself in London in 1848, where he exhibited at the Royal Academy, met Edwin Landseer and other animal artists, and won the patronage of discerning collectors like the Duke of Argyll and Lord Derby. He quickly became the foremost animal illustrator in Britain. Wolf had a long and productive relationship with Gould, contributing plates to The Birds of Asia and The Birds of Great Britain, and Gould became a frequent visitor to Wolfs studio. The rapidity of the growth of his reputation was due, according to his biographer A.H. Palmer, to his power of revivifying a dried skin and not merely revivifying, but showing the most characteristic and beautiful attitude and expression of the living bird or animal. However, Wolf did not wish to be categorized as a scientific illustrator, preferring to create complete and naturalistic compositions which conveyed a sense of drama and mystery. Rather than show his subjects isolated from their environment, he integrated them into a natural setting and portrayed them involved in dramatic action. This combination of animation and beauty characterizes Wolfs watercolors. In 1852, the British Zoological Society commissioned Wolf to complete several watercolors for its Zoological Sketches published in parts between 1856 and 1867. P.L. Sclater, the secretary of the society, noted in the publications preface, the Council was fortunate enough to secure the services of Mr Joseph Wolf, who may be fairly said to stand alone in intimate knowledge of the habits and forms of Mammals and Birds. By this stage in his career, Wolfs works were in considerable demand both in their own right and as illustrations to books and journals. From 1859 to 1869 he was the regular artist for Ibis, the journal of the Zoological Society, and his work was also reproduced in the Illustrated London News, Once a Week, The Leisure Hour, The Sunday at Home, and The Graphic. Unfortunately, during the 1870s, Wolf was increasingly hindered by the onset of chronic rheumatism, which gradually curtailed his work, but he lived on into his eightieth year and died in London surrounded by his pet birds and held in high popular esteem. More than three-quarters of a century later his plates are regarded as among the finest productions of the great period of the illustrated book, while his oil paintings, watercolors and drawings are prized by museums and collectors alike.
Arader Galleries
Nov. 14, 2018
ORNITHOLOGY -- ELLIOT -- WOLF, Joseph (1820-1899).
Est: -
ORNITHOLOGY -- ELLIOT -- WOLF, Joseph (1820-1899). (Polyplectron Germaini/Germain's Peacock Pheasant (depicted w. 2 chicks). NY, 1870-72). 470 x 617 mm. Cold. lithogr., proof before letters, after Joseph Wolf by J. Smit, printed by P.W.M. Trap, finished by hand. Magnificent plate from D.G. Elliot's 'A Monograph of the Phasianidae or Family of the Pheasants'. Cf. Anker 130; Nissen IVB 295. Estimated Price: € 500
Burgersdijk & Niermans
Oct. 02, 2018
WOLF, JOSEPH [1820-1899] TWO ORIGINAL SKETCHES
Est: £2,000 - £3,000
WOLF, JOSEPH [1820-1899] TWO ORIGINAL SKETCHES 'Maternal Courage', black chalk on grey paper, depicting a chamois and kid being attacked by a lammergeier, subsequently printed as plate xiv in The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, 21 x 15cm, framed and glazed; 'The Avalanche', black chalk on toned paper, depicting red deer stags and a hind caught in the snow, subsequently printed as plate xx in The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, 20 x 14.5cm, framed and glazed; Elliot, Daniel Giraud The Life and Habits of Wild Animals, illustrated by designs by Joseph Wolf. London: Alexander Macmillan & Co., 1874. Folio, original green cloth gilt neatly rebacked retaining original cloth and spine, endpapers renewed (3)
Lyon & Turnbull
Jul. 11, 2018
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) - Norwegian gyrfalcon
Est: £40,000 - £60,000
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) Norwegian gyrfalcon oil on canvas 35 ½ x 25 ¼ in. (90.2 x 64.1 cm.)
Christie's
Jul. 11, 2018
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) - Gyrfalcon and mallard
Est: £20,000 - £30,000
Joseph Wolf (1820-1899) Gyrfalcon and mallard oil on canvas 35 ¾ x 27 ¾ in. (90.8 x 70.5 cm.)
Christie's