News

Vintage Posters

A Brief History of Guinness Posters & Alice in Guinnessland

James Joyce allegedly proclaimed that Guinness was “the wine of Ireland,” and a 1973 ad for the company featured a r…

News

19th & 20th Century Art: March 2021 Auction Highlights

Featuring prints, drawings, paintings, sculptures by Mary Cassatt, Francis Picabia, Pablo Picasso, Wifredo Lam, Fern…

American Art

First Auction of Artists of the WPA at Swann Establishes Four Records

The Artists of the WPA were on display in our February 4, 2021, auction. The multi-departmental sale was headed by H…

Autographs

Fine Books & Autographs: February 2021 Auction Highlights

Featuring fine autographs by Frederick Douglass, Albert Einstein, James Dean, John F. Kennedy, Lord Byron, Richard W…

Illustration Art

‘Saturday Evening Post’ Covers Pop in Swann Winter 2021 Illustration Art Sale

Swann Galleries opened the winter/spring 2021 season with a robust sale of Illustration Art. The auction saw record …

Illustration Art

Illustrator Profile: Arthur Burdett Frost

Training and Early Influence of Thomas Eakins Born in Philadelphia in 1851, Frost began an apprenticeship with engra…

Vintage Posters

Vintage Posters: Auction Highlights February 2021

At Auction February 18, 2021 Literary Posters Art Nouveau Bicycles, Automobiles & Aviation Food and Drink Skiing…

American Art

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, feat…

Illustration Art

An Interview with Dick McDonough — Collector & Connoisseur of Golf Illustrations

Swann’s January 28, 2021 auction of Illustration Art features 63 works of art (Lots 217 to 280) that are golf-…

Swann

The Artists of the WPA: Auction Highlights February 2021

We’re pleased to present this curated auction of WPA-era artwork, photographs, and related material. In the af…

Modern & Post-War Art

Harold Porcher’s Debrief on the First Modern & Post-War Art Auction At Swann

On December 3, 2020, we held our first Modern and Post-War Art auction. The sale was met with enthusiasm by collecto…

Illustration Art

Illustration Art: Winter 2021 Highlights

This sale brightens up January with a collection of golf illustrations formed by the avid collector and esteemed aut…

19th & 20th Century Literature

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 in…

African American Art

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 aucti…

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 …

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 …

African American Art

Happening December 7: Artist Talk with Bisa Butler

Join us for a lively conversation between Swann Director of African American Art, Nigel Freeman, and the artist Bisa…

Illustration Art

Beloved Children’s Book Illustrators

Original artwork from children’s literature continue to make up a large portion of our Illustration Art sales. The e…

Modern & Post-War Art

Harold Porcher’s Five Key Artists in the December 3 Modern & Post-War Art Sale

Our Director of Modern & Post-War Art, Harold Porcher, shares his top picks from the December 3 sale—the house&#…

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…

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 …

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 & Man…

Modern & Post-War Art

Happening November 30: Artists That Went Against The Grain

Starting with H.C. Westermann in Chicago and winding its way through other artists that made a practice of going aga…

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 bi…

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 …

Contemporary Art

Chiron Press—The First of Its Kind

In our November 2020 Contemporary Art sale, we’re honored to offer more than thirty important works from the C…

Modern & Post-War Art

Modern & Post-War Art: December 2020 Highlights

At Auction December 3, 2020 This auction features high-quality examples by sought-after artists Sargent Johnson, Hug…

African American Art

African American Art: December 2020 Highlights

At Auction December 10, 2020 Previewing by Appointment Only Through Wednesday, December 9 This sale will include sig…

Artist Profile: Louis Lozowick

Louis Lozowick is known for his geometric and abstracted lithographs of New York City, although his w…

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 …

Contemporary Art

Contemporary Art: November 2020 Highlights

Featuring works by Louise Nevelson from the collection of Albert Argentieri, a friend of the artist, as well as work…

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 photograph…

Books & Manuscripts

Fine Books & Manuscripts: November 2020 Highlights

Featuring Major Works by Jane Austen & Charles Dickens, Autographs & Manuscript Items from John Hancock, I…

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 Photograp…

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 t…

Old Master Through Modern Prints: November 2020 Highlights

At Auction November 12, 2020 The fall fine prints sale will include masters of printmaking from the sixteenth throug…

Vintage Posters

Collector’s Guide: Railway Posters

Nicholas D. Lowry Picks His Top Locomotive Travel Posters Among the earliest European travel posters were produced b…

Focus On Women

Collection Spotlight: Evelyne Daitz, Trailblazing Photography Gallerist

Evelyne Daitz helped to set the foundation for the market and pioneered the ways in which the medium is still consid…

Books & Manuscripts

Early Printed Books: Fall 2020 Auction Highlights

Early Printed Books, at auction October 27, 2020, featuring sought-after early imprints, incunabula, North American …

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,…