January 23, 2023Marco TomaschettAutographs The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part II Read more about The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part II Nineteeth Century America When thinking of autographs, the first thing to come to mind is famous signatures—John Hancock, Babe Ruth, Walt Disney, etc. Inscribed names with looping letters and distinct…
Read more about The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part I January 4, 2023 Autographs The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part I Middle Ages Through the Seventeenth Century When thinking of autographs, the first thing to come to mind is famous signatures—John Hancock, Babe Ruth, Walt Disney, etc. Inscribed names with looping…
Read more about 2022: Year in Review January 3, 2023 19th & 20th Century Literature 2022: Year in Review 2022 was a historic year for Swann in more ways than one. The house celebrated its 80th year of auctions, bringing with it the 70th anniversary of the first photography…
Read more about Collecting 101: Antiquarian Maps December 6, 2022 Maps & Atlases Collecting 101: Antiquarian Maps We asked Swann maps specialist Caleb Kiffer a few questions about what to consider when purchasing an antique map. How important is the map maker when considering a map? There…
Read more about October 2022 Sale of Early Printed Books Brings the Highest-Grossing Auction for the Category at Swann October 18, 2022 Early Printed Books October 2022 Sale of Early Printed Books Brings the Highest-Grossing Auction for the Category at Swann The October 13, 2022 sale of Early Printed Books at Swann Galleries was the highest-gorssing auction of books in the auction house’s history at $1.1 million.
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 Family Papers of Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy Brings $281k in Fall 2022 Americana Auction at Swann October 5, 2022 Printed & Manuscript Americana Family Papers of Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy Brings $281k in Fall 2022 Americana Auction at Swann Swann’s fall 2022 auction of Printed & Manuscript Americana held on September 29 earned $960k. Civil War-era material earned nearly $470,000 of that total. Collectors joined the sale through the…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: October 27, 2022 Auction Highlights October 4, 2022 Art Press & Illustrated Books Fine Books & Autographs: October 27, 2022 Auction Highlights A large assemblage of extraordinary Americana autographs includes a sweeping group of presidents, and many founding fathers. More than three items are signed by George Washington, including an autograph survey…
Read more about Auctions 101: Provenance Research September 19, 2022 Printed & Manuscript Americana Auctions 101: Provenance Research Stattler explains the detective work that sometimes goes into researching an item’s history and provenance Auction houses keep one foot in the past, and one foot in the future. We are…
Read more about This Season’s Successes: Winter-Spring 2022 Auctions in Review August 22, 2022 19th & 20th Century Literature This Season’s Successes: Winter-Spring 2022 Auctions in Review The winter-spring auction season at Swann is a masterclass in marathon training, and the 2022 iteration proved no different with 20 auctions held between late January and the middle of August.
Read more about John Larson’s Specialist Picks: 5 Books to Watch in the June 16 Auction June 14, 2022 19th & 20th Century Literature John Larson’s Specialist Picks: 5 Books to Watch in the June 16 Auction John Larson, Swann’s nineteenth and twentieth century literature specialist, shares five lots that are sure to draw interest in the June 16 sale of Fine Books & Autographs. First Edition…
Read more about Letters from Us: Epistolary Novels by Women May 31, 2022 Focus On Women Letters from Us: Epistolary Novels by Women In this year’s Focus on Women sale, we are pleased to offer several interesting epistolary novels written by women.
Read more about Focus On Women: June 2, 2022 Auction Highlights May 6, 2022 Books & Manuscripts Focus On Women: June 2, 2022 Auction Highlights Swann’s second annual Focus on Women sale, as its name suggests, is an opportunity to emphasize women’s experiences and contributions to literature, science, art, politics, and thought. With published and…
Read more about 2021: Year in Review December 22, 2021 Swann 2021: Year in Review As we close out another successful year at Swann we look back at our record-filled sales.
Read more about Artists of the WPA & the Dawn of a New American Identity December 20, 2021 The Artists of the WPA Artists of the WPA & the Dawn of a New American Identity The New Deal not only established a great legacy, but a greater generation of artists whose works defined the American spirit.
Read more about Records & Results: November 2021 Sales at Swann December 9, 2021 Prints & Drawings Records & Results: November 2021 Sales at Swann November Sales at Swann Bring $6.7M November at Swann Galleries featured a marathon of fine art auctions including a two-day sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints and Master Drawings,…
Read more about Consign Now for June 2022: Focus on Women November 5, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Consign Now for June 2022: Focus on Women This past summer Swann held its first auction devoted to works by women. We are pleased to annouce another edition of this sale, to be held in June 2022, once again spearheaded by Devon Eastland, our Early Printed Books Specialist, but offering a wide assortment of material
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Contemporary Artists’ Books: The Property of a Texas Collector—At Auction November 9, 2021 October 28, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Upcoming Highlights: Contemporary Artists’ Books: The Property of a Texas Collector—At Auction November 9, 2021 An astonishing single owner sale of Contemporary Artists’ Books, many known only via institutional copies, includes an abundance of deluxe issues produced in impossibly small limitations often out of the…
Read more about The Value of First Edition Dust Jackets October 26, 2021 19th & 20th Century Literature The Value of First Edition Dust Jackets Trolling ne plus ultra Gatsby in the Original Jacket Even those with but a passing familiarity with the rare book trade will likely be aware of the fabulous sums obtained…
Read more about Fire and the Wizards of Light: Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison October 25, 2021 Autographs Fire and the Wizards of Light: Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison Among the great American inventors, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla are remarkable for having both collaborated and competed while developing some of the most transformative modern technologies. Although Edison is…
Read more about Devon Eastland on Librarian George Parker Winship October 11, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Devon Eastland on Librarian George Parker Winship When I was an undergraduate, I only knew George Parker Winship’s name because of the series of lectures delivered in his honor at the Houghton Library. The topic of one…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Fine Books & Autographs—At Auction October 28, 2021 October 7, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Upcoming Highlights: Fine Books & Autographs—At Auction October 28, 2021 Including autographs by Kurt Cobain, Pancho Villa, Mark Twain, as well as pristine first editions featuring Virginia Woolf and others; fine art books featuring Robert Indiana and Gustav Klimt.
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Early Printed Books—At Auction October 14, 2021 September 22, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Upcoming Highlights: Early Printed Books—At Auction October 14, 2021 This October’s Early Printed Books sale featuring travel, medicine, and science offers another chance for rare book buyers to travel through time and around the world to shop for historically and culturally significant works and objects. We are pleased to present a curated selection of Renaissance and early modern printing, including scholarly editions of Greek and Latin classics; manuscripts and early printing; a curated selection of medical works; and books that document global contributions to our shared culture.
Read more about First Sale Dedicated to the Accomplishments of Women at Swann Exceeds High Estimate July 20, 2021 19th & 20th Century Literature First Sale Dedicated to the Accomplishments of Women at Swann Exceeds High Estimate Early Printed Book, Archives, Vernacular and Fine Art Photography, Among other Material, Draws Interest Among Collectors The house’s inaugural Focus on Women sale on Thursday, July 15, 2021 brought $333,893…
Read more about Devon Eastland on Caroline Schimmel & the Challenges of Creating Diverse Collections Driven by Women July 9, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Devon Eastland on Caroline Schimmel & the Challenges of Creating Diverse Collections Driven by Women Ahead of Swann’s first auction dedicated to the accomplishments of women on July 15, senior specialist and curator of the sale, Devon Eastland, sat down with author, historian and collector…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Focus on Women — At Auction July 15, 2021 June 28, 2021 Printed & Manuscript Americana Upcoming Highlights: Focus on Women — At Auction July 15, 2021 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, though we accept order bids,…
Read more about Important Autographs to Watch in the June 2021 Sale June 4, 2021 Autographs Important Autographs to Watch in the June 2021 Sale The autographs portion of the June 17, 2021 auction includes uncommonly inspiring items in nearly every major category of collecting. Below Marco Tomaschett shares a selection of highlights. Americana Among…
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 Consign Now for July 2021: Focus on Women April 30, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Consign Now for July 2021: Focus on Women As collectors and institutions turn their focus to the important contributions of women, Swann is pleased to feature their work at auction. We are seeking consignments that highlight the stories of all those in the community who identify as women in the fields of activism, art and design, community, education, entertainment, health and wellness, science and innovation, sport, and work. The auction will feature first editions, handwritten manuscript material, archives, and works on paper by historically significant poets, novelists, scientists, journalists, photographers, playwrights, performers and beyond.
Read more about Selections from Letterform Archive April 21, 2021 Vintage Posters Selections from Letterform Archive At Auction May 12, 2021 This special offering of deaccessioned duplicates from the rich collection of Letterform Archive will bring to auction graphics, books, posters and examples of typography that…
Read more about Selections From a Noteworthy Collection of American Historical Prints April 6, 2021 Printed & Manuscript Americana Selections From a Noteworthy Collection of American Historical Prints Our April 15, 2021 auction of Printed & Manuscript Americana opens with a noteworthy collection of historical prints which spins a narrative of America stretching from the arrival of Columbus to the…
Read more about Lies in Publishing: Collecting False Imprints April 5, 2021 Early Printed Books Lies in Publishing: Collecting False Imprints Bibliographers, cataloguers, and scholars rely upon the veracity of a book’s imprint—that is, the publication information provided by the printer on the title page, and includes the following: city of…
Read more about Early Printed Books: April 2021 Highlights March 16, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Early Printed Books: April 2021 Highlights Featuring illuminated manuscripts, including an ornate Book of Hours, Use in Utrecht, and a robust section of important early scientific texts by Nicolaus Copernicus, Euclid, and Johann Zahn. Medical volumes include a first edition of Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams, among others.
Read more about Printed & Manuscript African Americana: March 2021 Auction Highlights March 1, 2021 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Printed & Manuscript African Americana: March 2021 Auction Highlights Featuring material relating to Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Phillis Wheatley, Katherine Dunham, Kool Lance, and more.
Read more about Ship’s Papers, Passports, and Privateers: Marco Tomaschett on Collectible Documents and U.S. Maritime History February 22, 2021 Autographs Ship’s Papers, Passports, and Privateers: Marco Tomaschett on Collectible Documents and U.S. Maritime History Water vessels played a critical role in shaping the early history of America. That U.S. maritime history is brief relative to some other nations is an advantage, because many artifacts…
Read more about Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road,’ Off the Rails February 22, 2021 19th & 20th Century Literature Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road,’ Off the Rails John Larson on the cinematic history of Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’ An immediate success upon its publication in 1957, Jack Kerouac’s second book, On the Road, has maintained a…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: February 2021 Auction Highlights February 3, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Autographs: February 2021 Auction Highlights Featuring fine autographs by Frederick Douglass, Albert Einstein, James Dean, John F. Kennedy, Lord Byron, Richard Wagner, alongside literature and art books by Joseph Albers, Leonetto Cappiello, Ian Fleming, Ernest Hemingway, Ralph Ellison, and more.
Read more about The Artists of the WPA: The Promise of a New Deal January 20, 2021 The Artists of the WPA The Artists of the WPA: The Promise of a New Deal On February 4, 2021, Swann offered: The Artists of the WPA. The first iteration of the multi-departmental sale, featured paintings, prints, photographs, posters, books and related ephemera by artists whose…
Read more about 2020: Year in Review December 23, 2020 Swann 2020: Year in Review In a year that was unlike any in our lifetimes, Swann’s specialists and staff proved to be as resilient and innovative as ever, bringing forward new and safe ways to…
Read more about John Woodhouse Audubon: The California Gray Squirrel December 14, 2020 Maps & Atlases 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 Autographs by Washington, Hamilton & Hancock Bring Top Prices in November 2020 Sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts November 23, 2020 Books & Manuscripts 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 The Voice & Hand of Frederick Douglass November 12, 2020 Autographs The Voice & Hand of Frederick Douglass One’s handwriting is unique unto oneself. For some, the style can remain consistent throughout the years. For others, the features that characterize their handwriting can change depending on circumstance, and…
Read more about Monster Mash: Five Famous Monster Books to Collect October 30, 2020 19th & 20th Century Literature Monster Mash: Five Famous Monster Books to Collect October brings out the inner ghoul in all of us. Our Literature Specialist, John Larson, compiled a fantasy starter collection for those interested in fantasmagoria. The Vampyre; A Tale by…
Read more about Fine Books & Manuscripts: November 2020 Highlights October 26, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Manuscripts: November 2020 Highlights Featuring Major Works by Jane Austen & Charles Dickens, Autographs & Manuscript Items from John Hancock, Igor Stravinsky & more
Read more about Early Printed Books: Fall 2020 Auction Highlights October 7, 2020 Early Printed Books Early Printed Books: Fall 2020 Auction Highlights Early Printed Books, at auction October 27, 2020, featuring sought-after early imprints, incunabula, North American early exploration texts, medical books and more.
Read more about Register for the Legendary Catskill Mountain House Brings $45k in our Fall 2020 Sale of Americana October 7, 2020 Printed & Manuscript Americana 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 Happening October 5: Reading and Q&A With ‘Dark Archives’ Author Megan Rosenbloom September 24, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Happening October 5: Reading and Q&A With ‘Dark Archives’ Author Megan Rosenbloom Join Us October 5, 2020 at 7PM ET for a fascinating, terrifying look at the rarest books―bound in human skin―and the stories of their creation.
Read more about Early Printed Books: Old Tombstones September 4, 2020 Early Printed Books Early Printed Books: Old Tombstones What Goes Around Comes Around Devon Eastland shares the joys of handling early printed books and how sometimes unexpected pieces of history can crop up. As a business with a…
Read more about Autographs & History Part II: George Bernard Shaw & Enrico Caruso July 24, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Autographs & History Part II: George Bernard Shaw & Enrico Caruso In a two-part series Marco Tomaschett, our autographs specialist, takes us through a few autographs by prominent people in history in our July 30 sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts.
Read more about Autographs & History Part I: U.S. Presidents July 24, 2020 Autographs Autographs & History Part I: U.S. Presidents In a two-part series Marco Tomaschett, our autographs specialist, takes us through a few autographs by prominent people in history in our July 30 sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts.