Are original Stephen Gayford paintings rare?

Original Stephen Gayford paintings are much harder to find than his limited-edition prints, as he produced many published editions during his career, which means prints appear regularly in auctions and private sales. Original paintings enter the market less often. Auction databases contain records for dozens of works by the artist, though many sales involve prints rather than unique originals. Public records from major art platforms show more than 100 auction appearances connected with his work over time, highlighting active collector interest. Original paintings carry special appeal for collectors, as each piece represents the artist's direct hand and often contains details that may not appear in published editions. Wildlife subjects such as lions, tigers and leopards are particularly sought after, a documented example is the 1998 work Black Leopard, which appeared at a Christie's wildlife art auction. The painting measured approximately 17 by 23½ inches and demonstrated the artist's continued focus on large cat subjects. Availability remains limited compared with prints and many originals entered private collections years ago and may remain there for long periods before returning to the market.