19th & 20th Century Literature

January 4, 2018|Swann News|19th & 20th Century Literature

The Top Five Fahrenheit 451s

According to our Literature specialist John D. Larson, there are five first editions of Fahrenheit 451 of interest to collectors. As with all important modern first editions, a set of criteria…

November 13, 2017 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Children’s Literature for Adults

Children’s literature is a perennially popular genre. We were all children once, and the antics of Willy Wonka and imagination of Max shaped our early lives in a way that…

November 15, 2016 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Records & Results: 19th & 20th Century Literature

Signed first editions dominated the scene at our sale of 19th & 20th Century Literature on Thursday, November 10, and broke several auction records. Each offered book by father…

November 7, 2016 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Signed First Edition of The Prophet at Auction

One of the highlights in our November 10 sale of 19th & 20th Century Literature is a scarce first edition of The Prophet, signed by its author, Kahlil Gibran, in…

May 12, 2016 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

A Storied Book with a Fine Association: Henry Roth’s “Call It Sleep”

In the world of book collecting association copies are highly sought after, and our upcoming auction of 19th & 20th Century Literature has some fine examples. One particularly interesting association…

Anne Frank, Het Achterhuis, true first edition of the diary of Anne Frank

May 4, 2016 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Two Items Related to Anne Frank Come to Auction at Swann in May

Through her poignant writing and tragic story, Anne Frank has become a source of inspiration for millions. Two of our upcoming auctions feature items related to Frank, including Anne and Margot’s…

April 29, 2016 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Books Every Book Collector Should Read

Our upcoming Autographs auction features an uncommon Oscar Wilde manuscript consisting of five and a half pages of his notes for a review in which he pans a book on…

December 4, 2015 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Records & Results: 19th & 20th Century Literature Feat. The Lawrence M. Solomon Collection

This two-part November sale began with The Lawrence M. Solomon Collection of Mystery, Detective and Science-Fiction Literature, and concluded with 19th & 20th Century Literature, which brought strong results for…

November 9, 2015 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Traveling Through Time: Tracing the History of Science Fiction

While looking at a list of movies currently playing in any given cinema might easily lead you to the conclusion that audiences love Science Fiction, our fascination with the genre…

October 29, 2015 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Mysterious as a Cat: Famous Felines in Literature

There seems to be a special relationship between writers and cats, whether it be Ernest Hemingway and the multitudes of 6-toed fuzzballs haunting his Key West estate, or Raymond Chandler,…

June 23, 2015 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Records & Results: 19th & 20th Century Literature

Swann Galleries‘ June 17 auction of 19th & 20th Century Literature saw quite a few pleasant surprises. Among the books that soared well above their estimates, top lot and Wall…

June 12, 2015 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Walt Whitman: Transcending Conspiracy

During a trip to Boston to oversee the publication of the third edition of Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman attended the 1860 trial of Frank Benjamin Sanborn, an abolitionist and…

June 8, 2015 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Gertrude Stein: “Looking is not vanishing”

Imogen Cunningham, Gertrude Stein, silver print, 1937, printed before 1973. Sold April 4, 2012 for $4,320. Known as a writer, art collector and host to the innovative, elite and avant-garde,…

June 23, 2014 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Top Lots: Melville’s Whale, Signed Flannery O’Connor Firsts, Rex Stout Titles

A first American edition of Moby-Dick (left) brought $40,000, while a fourth edition (right) sold for $7,168. Topping our June 19 auction of 19th & 20th Century Literature was a…

June 16, 2014 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Celebrating Bloomsday

To celebrate the life and literary oeuvre of James Joyce on the international holiday that is Bloomsday, we are looking back on some of the many editions of James Joyce’s…

November 20, 2013 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Herman Melville: Neighbor

Thanks to John D. Larson, Swann’s 19th & 20th Century Literature Specialist, for contributing this post: It’s a fine thing (call it geographic serendipity) to share a similar address with someone…

June 25, 2012 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Top Lots: 19th & 20th Century Literature

Thursday’s 19th & 20th Century Literature sale boasted a ninety percent sell-through rate, with highlights across all genres. The two top lots were courtesy of Modernist masters James Joyce and…

June 7, 2012 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Ray Bradbury: Time Machine

This post comes from John D. Larson, Swann’s 19th & 20th Century Literature cataloguer. Yesterday we learned of the passing of writer Ray Bradbury in Los Angeles…

May 11, 2012 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Remembering Maurice Sendak

This week we said goodbye to beloved illustrator and author Maurice Sendak. He holds a special place in the hearts of our Swann family as told through an anecdote relating…

November 9, 2011 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Yesterday’s Top Lots: Art, Press & Illustrated Books / 19th & 20th Century Literature

Yesterday’s auction of Art, Press & Illustrated Books / 19th & 20thCentury Literature saw activity in all sections of the catalogue, and for every successfully sold item, there were numerous…

November 3, 2011 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Penises and Pompadours: The Erotic Art of Franz von Bayros

Thanks to John D. Larson of Swann’s books department for this eye-opening post! Decadent! Erotic! Phantasmagoric! Fin-de-siècle grotesqueries! Gents and ladies disporting themselves, occasionally with a zealous attention…

October 10, 2011 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Catch-22 Turns 50

October 10 marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of Joseph Heller’s satirical anti-war novel Catch-22. There’s been much news coverage, and various related events are planned, including an October…

May 13, 2011 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Top Lots: Art, Press, & Illustrated Books and 19th & 20th Century Literature

The top lots in yesterday’s Art, Press & Illustrated Books and 19th & 20th Century Literature sales represented each of the categories, indicating a strong selection of material across genres. Jasper…

May 10, 2011 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

Science Fiction First Editions, It’s Tradition

Our May 12 auction of Art, Press & Illustrated Books; and 19th & 20th Century Literature wraps up with a section devoted to science fiction, fantasy and thriller fiction. Most of…

March 15, 2010 | 19th & 20th Century Literature

The Otto Penzler Collection of British Espionage and Thriller Fiction

Ian Fleming, The Man with the Golden Gun, Advance Uncorrected Proof and First Edition, London 1965. Estimate: $600 to 900. AND Ian Fleming, Diamonds are Forever, First Edition, London, 1956.…

19th & 20th Century Literature

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