October 25, 2021Marco TomaschettAutographs Fire and the Wizards of Light: Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison Read more about 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 Upcoming Highlights: Old Master Through Modern Prints—At Auction November 2, 2021 October 20, 2021 Prints & Drawings Upcoming Highlights: Old Master Through Modern Prints—At Auction November 2, 2021 The Tuesday, November 2 Old Master Through Modern Prints sale will be offered as part of a two-day auction event with Master Drawings on the block Wednesday, November 3. Old…
Read more about Pop Culture Phenoms: Autographs from Some of the 20th Century’s Most Famous Figures October 20, 2021 Uncategorized Pop Culture Phenoms: Autographs from Some of the 20th Century’s Most Famous Figures Over the years Swann has offered a number of signatures from figures who have captured the zeitgeist of their era, dominating the headlines and defining the taste and interests for…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Master Drawings—At Auction November 3, 2021 October 13, 2021 Prints & Drawings Upcoming Highlights: Master Drawings—At Auction November 3, 2021 Featuring a private collection of Italian old master drawings, as well as English, French, German, Dutch and Northern school drawings from the fifteenth to nineteenth centuries.
Read more about Fall 2021 African American Art Auction Brings $5M October 12, 2021 African American Art Fall 2021 African American Art Auction Brings $5M “We are beyond thrilled with the results of the October 7, 2021 auction, which was a historic sale for Swann Galleries: our first auction to hammer over $4 million. Great…
Read more about Spotlight on Stephen Shore’s Color Photography October 11, 2021 Photographs & Photobooks Spotlight on Stephen Shore’s Color Photography Stephen Shore’s extensive career has been defined by a quest to discover everyday America through its vernacular architecture and landscape. Ambitious, Shore rose to prominence at a young age. At…
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 The Book of Mormon Earns Record at $112k in Fall 2021 Americana Auction October 6, 2021 Printed & Manuscript Americana The Book of Mormon Earns Record at $112k in Fall 2021 Americana Auction American Revolution material brings strong results, alongside Latin Americana The fall 2021 offering of Printed & Manuscript Americana was held on Thursday, September 30 delivering remarkable results across the board.…
Read more about Artist Profile: Belkis Ayón September 27, 2021 African American Art Artist Profile: Belkis Ayón Printmaking has a long history of making the fine art world at large more accessible internationally, due to its affordability and impact. This can be seen in the efforts of…
Read more about Elizabeth Catlett & the Art of Stone Carving September 27, 2021 African American Art Elizabeth Catlett & the Art of Stone Carving “Stone imposes a certain discipline which cannot be ignored.” The October 7, 2021 African American Art auction includes two impressive carved sculptures by Elizabeth Catlett which bookend her half-century practice…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Fine Photographs—At Auction October 21, 2021 September 27, 2021 Photographs & Photobooks Upcoming Highlights: Fine Photographs—At Auction October 21, 2021 Our Fine Photographs auction features rare and important vintage works, including items from the Collection of Aron M. Mathieu, founder of Modern Photography magazine.
Read more about Women & the Civil War September 24, 2021 Printed & Manuscript Americana Women & the Civil War Men did the bulk of the fighting in the Civil War, but women were involved on every level—from managing family farms and businesses in the absence of their soldier husbands,…
Read more about Virginia Zabriskie Collection Opens the Fall 2021 Season at Swann September 23, 2021 Photographs & Photobooks Virginia Zabriskie Collection Opens the Fall 2021 Season at Swann We opened our fall 2021 season with the single-owner sale of The Virginia Zabriskie Collection on Tuesday, September 21. The success of the auction was the result of a multi-department…
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 Dada & Surrealism from the Virginia Zabriskie Collection September 8, 2021 Photographs & Photobooks Dada & Surrealism from the Virginia Zabriskie Collection During her time as a gallerist, Virginia Zabriskie was keyed into the zeitgeist of the era. She embraced the Dada Manifesto and Surrealist ideals, presenting several exhibitions that explored these…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: African American Art—At Auction October 7, 2021 August 30, 2021 African American Art Upcoming Highlights: African American Art—At Auction October 7, 2021 Including highlights by Hale Woodruff, Elizabeth Catlett, Richard Mayhew, Sam Gilliam, Howardena Pindell, Noah Purifoy, Simone Leigh, Emma Amos, and others.
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Printed & Manuscript Americana—At Auction September 30, 2021 August 30, 2021 Printed & Manuscript Americana Upcoming Highlights: Printed & Manuscript Americana—At Auction September 30, 2021 Manuscript diaries, broadsides, archives and more, ranging from the Revolutionary era, frontier expeditions, colonial Latin America, and more.
Read more about This Season’s Successes: Winter-Spring 2021 Auctions in Review August 26, 2021 Swann This Season’s Successes: Winter-Spring 2021 Auctions in Review Swann is so proud to have not only made it through the heart of the pandemic but also to have done so with grace, professionalism and more than just a modicum of success. Throughout it all we were able to keep our focus and not only continue providing the wonderful services we are known for but also to begin carving out new and exciting niches in brand new collecting areas.
Read more about LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Auction Bests Itself for the Third Year in a Row August 23, 2021 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Auction Bests Itself for the Third Year in a Row Auction Brings $1.3M and Records Abound New Record for Tom of Finland, Shattering Top Price Set by Swann Last Year “Swann’s third annual auction of LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture &…
Read more about Highlights From The Virginia Zabriskie Collection August 20, 2021 American Art Highlights From The Virginia Zabriskie Collection We are honored to offer the collection of Virginia Zabriskie in a special single-owner auction that opens our 2021 fall season. Virginia Zabriskie’s personal collection was built during a pioneering career spanning more than five decades, marked by audacity and innovation in a field that was seldom encouraging to professional women.
Read more about Artist Profile: Tom of Finland August 13, 2021 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Artist Profile: Tom of Finland Tom of Finland, perhaps the most iconic creator of erotic gay art, understood his role as a liberator. His images of men unleashing their deepest fantasies have provided an outlet for…
Read more about Webinar August 16: A Conversation with the Memphis Brooks Museum August 10, 2021 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Webinar August 16: A Conversation with the Memphis Brooks Museum Monday, August 16 at 6PM ET Swann President Nicholas D. Lowry will be in conversation with Memphis Brooks Museum curator Dr. Rosamund Garrett and photographer Mark Seliger. They will discuss…
Read more about Nicholas D. Lowry Shares His Favorite “Unofficial” Vintage Olympic Posters July 21, 2021 Vintage Posters Nicholas D. Lowry Shares His Favorite “Unofficial” Vintage Olympic Posters In the world of Olympic posters there are a handful of important milestones: The first modern Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1896, a fitting tribute to the ancient…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History—At Auction August 19, 2021 July 21, 2021 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Upcoming Highlights: LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History—At Auction August 19, 2021 This year Swann Galleries holds a third annual auction dedicated to the art, material culture, and history of the LGBTQ+ community, bringing to market both familiar artists as well as…
Read more about First Sale Dedicated to the Accomplishments of Women at Swann Exceeds High Estimate July 20, 2021 Focus On Women 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 Upcoming Highlights: Vintage Posters—At Auction August 5, 2021 July 13, 2021 Vintage Posters Upcoming Highlights: Vintage Posters—At Auction August 5, 2021 Featured Reading: On Buying a Vintage Poster: What You Need to Know What You Need to Know on Auction Day This auction will be held live and conducted remotely. There…
Read more about Devon Eastland on Caroline Schimmel & the Challenges of Creating Diverse Collections Driven by Women July 9, 2021 Focus On Women 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 Swann Summer Reading List 2021 July 9, 2021 Swann Swann Summer Reading List 2021 Summer reading recommendations from our team of specialists and support staff, as well as some resources for supporting independent booksellers.
Read more about Part II: For Love of the King: the Wild Story of a Forged Wilde Story July 2, 2021 Autographs Part II: For Love of the King: the Wild Story of a Forged Wilde Story Marco Tomaschett, Swann autographs specialist, explores the events and personalities surrounding For Love of the King, and the evidence that suggests that the story was not written by Oscar Wilde, but…
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Focus on Women — At Auction July 15, 2021 June 28, 2021 Focus On Women 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 May & June 2021 Fine Art Sales Roundup for Swann Galleries June 24, 2021 Swann May & June 2021 Fine Art Sales Roundup for Swann Galleries Modern & Post-War Art, Fine Photographs & Contemporary Art Auctions of Modern & Post-War Art, Fine Photographs and Contemporary Art at Swann Galleries in late May and early June 2021…
Read more about Tour the June 2021 American Art Sale: 19th Century to Modern Art June 21, 2021 American Art Tour the June 2021 American Art Sale: 19th Century to Modern Art The American Art sale on June 30, 2021 will include notable works from prominent artists working in America beginning in the mid-1800s and continuing through the contemporary era. Below we…
Read more about Let’s Get Physical: Telltale Marks and Restoration Tips for Illustration Art Collectors June 21, 2021 Illustration Art Let’s Get Physical: Telltale Marks and Restoration Tips for Illustration Art Collectors Whether a seasoned collector or a newbie to the world of original illustrations, you may have several questions about why things look as they do, which of them to fix, and which…
Read more about American Art: June 30, 2021 Auction Highlights June 11, 2021 American Art American Art: June 30, 2021 Auction Highlights Featuring works by Rockwell Kent, Emil Bisttram, Ruth Temple Anderson, John La Farge, Alice Beach Winter, and more.
Read more about Collectors on Collecting: The Feminist Collection of Harriet Lyons June 7, 2021 Contemporary Art Collectors on Collecting: The Feminist Collection of Harriet Lyons Harriet Lyons was a founding editor of Ms. Magazine, a journalist, and an art collector. In 1971, she wrote a cover story for the Village Voice about women’s sexuality in art at…
Read more about Part I: For Love of the King: the Wild Story of a Forged Wilde Story June 5, 2021 Autographs Part I: For Love of the King: the Wild Story of a Forged Wilde Story I The Unlikely Value of a Forgery The authenticity of an autograph is a critical aspect of its value. A letter signed by an authorized secretary or signing machine in…
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 Illustration Art: June 24, 2021 Auction Highlights June 2, 2021 Illustration Art Illustration Art: June 24, 2021 Auction Highlights Further Reading: Examining Edward Gorey’s Market Early Women Cartoonists of The New Yorker What You Need to Know on Auction Day This auction will be held live and conducted remotely.…
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 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 Contemporary Art: June 10, 2021 Auction Highlights May 20, 2021 Contemporary Art Contemporary Art: June 10, 2021 Auction Highlights 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 Synchromism: Modern Art Conceived by American Artists May 14, 2021 Modern & Post-War Art Synchromism: Modern Art Conceived by American Artists When Paul Cezanne left Paris and the Impressionist movement to explore his independent concepts of capturing time and space on the two-dimensional picture plane through light, color, and form, he…
Read more about American Street Photography of the 1940s–50s May 14, 2021 Photographs & Photobooks American Street Photography of the 1940s–50s The roaming photographer, camera slung around her neck or gripped in a hand, walking city streets, sitting in a café, invisible, but watching, capturing, finding enduring, candid, illustrative moments, is…
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 Rembrandt & Picasso Lead May 2021 Sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints May 11, 2021 Uncategorized Rembrandt & Picasso Lead May 2021 Sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints Our May 6, 2021 sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints delivered $1.8 million in sales and saw seven print records set. “There was robust and consistent interest in Old…
Read more about Photographs & Photobooks: May 2021 Auction Highlights May 5, 2021 Photographs & Photobooks Photographs & Photobooks: May 2021 Auction Highlights Exploring the thematic and visual diversity of the photographic medium, this auction covers twentieth-century masters as well as contemporary practitioners and items from the visual vernacular: albums, archives, and individual objects.
Read more about Examining Edward Gorey’s Market May 3, 2021 Illustration Art Examining Edward Gorey’s Market Edward Gorey is having a moment. Gorey has had many of these over the years—he was the quintessential multifaceted artist/illustrator/author who remains many things to many people: a master of…
Read more about LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History—At Auction August 19, 2021 May 1, 2021 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History—At Auction August 19, 2021 This year Swann Galleries holds a third annual auction dedicated to the art, material culture, and history of the LGBTQ+ community, bringing to market both familiar artists as well as…
Read more about Consign Now for July 2021: Focus on Women April 30, 2021 Focus On Women 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.