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Happy Choppers - Unsigned Print by Banksy 2003 - MyArtBroker

Happy Choppers
Unsigned Print

Banksy

£14,500-£22,000Value Indicator

$29,000-$45,000 Value Indicator

$26,000-$40,000 Value Indicator

¥130,000-¥200,000 Value Indicator

17,000-27,000 Value Indicator

$140,000-$220,000 Value Indicator

¥2,780,000-¥4,210,000 Value Indicator

$18,000-$28,000 Value Indicator

-1% AAGR

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.

Medium: Screenprint

Edition size: 600

Year: 2003

Size: H 70cm x W 50cm

Signed: No

Format: Unsigned Print

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Track auction value trend

Banksy's Happy Choppers (2003) is a screenprint, estimated to be worth between £15,000 and £22,000. This artwork has shown consistent value growth, with an annual average growth rate of 5%. Over the past 12 months, the average selling price was £13,000, with a total of 2 works sold. This piece has a strong auction history, having been sold 122 times since its entry to the market in April 2009. The hammer price over the last five years has ranged from £13,000 in March 2024 to £50,400 in March 2021. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 600.

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Auction Results

Auction DateAuction HouseLocation
Hammer Price
Return to Seller
Buyer Paid
September 2024Sotheby's Online United Kingdom
September 2024Christie's London United Kingdom
March 2024Rosebery's Fine Art Auctioneers United Kingdom
February 2024Phillips London United Kingdom
January 2024Sotheby's Online United Kingdom
September 2023Sotheby's London United Kingdom
September 2023Bonhams Knightsbridge United Kingdom

Meaning & Analysis

The overt and sarcastic criticism of warfare and military activity is something we have come to expect from Banksy artwork, such as powerful works like Love is in the Air (Flower Thrower) This artwork depicts a hailstorm of gunships, possibly Apaches, approaching over the horizon. A bright blue sky behind them, and fluffy cartoonish clouds belies the oncoming danger. The helicopters are incredibly detailed, with particularly accurate recreation of the rotor blades and landing gear - which serves to accentuate the peril evoked by the artwork. One helicopter is wrapped in a cutesy baby pink ribbon, as though it were a gift, which could be interpreted as a tongue-in-cheek nudge at politicians’ rhetoric who preach that when they export their democracy, they consider it a gift to the citizens whose lives they are about to turn upside down through violent conflict. Some commentary framed Happy Choppers as making light of war, however it is unlike Banksy to be so blasé about the loss and destruction associated with military activity and intervention, which is an issue he has advocated against throughout his artistic oeuvre.

  • Renowned British street artist, Banksy, is the enigmatic figure behind some of the most subversive works in the Urban Art scene. Despite his anonymity, the artists' disruptive stunts have not only gained him notoriety, but they have vocalised his stance on many social and political issues. As seen with the likes of Girl With Balloon and Napalm, Banksy uses his distinctive stencil technique to produce thought-provoking commentaries on challenging themes. The showcase of rebellion that lines his work has caused his secondary market value to soar in recent years, propelling him to the top of the Urban Art scene.