William Copley

American · 1919–1996 · Painter, Draughtsman

William N. Copley also known as CPLY, was an American painter, writer, gallerist, collector, patron, publisher and art entrepreneur. His works as an artist have been classified… (Wikipedia)

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131auction results2004–2026years recorded95%sold (124)$32.4kSign up free to seemedian price

2 works by William Copley with an auction history (offered more than once) →

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The Kids No TrooperGrisebach · Jun 2026€290,250≈ $337,851≈ £251,041Sign up to see
Happy New YearKetterer Kunst · Dec 2025€283,800≈ $330,485≈ £247,666Sign up to see
UntitledLempertz · Jun 2021€262,500≈ $313,346≈ £224,508Sign up to see

William Copley’s highest prices recorded at auction, ranked in US dollars at each sale-date exchange rate and shown in the currency of the sale (with the buyer’s premium where the house publishes it).

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131 results · page 2 of 4

Frigid Bridget, 1966
Acrylic · Linen
195.7 x 150 cm (77 x 59 in.)
Phillips · Mar 8, 2024 · Lot 118
£190,500≈ $244,526≈ €223,679Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £120,000–180,000View at Phillips ↗
Man and Woman, 1978
Screenprint · Paper · ed. 39/200
I. 61.6 x 81.2 cm (24 1/4 x 31 7/8 in.) S. 66.5 x 86.5 cm (26 1/8 x 34 in.)
Phillips · Jan 17, 2024 · Lot 139
£381≈ $483≈ €444Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £500–700View at Phillips ↗
Moving Violation, 1983
Acrylic · Canvas
171 x 141 cm (67.3 x 55.5 in)
Ketterer Kunst · Dec 8, 2023 · Lot 204
€107,950≈ $116,338≈ £92,500Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €60,000–View at Ketterer Kunst ↗
Scottish Ms., 1974
Acrylic · Canvas
117 x 89cm
Van Ham · Nov 29, 2023 · Lot 34
€99,000≈ $108,752≈ £85,658Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €70,000–View at Van Ham ↗
Woman Taken in Adultery, 1964
Drawing · Paper
S. 10 x 14 in. (25.4 x 35.6 cm)
Phillips · Oct 24, 2023 · Lot 349
$2,794≈ £2,287≈ €2,628Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $2,500–3,500View at Phillips ↗
Untitled (Marjorie and Bill), 1978
Acrylic · Canvas
32 x 40 in. (81.3 x 101.6 cm)
Phillips · Jul 18, 2023 · Lot 24
$19,050≈ £14,529≈ €16,926Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $25,000–35,000View at Phillips ↗
Untitled, 1972
Gouache · Paper
8 1/8 x 9 5/8 in. (20.6 x 24.4 cm)
Phillips · Jul 17, 2023 · Lot 18
$15,240≈ £11,654≈ €13,571Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $10,000–15,000View at Phillips ↗
Paradis, 1959
Oil · Canvas
72 x 100 cm
Lempertz · Jun 6, 2023 · Lot 28
€126,000≈ $134,606≈ £108,492Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €100,000–150,000View at Lempertz ↗
Baby Bonnet,
Screenprint · Paper · ed. 144/200
29 3/8 x 23 1/8in (74.6 x 58.7cm)
Bonhams · Feb 22, 2023 · Lot 151
$38≈ £32≈ €36Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $200–400View at Bonhams ↗
Baby Buggy,
Screenprint · Paper · ed. 37/200
29 3/8 x 23 1/8in (74.6 x 58.7cm)
Bonhams · Feb 22, 2023 · Lot 152
$38≈ £32≈ €36Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $200–400View at Bonhams ↗

William Copley paintings (73)William Copley oil paintings (23)William Copley acrylic paintings (46)William Copley mixed media (4)William Copley works on paper (31)William Copley drawings (24)William Copley prints (23)William Copley lithographs (3)William Copley screenprints (19)

William Copley signature

101 catalogued lots by William Copley record a signature line. The most common placement is lower right (49% of lots that state a placement). Most often: signed and dated.

Placement

lower right17
lower left10
lower centre4
upper right2
on the stretcher1
on the reverse1

Form

signed and dated53
signed38
monogrammed6
signed in pencil3
initialled1

Signed “cpLy” lower right; titled and inscribed “Feasting a Fawning Parasite, or glutting a Harlot's Purse from The Song of the Wage Slave Page 25” on the rever — Feasting a Fawning Parasite, or Glutting a Harlot's Purse; from "The Song of the Wage Slave", Phillips, Sep 26, 2026
Signed and dated "CPLY 64" lower left — Untitled, Phillips, Jun 16, 2026
Betitelt, signiert und datiert verso unten rechts: LE ROI DES POIVREAUX Cply 57 — "Le Roi des Poivreaux", Van Ham, Jun 4, 2025

William Copley signature: all forms and examples →

About William Copley

William N. Copley also known as CPLY, was an American painter, writer, gallerist, collector, patron, publisher and art entrepreneur. His works as an artist have been classified as late Surrealist and precursory to Pop art.

From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.