February 8, 2019Nigel FreemanAfrican American Art Specialists in the Field: Nigel Freeman at the Wallach Art Gallery Read more about Specialists in the Field: Nigel Freeman at the Wallach Art Gallery Nigel Freeman, our African-American Fine Art director, stopped by the Wallach Art Gallery at Columbia University to view Posing Modernity: The Black Model from Manet and Matisse to Today. Here are Nigel’s takeaways on the exhibition: Posing Modernity is a…
Read more about Specialists in the Field: The Type Speaks August 24, 2018 Books & Manuscripts Specialists in the Field: The Type Speaks The Vignelli Center for Design Studies & The Cary Graphic Arts Collection at RIT Swann Specialist Christine von der Linn reports to us from Rochester, New York, where she toured renowned…
Read more about Specialists in the Field: Rockaway! 2018 July 18, 2018 Swann Specialists in the Field: Rockaway! 2018 Wren Krisztin at Narcissus Garden by Yayoi Kusama Communications Digital Content Coordinator Wren Krisztin shares their most recent venture to Rockaway! 2018. Rockaway! is an ongoing public arts project…
Read more about Specialists in the Field: The Magic of Handwriting July 16, 2018 Autographs Specialists in the Field: The Magic of Handwriting Marco Tomaschett at the Morgan Library For our first Specialists in the Field segment of 2018, Autographs Specialist Marco Tomaschett discusses his recent visit to The Morgan Library’s newest exhibition, The Magic…
Read more about Specialists in the Field: Nigel Freeman at the Tate August 1, 2017 African American Art Specialists in the Field: Nigel Freeman at the Tate Nigel Freeman, founder and director of our African-American Fine Art department, is in London this week visiting some familiar images. Two of the works in the Tate Modern’s latest exhibition, Soul of…
Read more about Specialists in the Field: The New Museum June 30, 2017 Contemporary Art Specialists in the Field: The New Museum Specialists at Swann keep up with the cultural heartbeat by frequenting museum exhibitions. Over the summer, we’ll be sharing some of their experiences, beginning with Diana Flatto and Jessica Feldman…
Read more about Autograph Collector’s Guide October 17, 2022 Autographs Autograph Collector’s Guide Swann Autographs specialist Marco Tomaschett shares the ins and outs of starting your own rare autograph collection If you’re new to autograph collecting, bearing in mind a few things while…
Read more about Swann Summer Reading List 2022 July 14, 2022 Swann Swann Summer Reading List 2022 Summer is well underway which means our auction schedule has slowed and our specialists and staff have a bit more downtime to catch up on their favorite books. Enjoy this…
Read more about Collecting the Stage: Stephen Sondheim June 7, 2022 Illustration Art Collecting the Stage: Stephen Sondheim In our 80 years as a company, Swann has always been an auction house dedicated to niche markets with specialists who are experts in their respective fields, but often our…
Read more about Rick Stattler’s Specialist Picks: Two Unique Items from the April 7, 2022, Americana Auction April 1, 2022 Printed & Manuscript Americana Rick Stattler’s Specialist Picks: Two Unique Items from the April 7, 2022, Americana Auction The material that passes through Swann on a daily basis ranges in value and interest, sometimes we see an item crop up at auction consistently—a popular print, a highly sought…
Read more about Swann Summer Reading List 2021 July 9, 2021 Swann Swann Summer Reading List 2021 Summer reading recommendations from our team of specialists and support staff, as well as some resources for supporting independent booksellers.
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: June 17, 2021 Auction Highlights May 25, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Autographs: June 17, 2021 Auction Highlights Autographs Literature & Art Books What You Need to Know on Auction Day This auction will be held live and conducted remotely. There will not be bidding in the room,…
Read more about Al Hirschfeld Caricatures & Theater Portraits July 8, 2020 Illustration Art Al Hirschfeld Caricatures & Theater Portraits “The importance and legacy of Al Hirschfeld’s theater portraits lie in that Hirschfeld gave us nearly a century’s eyewitness record of a very elusive art form,” notes specialist, Christine von…
Read more about African-American Fine Art: June 2020 Highlights March 6, 2020 African American Art African-American Fine Art: June 2020 Highlights At Auction June 4, 2020* *This auction has been rescheduled from its original date, and will now be held on Thursday, June 4, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET, previewing online…
Read more about Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts February 24, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Swann Galleries saw a successful sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on Thursday, February 20 with literature and autographs bringing strong numbers.
Read more about Swann in Profile: Devon Eastland January 15, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Swann in Profile: Devon Eastland With the 2020 auction season on the horizon, we sat down with the newest addition to our books and manuscripts department, Devon Eastland, senior specialist for early printed books, to discuss all things books and material culture.
Read more about Welcoming the New Decade: A Letter from Swann Galleries’ President, Nicholas D. Lowry January 13, 2020 Swann Welcoming the New Decade: A Letter from Swann Galleries’ President, Nicholas D. Lowry As a new decade dawns, I am reminded that in order to move ahead Swann must continuously look into the historical rearview mirror and select the best material from bygone…
Read more about Collector’s Guide: Currier & Ives December 13, 2019 Maps & Atlases Collector’s Guide: Currier & Ives Founded by Nathaniel Currier in 1835, Currier & Ives was the major poster firm of the nineteenth century. James Merritt Ives joined Currier in 1857, and the two produced some of the most popular images of the period through 1907—with the bulk of their work being done in the 1860s. Together they published thousands of prints, in three folio sizes (small, medium and large) of scenes that are still sought by collectors today.
Read more about Auction Record for Ilonka Karasz in Fall 2019 Illustration Art Sale December 12, 2019 Illustration Art Auction Record for Ilonka Karasz in Fall 2019 Illustration Art Sale Swann Galleries’ sale of Illustration Art on Tuesday, December 10 featured an array of original works, from well-known characters of children’s literature to striking New Yorker covers and theater designs. The auction was a success, with seven of the top 20 lots ultimately acquired by institutions.
Read more about Collecting the Works of Women Illustrators December 3, 2019 Illustration Art Collecting the Works of Women Illustrators Our fall 2019 sale of Illustration Art on December 10 features a superb selection of artwork by women, whose contribution to the field is only just beginning to receive the recognition it deserves. Here Laura Polucha, the cataloguer for our Illustration Art department, touches on the highlights from the offering including story illustrations, advertisements and cartoons.
Read more about 20 Years of Rare & Important Travel Posters at Swann November 7, 2019 Vintage Posters 20 Years of Rare & Important Travel Posters at Swann Swann Galleries’ November 14 sale of Rare & Important Travel Posters marks the house’s twentieth annual sale in the category. Here we share Nicholas D. Lowry’s entry to the catalogue, in which he reflects on the history and impact of the sale.
Read more about Edward S. Curtis & Irving Penn Shine in Fall 2019 Classic & Contemporary Photographs October 22, 2019 Photographs & Photobooks Edward S. Curtis & Irving Penn Shine in Fall 2019 Classic & Contemporary Photographs Swann’s Thursday, October 17 sale of Classic & Contemporary Photographs featured a broad range of photographic material including works by Edward S. Curtis, Irving Penn, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange and W. Eugene Smith.
Read more about Documenting the Underground Railroad: The Story Behind the Shugart Family Papers September 13, 2019 Printed & Manuscript Americana Documenting the Underground Railroad: The Story Behind the Shugart Family Papers An extensive and detailed record of the Underground Railroad is set to come across the block in our upcoming sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana on September 26. Zachariah Taylor Shugart was a known agent of the Underground Railroad circa 1840-51.
Read more about Record Prices and Market Debuts Abound in Summer 2019 Sale of Vintage Posters August 14, 2019 Vintage Posters Record Prices and Market Debuts Abound in Summer 2019 Sale of Vintage Posters Our summer sale of Vintage Posters on August 7, 2019, was a lively event with active bidding across all platforms bringing six record prices and a number of posters to market for the first time.
Read more about Swann Summer Reading List 2019 July 1, 2019 Swann Swann Summer Reading List 2019 As an auction house that has specialized in rare and antiquarian books for nearly 80 years, it is unsurprising that our team loves reading. What better circumstance to do so…
Read more about Records & Results: Old Master Through Modern Prints May 9, 2019 Old Master Through Modern Prints Records & Results: Old Master Through Modern Prints Zapata Sets Print Record for Diego Rivera at $45k With seven records and a standout selection of Latin American art, our sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints on Thursday, May 2 offered works by the greatest…
Read more about In Your Hands or On the Wall: an Appreciation for the Tangible Photograph February 12, 2019 Photographs & Photobooks In Your Hands or On the Wall: an Appreciation for the Tangible Photograph Our upcoming sale of Photographs: Art & Visual Culture celebrates photographs as objects. Daile Kaplan, the house’s Director of Photographs & Photobooks, shares her appreciation of the tangible in the…
Read more about Swann Summer Reading List 2018 June 28, 2018 Swann Swann Summer Reading List 2018 Our Summer Reading List is back for 2018! Here’s what some of us are cracking into in the off-season. Nicholas D. Lowry, President & Principal Auctioneer Noah Charney and Ingrid…
Read more about Records & Results: American Art June 18, 2018 American Art Records & Results: American Art Our auction of American Art on June 14 offered original works by bastions of the category including William Glackens and John Singer Sargent, as well as artists whose work has…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: The Collection of William Wheeler III April 20, 2018 Autographs A Look Inside the Catalogue: The Collection of William Wheeler III Revolutionary & Presidential Americana from the Collection of William Wheeler III At Auction June 21 Complete Catalogue William A. Wheeler III’s interest in history began in childhood, browsing at…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Contemporary Art April 12, 2018 Contemporary Art A Look Inside the Catalogue: Contemporary Art At Auction May 22 Our spring auction of Contemporary Art features a wide-ranging selection of sculpture, paintings and multiples from the last 75 years, with works by Banksy, Barbara Kruger, Yayoi…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: American Art April 1, 2018 American Art A Look Inside the Catalogue: American Art At Auction June 14 This highly curated sale of American Art presents original works in a variety of media, including drawings, watercolors and sculpture. Offerings range from nineteenth-century paintings…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Old Master Through Modern Prints April 1, 2018 Prints & Drawings A Look Inside the Catalogue: Old Master Through Modern Prints At Auction May 8 Old Master Through Modern Prints The highlight of this wide-ranging event from our Prints & Drawings department is Tête de femme, de profil, 1905, an…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Graphic Design March 30, 2018 Vintage Posters A Look Inside the Catalogue: Graphic Design At Auction May 3 Graphic Design This auction celebrates innovation in the field of graphic design, with a colorful offering of vintage posters, along with a coterie of fine…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books February 3, 2018 Maps & Atlases A Look Inside the Catalogue: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books At Auction June 7 This auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books encompasses a broad range of American and European cartography. Complete Catalogue Maps Highlights…
Read more about Records & Results: Autographs November 9, 2017 Autographs Records & Results: Autographs Our auction on November 7 saw fine results for Autographs by important historical figures in a variety of fields, from government to science to music. The total of $662K exceeded the…
Read more about Swann Summer Reading List 2017 July 13, 2017 Swann Swann Summer Reading List 2017 We spoke to specialists at Swann about their extracurricular activities. Unsurprisingly, their interests are generally aligned with their specialty! We asked them to talk about what they’re reading, and compiled…
Read more about Psychedelic Concert Posters May 12, 2017 Vintage Posters Psychedelic Concert Posters This post was written by Sarah Shelburne of the Vintage Posters department using examples from the May 25 auction of Graphic Design. Few art forms have been as…