May 31, 2023Caleb KifferMaps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: June 22, 2023 Auction Highlights Read more about Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: June 22, 2023 Auction Highlights Our spring Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books sale will offer an arrangement of varied material for collectors of virtually any interest and level. Material reveals the…
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 Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: December 8, 2022 Auction Highlights November 16, 2022 Maps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: December 8, 2022 Auction Highlights Our winter maps auction will offer a strong variety of material including collectible examples by stalwart publishers Ortelius, Blaeu, Hondius, Speed, and Munster. Plate books and graphics include works by…
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 Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: June 23, 2022 Auction Highlights June 1, 2022 Maps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: June 23, 2022 Auction Highlights In our upcoming Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books summer sale, bidders can explore a strong selection of scarce New York City related maps and graphics, several maps of an…
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 Caleb Kiffer’s Specialist Picks: Two Rare Finds in the December 9, 2021 Sale of Maps & Atlases December 3, 2021 Maps & Atlases Caleb Kiffer’s Specialist Picks: Two Rare Finds in the December 9, 2021 Sale of Maps & Atlases Our Maps & Atlases Specialist, Caleb Kiffer, often has the pleasure of handling rare and unique items in his sales. For example, take a look at the Charles Currier lithographic…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books—December 9, 2021 November 16, 2021 Maps & Atlases Upcoming Highlights: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books—December 9, 2021 Maps Caleb Kiffer’s Specialist Picks for Maps: Lots 43, 74, 121, 134 & 172 Atlases & Books with Maps Color Plate & Illustrated Books Historical Prints & Drawings Caleb Kiffer’s…
Read more about “None Found… Yet.” Rare Items from our June 2021 Auction of Maps & Atlases May 28, 2021 Maps & Atlases “None Found… Yet.” Rare Items from our June 2021 Auction of Maps & Atlases When we’re cataloging and come across a certain item that seems unusual and not readily found in auction database records, dealer catalog listings, or sometimes even standard reference books, it’s…
Read more about Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: June 2021 Auction Highlights May 12, 2021 Maps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: June 2021 Auction Highlights Featuring historical prints such as those issued by Currier & Ives, and plates by John James Audubon, as well as a robust selection of antique maps and atlases.
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 Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: December 2020 Highlights November 24, 2020 Maps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: December 2020 Highlights At Auction December 17, 2020 Previewing by Appointment Only Through Wednesday, December 16 Maps Atlases & Books with Maps Color Plate Books & Illustrations Prints, Drawings & Ephemera What You…
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 Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: At Auction July 9, 2020 June 11, 2020 Maps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: At Auction July 9, 2020 An exquisite selection of antiquarian maps and atlases, globes, color plate books, works by John James Audubon, Currier & Ives, and more.
Read more about Old Diaries Tell the Stories of Overlooked Americans March 23, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Old Diaries Tell the Stories of Overlooked Americans The value of diaries on the market is largely driven by historical content and the quality of the writing. What could your diary be worth?
Read more about Hawaiian-Language Schoolbook Makes its Market Debut at $68k in Fall 2019 Maps & Atlases Sale December 19, 2019 Maps & Atlases 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 Fall 2019: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books November 4, 2019 Maps & Atlases Fall 2019: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Interesting items for all collectors feature in the sale with botanical and historic prints, plates by John James Audubon, Hawaiian and Japanese imprints, atlases and maps of nearly any destination you can think of.
Read more about The History of Books & Manuscripts at Swann Galleries October 7, 2019 Autographs The History of Books & Manuscripts at Swann Galleries Bibliophiles of every denomination—Americana, autographs, art books, archives, atlases, ephemera, literature, maps—can find their niche at Swann Galleries. Originally founded in New York as a book auction house, we hold regular specialized sales devoted to books, printed material and manuscripts.
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…
Read more about Lewis Evans: An Overview of Creating ‘General Map of the Middle British Colonies in America’ May 23, 2019 Maps & Atlases Lewis Evans: An Overview of Creating ‘General Map of the Middle British Colonies in America’ Lewis Evans’ General Map of the Middle British Colonies in America was one of the most significant and influential maps published in Colonial America. On it, Evans described the land beyond the…
Read more about Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books April 17, 2019 Maps & Atlases Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books At Auction June 6 Complete Catalogue Exhibition Open June 1 – June 6 The exhibition is free to attend and open to the public. We welcome special and educational groups…
Read more about Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 17, 2018 Maps & Atlases Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Runaway Currier & Ives Print with Special Ties to Thomas W. Streeter Sets Record at Swann We closed out our fall season with a marathon sale of Maps &…
Read more about Across the Continent: a Currier & Ives print with ties to Thomas W. Streeter December 5, 2018 Maps & Atlases Across the Continent: a Currier & Ives print with ties to Thomas W. Streeter Among the many unique and impressive rarities in our December 13 Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books sale is Across the Continent, 1868, by Currier & Ives. Significant for…
Read more about Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books June 12, 2018 Maps & Atlases Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Our auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books on June 7 brought to market landmarks from the history of cartography and ornithology. The nearly 400 lots…
Read more about The Original Beaver Map & Its Legacy June 1, 2018 Maps & Atlases The Original Beaver Map & Its Legacy Tucked into the top left corner of an eighteenth-century map in our June 7 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books is a vignette that at…
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 What Sets A Chart Apart? January 19, 2018 Maps & Atlases What Sets A Chart Apart? We asked specialist Caleb Kiffer to reminisce about some of the most interesting and important charts we’ve handled in the last few years. Why charts? We wanted to explore (pun…
Read more about Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books December 8, 2017 Maps & Atlases Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Maps were so plentiful at our December 5 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books that one could be forgiven for getting lost. Many buyers chose…
Read more about Schedel’s Map: The Last View of the Old World November 28, 2017 Maps & Atlases Schedel’s Map: The Last View of the Old World A historic map shows us where we’ve been, not only geographically but also in terms of the extent of our knowledge, our beliefs and even our technology. Two works coming…
Read more about A Look Inside the Catalogue: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books August 31, 2017 Maps & Atlases A Look Inside the Catalogue: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books At Auction December 13 Complete Catalogue Maps An example of Abraham Ortelius’s map of Iceland will be included, famously and prominently featuring one of the most beloved aspects of…
Read more about Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books June 12, 2017 Maps & Atlases Records & Results: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Our June 7 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books saw strong results with multiple auction debuts and records, as well as a plethora of unique…
Read more about Leaving the Land: Ship’s Logs from England to the Mediterranean in the Nineteenth Century May 30, 2017 Maps & Atlases Leaving the Land: Ship’s Logs from England to the Mediterranean in the Nineteenth Century In January of 1819, Captain William Hodgson steered the three-masted merchant ship Transit down the River Avon from Bristol, beginning a six-month voyage toward the Mediterranean. The ship’s log book he…
Read more about The Endless Mountains: A Map That Promised More May 26, 2017 Maps & Atlases The Endless Mountains: A Map That Promised More Specialist Caleb Kiffer of our Maps & Atlases department on one of his favorite pieces in our June 7 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books: a…
Read more about On A Previously Unknown First State of de Wit’s Map of the Netherlands November 30, 2016 Maps & Atlases On A Previously Unknown First State of de Wit’s Map of the Netherlands This post was written by Maps & Atlases Specialist Caleb Kiffer in advance of our December 8, 2016 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books. The…
Read more about Politics & Satire: The Etchings of James Gillray May 25, 2016 Maps & Atlases Politics & Satire: The Etchings of James Gillray With the presidential primary election in full swing, we’re all up to our eyeballs in satirical columns and cartoons. In the spirit of the season, we thought we’d look at…
Read more about A Rare Manuscript Map from the Dutch East India Company: Java May 21, 2016 Maps & Atlases A Rare Manuscript Map from the Dutch East India Company: Java With an almost two hundred year history, the Dutch East India Company (known in Dutch as Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC), was the dominate force in European trade and navigation of Asia…
Read more about The Foundation of a Capital: Early Maps of Washington D.C. December 5, 2015 Maps & Atlases The Foundation of a Capital: Early Maps of Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., with its neoclassical architecture and grand monuments, almost seems as if it arose organically over centuries on the shores of the Potomac. In reality, the Capital City was…
Read more about A Famous Cartographic Blunder: The Island of California May 15, 2015 Maps & Atlases A Famous Cartographic Blunder: The Island of California For more than a century the state of California was thought to be an island. How? Misinformation by way of maps. In Mapping the West: America’s Westward Movement 1524-1890 (2002),…
Read more about Taking a Closer Look: A Map of Kyoto as the Imperial Capital of Japan May 30, 2014 Maps & Atlases Taking a Closer Look: A Map of Kyoto as the Imperial Capital of Japan The June 3, 2014 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books is marked by a number of unique or exceedingly rare examples of cartographic material and…
Read more about Battle of the Nile Sketch: The French Fleet on the Eve of Its Destruction April 16, 2014 Maps & Atlases Battle of the Nile Sketch: The French Fleet on the Eve of Its Destruction Swann Galleries’ June 3, 2014 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books offers an unparalleled sketch from life of the Battle of the Nile attributed to Captain James…
Read more about Notes from the Catalogue: John Randel’s Map of New York May 14, 2013 Maps & Atlases Notes from the Catalogue: John Randel’s Map of New York Among the highlights of Swann’s June 6 auction of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Historical Prints, Ephemera is a Final Commissioner’s Map of New York City by John Randel,…