December 18, 2020Kelsie JankowskiAfrican American Art Records for Charles Alston, Wadsworth Jarrell, Augusta Savage and More in December 2020 Sale of African American Art Read more about Records for Charles Alston, Wadsworth Jarrell, Augusta Savage and More in December 2020 Sale of African American Art The December 10, 2020, sale of African American Art was met with enthusiasm from collectors. The sale saw nine auction records set, as well as an auction debut from contemporary…
Read more about John Woodhouse Audubon: The California Gray Squirrel December 14, 2020 Books & Manuscripts John Woodhouse Audubon: The California Gray Squirrel The Audubon name is synonymous with art of the natural world. Most renowned for his iconic Birds of America, master naturalist John James Audubon expectantly encouraged and cultivated his two…
Read more about Swann Sets Hedda Sterne Record in Inaugural Sale of Modern & Post-War Art December 8, 2020 Modern & Post-War Art Swann Sets Hedda Sterne Record in Inaugural Sale of Modern & Post-War Art Our first sale of Modern & Post-War Art on Thursday, December 3, 2020, proved to be a major success with a sale total of $739,155 (over $200,000 above the sale’s…
Read more about Helen Frankenthaler’s ‘Hermes’ Earns Record in November 2020 Contemporary Art Sale November 25, 2020 Contemporary Art Helen Frankenthaler’s ‘Hermes’ Earns Record in November 2020 Contemporary Art Sale Our Thursday, November 19, 2020, sale of Contemporary Art boasted exceptional prices for works on paper, prints, and editions. The auction delivered three records, with Abstract Expressionist artists drawing significant…
Read more about Autographs by Washington, Hamilton & Hancock Bring Top Prices in November 2020 Sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts November 23, 2020 19th & 20th Century Literature Autographs by Washington, Hamilton & Hancock Bring Top Prices in November 2020 Sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts Jane Austen Leads Fine Books & Manuscripts at Swann Our Tuesday, November 17, 2020, sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts saw great success across categories with a 90% sell-through rate…
Read more about New Record for a Print by Louis Lozowick in November 2020 Old Master Through Modern Sale November 17, 2020 Old Master Through Modern Prints New Record for a Print by Louis Lozowick in November 2020 Old Master Through Modern Sale Our Thursday, November 12 sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints brought in “a strong turnout of new buyers and bidding was aggressive for modern American prints and many other…
Read more about Top Prices for Portfolios in October 2020 Fine Photographs Auction October 27, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Top Prices for Portfolios in October 2020 Fine Photographs Auction “Our market continues to be dynamic and varied. We saw strength in the FSA and other Depression-era photography as well as in other classical material. The bidding was also lively…
Read more about Touring the October 22 Sale of Fine Photographs October 21, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Touring the October 22 Sale of Fine Photographs Our Photographs & Photobooks department takes us on a virtual tour through the October 22 sale of Fine Photographs. Deborah Rogal on The Estate of Evelyne Z. Daitz Related Reading:…
Read more about Seven Artists Records for Fall 2020 Travel Posters at Swann October 20, 2020 Vintage Posters Seven Artists Records for Fall 2020 Travel Posters at Swann Auction Discoveries: Frank Lemen and Anthony Hansen “With over an over 80% sell-through rate, and with 16 of the top 17 lots selling to collectors, our Thursday, October 15, 2020,…
Read more about Register for the Legendary Catskill Mountain House Brings $45k in our Fall 2020 Sale of Americana October 7, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Register for the Legendary Catskill Mountain House Brings $45k in our Fall 2020 Sale of Americana Our Thursday, September 24, 2020 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana brought an 82% sell-through rate by lot, totaling over $600k with at least 23 institutions purchasing a total of…
Read more about Fall 2020 American Art Sale Delivers 15 New Records September 22, 2020 American Art Fall 2020 American Art Sale Delivers 15 New Records Swann Galleries opened the fall 2020 season with a whirlwind sale of American Art on Thursday, September 17, 2020. “We were delighted to start the fall season at Swann with…
Read more about August 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Sale Brings $1M August 23, 2020 Pride August 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Sale Brings $1M Swann Sets New Auction Record for Tom of Finland The second iteration of Swann Galleries’ LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History sale on Thursday, August 13, 2020, was a resounding…
Read more about Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations Leads July 30, 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale at $125k August 10, 2020 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations Leads July 30, 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale at $125k Our sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on Thursday, July 30, 2020 boasted high prices across categories with early printed books leading the sale, two records being recorded for literature, and autograph material from world leaders garnering attention.
Read more about N.C. Wyeth’s ‘The Black Arrow’ at Auction July 16 July 10, 2020 Illustration Art N.C. Wyeth’s ‘The Black Arrow’ at Auction July 16 Our July 16, 2020 sale of Illustration Art features an iconic work by N.C. Wyeth—one of the most popular illustrators of all time—with impeccable provenance. The Black Arrow, A Tale…
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 Records & Results: June 2020 Fine Art Sales July 7, 2020 African American Art Records & Results: June 2020 Fine Art Sales A Full Month of Fine Art Sales at Swann Delivers Record Prices Swann offered four sales of Fine Art this June, each one proving audiences are undeterred by the remote…
Read more about Pictorial Maps in our July 9 Sale of Maps & Atlases July 1, 2020 Maps & Atlases Pictorial Maps in our July 9 Sale of Maps & Atlases Our July 9 sale of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books features a strong selection of pictorial maps, including a rare example of a chart of Greenwich…
Read more about New Record for Richmond Barthé in June 4, 2020 Sale of African-American Fine Art June 11, 2020 African American Art New Record for Richmond Barthé in June 4, 2020 Sale of African-American Fine Art Our sale of African-American Fine Art on June 4, 2020 was met with much fanfare, despite an online-only format due to social distancing guidelines in New York City. The sale…
Read more about Swann Ushers in a New Era of Live Online Sales with Printed & Manuscript African Americana May 20, 2020 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Swann Ushers in a New Era of Live Online Sales with Printed & Manuscript African Americana Our Thursday, May 7, 2020 sale of Printed & Manuscript African Americana was held live online and was conducted remotely. “This was a strong auction regardless of the circumstances. The…
Read more about Modern American & European Printmakers Lead Winter-Spring 2020 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings Sale March 9, 2020 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings Modern American & European Printmakers Lead Winter-Spring 2020 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings Sale Our Thursday, March 5, 2020 sale of 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings saw success: “With more internet bidding, particularly via the Swann App, than any previous sale in the 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings category at Swann, with action from across the United States, Europe and Asia, and nearly 20% of buyers new to Swann. The most robust sections of the auction were the American prints and modern European prints and drawings,” noted Todd Weyman, the house’s director of prints and drawings.
Read more about Edward Steichen’s ‘White Lotus’ Brings Record for the Image in Winter 2020 Sale of Classic & Contemporary Photographs February 27, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Edward Steichen’s ‘White Lotus’ Brings Record for the Image in Winter 2020 Sale of Classic & Contemporary Photographs It was a Who’s Who among American photographers in Classic & Contemporary Photographs on Tuesday, February 25. The auction brought $1M and saw competitive bidding in the room and on the Swann Galleries App.
Read more about Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts February 24, 2020 19th & 20th Century Literature 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 A Novel, By a Lady: Jane Austen First Editions February 19, 2020 19th & 20th Century Literature A Novel, By a Lady: Jane Austen First Editions For the first time in nearly a decade, first editions all six of Jane Austen’s major novels will be offered in our winter 2020 sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on February 20. The novels are set to come across the block in exceedingly rare period bindings, just as Austen herself would have seen them published, with half-title pages. Here we touch on the offering and what makes a first edition Austen novel special.
Read more about Puerto Rican Poster Archive Shines in Winter-Spring 2020 Sale of Vintage Posters February 18, 2020 Vintage Posters Puerto Rican Poster Archive Shines in Winter-Spring 2020 Sale of Vintage Posters Our sale of Vintage Posters on Thursday, February 13 was the house’s most successful February poster offering in over 10 years.
Read more about Historic Auction for African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Co. January 31, 2020 African American Art Historic Auction for African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Co. Our Thursday, January 30 sale of African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Company was an all-around success. The packed auction room saw all 87 lots find buyers, bringing $2.9 million—over twice the high-estimate for the auction—29 new auction records were established, and 22 artists made their market debuts.
Read more about 2010-19: The Decade in Review January 13, 2020 Swann 2010-19: The Decade in Review The 2010s brought Swann a number of notable moments including memorable sales, the establishment of two new departments, and the celebration of the 75th anniversary of our first sale. Here we take a look at some of favorite highlights from the last ten years.
Read more about Hawaiian-Language Schoolbook Makes its Market Debut at $68k in Fall 2019 Maps & Atlases Sale December 19, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Hawaiian-Language Schoolbook Makes its Market Debut at $68k in Fall 2019 Maps & Atlases Sale Swann Galleries closed out the decade with a marathon sale of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books on Tuesday, December 17. The auction brought $910,087 and saw a 93% sell-through rate. Highlights included rare cartographic publications from Hawaii, atlases from across the globe and historic prints.
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 20 Years of Travel Posters Pays Off with 10 New Records November 20, 2019 Vintage Posters 20 Years of Travel Posters Pays Off with 10 New Records “After twenty years of conducting auctions of Rare and Important Travel Posters it was validating to see the sale turn in the best results in the last three years,” noted Nicholas D. Lowry, Swann Galleries’ President and Director of Vintage Posters. The Thursday, November 14 auction saw a 75% sell-through rate, an “industry-leading number as no other poster sales come close to this level of success,” continued Lowry, as well as bringing ten new records for artists and images alike.
Read more about Il Guercino Leads Fall 2019 Old Master Drawings November 9, 2019 Prints & Drawings Il Guercino Leads Fall 2019 Old Master Drawings Our curated sale of Old Master Drawings on November 5, 2019, brought original works, studies and preparatory drawings from the most sought-after European draughtsmen from the past several centuries.
Read more about Rembrandt Etching of Pieter Haaring Brings a New Record for the Print November 5, 2019 Old Master Through Modern Prints Rembrandt Etching of Pieter Haaring Brings a New Record for the Print With an offering from the past five centuries, our October 29, 2019 sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints brought collectors exceptional works from key artists and included Rembrandt etchings from the John Villarino Collection.
Read more about Collecting the Papers of Women Artists, Critics, and Dealers: A Conversation With the Archives of American Art November 1, 2019 Contemporary Art Collecting the Papers of Women Artists, Critics, and Dealers: A Conversation With the Archives of American Art Join us on November 19 for the third in a series of events highlighting The Archives of American Art.
Read more about Science Leads Fall 2019 Early Printed Books October 29, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Science Leads Fall 2019 Early Printed Books Our Thursday, October 24 sale of Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books saw a full auction room and active bidding on the internet and phones with a particular interest in publications by scientists, as well as incunabula, bibles and manuscript publications.
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 Early Printed Books by John Bulwer — A Pioneer in the Education of the Deaf in England October 21, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Early Printed Books by John Bulwer — A Pioneer in the Education of the Deaf in England Born in London in 1606, John Bulwer was an important figure in the study of deafness, gesture and the human body and a pioneer the education of the deaf in England. He published five works on the subject before his death in 1656. Set to come across the block are three first editions of Bulwer’s publications.
Read more about Fall 2019 Fine Books & Manuscripts Brings Record Prices October 14, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Fall 2019 Fine Books & Manuscripts Brings Record Prices We brought forth a remarkable offering of autographs, art, press and illustrated books, as well as nineteenth and twentieth-century literature, in a Thursday, October 10 sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts.
Read more about Archives Revealing Information on Slavery & the Underground Railroad Lead Fall 2019 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana October 3, 2019 Printed & Manuscript Americana Archives Revealing Information on Slavery & the Underground Railroad Lead Fall 2019 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana The September 26 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana was an overall success with material relating to slavery & the Underground Railroad leading the sale.
Read more about Collecting Works by African-American Photographers October 1, 2019 African American Art Collecting Works by African-American Photographers A superb selection of images by African-American photographers is set to come across the block in our Fall 2019 sale of African-American Fine Art. Here we take a look at the offering that includes artists from the Harlem Renaissance through today.
Read more about Rare Martin Lewis Etching Debuts in Fall 2019 Prints & Drawings Sale September 26, 2019 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings Rare Martin Lewis Etching Debuts in Fall 2019 Prints & Drawings Sale Swann Galleries opened the fall 2019 season with an exceptional sale of 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings featuring an auction debut for a rare early print by Martin Lewis and a record price for a print by Edvard Munch.
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 Herman Melville: A Bicentennial Celebration August 1, 2019 Autographs Herman Melville: A Bicentennial Celebration We celebrate the author, now recognized as one of the cornerstones of American literature, on what would have been his 200th birthday.
Read more about Sergio Trujillo Magnenat: A Pioneer in Colombian Graphic Design July 24, 2019 Vintage Posters Sergio Trujillo Magnenat: A Pioneer in Colombian Graphic Design Featured in our August 7 sale of Vintage Posters is a rare selection of four advertisements for the first Bolivarian Games by Sergio Trujillo Magnenat. The images are characterized by…
Read more about Swann in Profile: Lauren Goldberg July 22, 2019 Swann Swann in Profile: Lauren Goldberg With the newly opened Poster House museum as a backdrop, we spoke with Specialist Lauren Goldberg in our Vintage Posters Department about, well, what else—posters! You’ve been at…
Read more about Telling Queer Stories: The Challenges of Unearthing a History July 17, 2019 Pride Telling Queer Stories: The Challenges of Unearthing a History What are the inherent challenges in telling a history that is still being unearthed, and what can media and material objects add to that story? Against the backdrop of the…
Read more about 2019 Spring Season in Review July 1, 2019 Swann 2019 Spring Season in Review A season of firsts. The 2019 spring auction season at Swann Galleries delivered an impressive range of sales, rife with auction premiers and record prices. We started our season off…
Read more about Records & Results: The Pride Sale June 27, 2019 Pride Records & Results: The Pride Sale Historic Pride Sale at Swann Brings Market Premiers and Auction Records The Pride Sale on Thursday, June 20 offered a curated selection of LGBTQ+ art, photography, literature, autographs…
Read more about Records & Results: American Art June 25, 2019 American Art Records & Results: American Art Modernists Lead American Art at Swann We continued the spring 2019 season with a sale of American Art on June 13, which boasted three artist records. American Modernists…
Read more about Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books June 20, 2019 Maps & Atlases Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Lewis Evans Reached $125k in Maps & Atlases Caleb Kiffer: “There was strong bidding across the board and it’s hard not to be pleased with the general outcome…