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William R. James

Canadian · 1892–1942 · Illustrator

William Roderick James was a Canadian-American artist and writer of the American West. He is known for writing Smoky the Cowhorse, for which he won the 1927 Newbery Medal, and… (Wikipedia)

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44lots offered2006–2026years recorded100%sold (42)$21kSign up free to seemedian price

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Smoky and ClintScottsdale Art Auction · Apr 2026$990,000≈ £736,333≈ €845,359Sign up to see
A Heeler in the SlackScottsdale Art Auction · Apr 2026$156,000≈ £116,028≈ €133,208Sign up to see
Bull Dogger sketchScottsdale Art Auction · Apr 2026$90,000≈ £66,939≈ €76,851Sign up to see

William R. James’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).

Lot images as published by each auction house (42 lots with an image). Images from houses that reserve their photographs are shown as small thumbnails linking to the house’s site.

William R. James, When Ropes Sing, Pen & Ink — When Ropes Sing
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$15,600Sign up free to see

William R. James, Set of two (2): Lithograph and Letter with Sketches (and original envelopes), Pen & Ink — Set of two (2): Lithograph and Letter with Sketches (and original envelopes)
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$1,800Sign up free to see

William R. James, Brad Drug a Few More Heavy Limbs Across the Fire, Pen & Ink — Brad Drug a Few More Heavy Limbs Across the Fire
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$6,600Sign up free to see

William R. James, My First Horse, Mixed Media — My First Horse
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$19,200Sign up free to see

William R. James, Howdy Stranger, Pen & Ink — Howdy Stranger
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$5,400Sign up free to see

William R. James, In the Saddle with Uncle Bill, Graphite — In the Saddle with Uncle Bill
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$27,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Now - Getting Too High, Pen & Ink — Now - Getting Too High
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$14,400Sign up free to see

William R. James, Eventually, Graphite — Eventually
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$51,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, A Big Steer, More Wicked Looking Than Any Bull He'd Ever Seen, Graphite — A Big Steer, More Wicked Looking Than Any Bull He'd Ever Seen
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$7,800Sign up free to see

William R. James, The First Few of a Cut..., Pen & Ink — The First Few of a Cut...
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$5,700Sign up free to see

William R. James, Old Blue (Horses I've Known), Mixed Media — Old Blue (Horses I've Known)
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$33,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, It Happens Once a Year, Pen & Ink — It Happens Once a Year
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$10,800Sign up free to see

William R. James, Smoky and his Mammy, Graphite — Smoky and his Mammy
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$39,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Who's Humane, Pen & Ink — Who's Humane
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$30,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, A Real Bronco, Pen & Ink — A Real Bronco
Scottsdale Art Auction · Aug 22, 2026
$33,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, There Was Room for None But Experienced Men, Graphite — There Was Room for None But Experienced Men
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$42,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, A Heeler in the Slack, Oil on canvas — A Heeler in the Slack
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$156,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, His Rambling Trail had Covered Thousands of Miles of Range Land, Mixed Media — His Rambling Trail had Covered Thousands of Miles of Range Land
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$36,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Curly Bill and His Buccaneers, Pen & Ink — Curly Bill and His Buccaneers
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$19,200Sign up free to see

William R. James, Gathering the Remuda, Pen & Ink — Gathering the Remuda
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$22,800Sign up free to see

William R. James, Smoky and Clint, Oil on canvas — Smoky and Clint
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$990,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Young Cowboy, Watercolor — Young Cowboy
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$30,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Calf Roping, Oil on board — Calf Roping
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$30,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Bull Dogger sketch, Oil on board — Bull Dogger sketch
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$90,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Heading Out to Join the Roundup Outfit, Pen & Ink — Heading Out to Join the Roundup Outfit
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$12,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Bucking Horse, Graphite — Bucking Horse
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$54,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, ...A Glimpse of that Black Horse, Graphite — ...A Glimpse of that Black Horse
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$48,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Big Enough, Pen & Ink — Big Enough
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$12,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, And Rough is a Mighty Tame Name for Them, Graphite — And Rough is a Mighty Tame Name for Them
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$51,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Bronco Buster, Graphite — Bronco Buster
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$66,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, He Watched em' Catching Horse After Horse, Graphite — He Watched em' Catching Horse After Horse
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$66,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Cowboys North and South, Pen & Ink — Cowboys North and South
Scottsdale Art Auction · Apr 11, 2026
$22,800Sign up free to see

William R. James, Montana Christmas, graphite and watercolor on paper — Montana Christmas
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 27, 2024
$6,655Sign up free to see

William R. James, Bucking Broncho, 1931, pen and ink on paper — Bucking Broncho, 1931
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 23, 2022
$4,538Sign up free to see

William R. James, Bronco rider, pencil on paper — Bronco rider
Bonhams · Aug 2, 2016
$1,250Sign up free to see

William R. James, Well Here's Where We Camp Tonight, 1931, pen & ink on paper — Well Here's Where We Camp Tonight, 1931
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 26, 2014
$5,850Sign up free to see

William R. James, Wild Bronco, oil on board — Wild Bronco
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 21, 2012
$87,750Sign up free to see

William R. James, In Without Knocking, mixed media on paper — In Without Knocking
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 21, 2012
$6,435Sign up free to see

William R. James, Relay Race, pen & ink on paper — Relay Race
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 24, 2010
$3,510Sign up free to see

William R. James, Wedding Party, 1922, pen & ink and gouache on paper — Wedding Party, 1922
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 24, 2010
$10,000Sign up free to see

William R. James, Bucking Bronc, pen & ink on paper — Bucking Bronc
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 22, 2006
$6,720Sign up free to see

William R. James, First Rider, 1925, pen & ink on paper — First Rider, 1925
Coeur d'Alene Art Auction · Jul 22, 2006
$12,320Sign up free to see

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