Identification

Lee N. Smith III "Dance for the Hunt" Lithograph, AP 7/15

Photo reference

4 uploaded photos

Overview

The piece is clearly hand-signed 'Lee N. Smith III', dated '92, titled 'Dance For the Hunt', and editioned 'AP 7/15' in pencil along the lower margin. The visual texture exhibits the characteristic stippling of a stone or plate lithograph.

Story

Lee N. Smith III (b. 1950) is a recognized Texas contemporary artist known for his complex, narrative-driven works often drawing on childhood memories and regional mythology. He collaborated with notable printmakers, including Flatbed Press in Austin, during the early 1990s, producing highly detailed lithographs and etchings. The secondary market for Lee N. Smith III prints is relatively thin but stable, primarily driven by regional Texas collectors and institutions familiar with his narrative style.

Maker / Origin

Lee N. Smith III

Condition & Value

The visible portion of the print appears in good condition with no obvious fading, foxing, or water damage. However, the exact mounting method (archivally hinged vs. fully glued) and the condition of the margins hidden beneath the mat cannot be verified from the provided photos.

Full Research

See what it's actually worth.

Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.

Market Analysis

The secondary market for Lee N. Smith III prints is relatively thin but stable, primarily driven by regional Texas collectors and institutions familiar with his narrative style. While retail galleries ask $1,200-$2,000 for his 1990s editions, auction results demonstrate a firm ceiling around $800-$1,000 for most prints, with occasional spikes for earlier 1970s works. Buyers are typically found through specialized regional auction houses rather than general online marketplaces.

Value Drivers

▲ Hand-signed, dated, and titled by the artist, confirming authenticity.

▲ Artist Proof (AP 7/15) designation, often preferred by collectors over standard numbered editions.

▲ Characteristic 1990s narrative style, aligning with his well-regarded period of printmaking.

Concerns

▼ Unverified dimensions — if the print is significantly smaller than typical gallery editions, value would decrease.

▼ Unverified mounting method — if the print is glued down rather than archivally hinged, it will incur a severe condition penalty.

Comparable Sales

6 comps

Research found these market references. Links marked source unverified were not automatically confirmed, but are included as starting points.

Heritage Auctions search· 2014-10-18· source unverified

$717

LEE N. SMITH III (American, b. 1950) Secret Grave, 1993

New Orleans Auction Galleries search· 2019-10-29· listed· source unverified

$800

Lee N. Smith III (American, b. 1950), "Secret Grave"

Heidi Vaughan Fine Art via Artsy search· listed· source unverified

$1,200

Lee N. Smith III, 'Secret Grave', 1993

Flatbed Press and Gallery search· listed· source unverified

$1,500

Secret Grave by Lee N. Smith III at Flatbed Press and Gallery

Flatbed Press and Gallery search· listed· source unverified

$2,000

Place of the Red Tribe by Lee N. Smith III at Flatbed Press and Gallery

Heritage Auctions search· 2014-10-18· source unverified

$2,375

LEE N. SMITH III (American, b. 1950) Nights We Could Fly, 1979

Best Venue

To maximize return, consign this piece to a regional fine art auction house with a strong Texas contemporary art collector base, such as Heritage Auctions or a specialized Dallas/Houston gallery. Avoid selling on general peer-to-peer platforms, as the artist's specific collector base is unlikely to be shopping there.

Upside Potential

If the print is exceptionally large (e. g., over 30x40 inches) and confirmed to be archivally mounted, it could attract aggressive bidding from a dedicated regional collector, potentially pushing the result toward the $1,200 gallery retail floor.

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Also found — market-range context

Related comps outside the valuation band· 6 comps

Surfaced during research but not used to anchor the valuation — wrong form, species, era, or no published price. Shown so the market range around this item is visible.

Heritage Auctions· 2025-06-21
Crosses Along the Hallway, 1989
Excerpt indicates this is a record price for a painting, different medium.
$15,625
Heritage Auctions· 2014-10-18
LEE N. SMITH III (American, b. 1950) Morning Route, 1985
Price indicates this is likely an original painting, not a lithograph.
$13,750
Simpson Galleries, LLC· 2020-02-16
A PAINTING, 'Migration 1956,' 1982
Explicitly identified as a painting, different medium.
$9,000
Simpson Galleries· 2020-02-16
LEE N. SMITH (American b. 1950) A PAINTING, "Migration 1956," 1982
Explicitly identified as a painting, different medium.
$7,000
Andrew Jones Auctions· 2020-01-11
Lee N. Smith, The Unwritten Law: A Bird for a Bird
Link could not be verified.
$1,200
Walmart
Crystal Productions Take 5 Art Prints Art and Language Arts, Artist Storyteller
Commercial educational poster set, not a fine art lithograph.
$25