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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132auction results2004–2026years recorded95%sold (125)$29.6kSign 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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132 results · page 3 of 4

Ohne Titel, 1965
Mixed media
24,4 × 34,6 cm
Grisebach · Jun 1, 2019 · Lot 1369
€5,500≈ $6,133≈ £4,878Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €2,000–3,000View at Grisebach ↗
Untitled, 1964
Drawing · Paper
24 x 18 in. (61 x 45.7 cm.)
Phillips · Feb 27, 2019 · Lot 102
$9,375≈ £7,040≈ €8,234Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $4,000–6,000View at Phillips ↗
Untitled, 1964
Drawing · Paper
24 x 19 in. (61 x 48.3 cm.)
Phillips · Feb 27, 2019 · Lot 103
$15,000≈ £11,265≈ €13,174Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $3,000–5,000View at Phillips ↗
Untitled, 1964
Drawing · Paper
24 x 19 in. (61 x 48.3 cm.)
Phillips · Nov 14, 2018 · Lot 144
$16,250≈ £12,522≈ €14,386Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $5,000–7,000View at Phillips ↗
Man and Woman, 1978
Screenprint · Paper · ed. 62/200
I. 61.6 x 81.3 cm (24 1/4 x 32 in.) S. 66.4 x 86.4 cm (26 1/8 x 34 in.)
Phillips · Oct 17, 2018 · Lot 233
$438≈ £334≈ €380Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $500–800View at Phillips ↗
Figures on Blue, 1979
Lithograph · Paper
22 h x 30 w in (56 x 76 cm)
Wright · Jul 19, 2018 · Lot 158
$313≈ £241≈ €270Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. $300–View at Wright ↗
The Conformist, 1973
Acrylic · Canvas
114.5 x 147.3 cm (45 1/8 x 57 7/8 in.)
Phillips · Jun 26, 2018 · Lot 140
£75,000≈ $99,300≈ €85,075Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. £40,000–60,000View at Phillips ↗
Auktion 414, Los 582, 1973
Drawing · Paper
45,5 x 59,5cm
Van Ham · Jun 6, 2018 · Lot 582
€2,580≈ $3,035≈ £2,262Price realizedSign up free to seeView at Van Ham ↗
July 5 (Great Day Coming), 1975
Acrylic · Canvas
166 x 133 cm
Lempertz · Jun 2, 2018 · Lot 604
€104,160≈ $121,544≈ £91,325Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €60,000–80,000View at Lempertz ↗
The sun never sets, 1982
Acrylic · Canvas
97 x 130 cm
Lempertz · Jun 2, 2018 · Lot 605
€93,000≈ $108,522≈ £81,540Price realizedSign up free to seeEst. €50,000–70,000View at Lempertz ↗

William Copley paintings (73)William Copley oil paintings (23)William Copley acrylic paintings (46)William Copley mixed media (4)William Copley works on paper (32)William Copley drawings (24)William Copley prints (23)William Copley lithographs (3)William Copley screenprints (19)

William Copley signature

102 catalogued lots by William Copley record a signature line. The most common placement is lower right (47% of lots that state a placement). Most often: signed and dated.

Placement

lower right17
lower left11
lower centre4
upper right2
on the stretcher1
on the reverse1

Form

signed and dated54
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.