September 2, 2020Swann CommunicationsModern & Post-War Art Modern & Post-War Art: Consign Now for December 2020 Read more about Modern & Post-War Art: Consign Now for December 2020 We’re pleased to be growing our offerings this category, with Harold Porcher leading our new sales of Modern & Post-War Art. Building on our strong history of handling material by diverse modern and post-war artists, now is the time to consign to our debut sale. Consign today for our inaugural December 2020 auction.
Read more about Printed & Manuscript Americana: At Auction September 24, 2020 August 25, 2020 Printed & Manuscript Americana Printed & Manuscript Americana: At Auction September 24, 2020 Covering a period of about five centuries and two continents, our auctions of Printed & Manuscript Americana are exceptionally varied in content and subjects covered, from colonialism and the Westward expansion of the United States, to Presidential material and first-hand accounts by ordinary persons of important historical moments.
Read more about August 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Sale Brings $1M August 23, 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History August 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Sale Brings $1M Swann Sets New Auction Record for Tom of Finland The second iteration of Swann Galleries’ LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History sale on Thursday, August 13, 2020, was a resounding…
Read more about The Sutro Baths: Relics of San Francisco’s Famous Attraction August 18, 2020 Vintage Posters The Sutro Baths: Relics of San Francisco’s Famous Attraction Swann’s August 27, 2020 Vintage Poster auction includes a selection of historical trolley cards, broadsides and original bathing suits from the famous Sutro Baths overlooking the Pacific Ocean. These items…
Read more about American Art: At Auction September 17, 2020 August 17, 2020 American Art American Art: At Auction September 17, 2020 This annual American Art auction includes paintings by American artists Grandma Moses, Childe Hassam, Charles Burchfield, and more.
Read more about Artist Profile: Antonio Lopez August 12, 2020 Illustration Art Artist Profile: Antonio Lopez Antonio Lopez, the bold and blazingly talented fashion illustrator, designer, and stylist of the 1960s-80s was a true iconoclast. He broke racial and sexual barriers decades before it was considered…
Read more about Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations Leads July 30, 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale at $125k August 10, 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations Leads July 30, 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Sale at $125k Our sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on Thursday, July 30, 2020 boasted high prices across categories with early printed books leading the sale, two records being recorded for literature, and autograph material from world leaders garnering attention.
Read more about David Wojnarowicz: A Heightened State of Activism August 7, 2020 Contemporary Art David Wojnarowicz: A Heightened State of Activism David Wojnarowicz was a multifaceted artist known for works that put the AIDS epidemic at the forefront of New York contemporary art, such as his iconic images from the documentary…
Read more about Artists Reclaiming the Queer Black Male Form August 7, 2020 African American Art Artists Reclaiming the Queer Black Male Form Richmond Barthé, Beauford Delaney, Kehinde Wiley, Freddie Styles, and Glenn Ligon produced artworks that are in sole ownership of the manifestation of their physical entities. They chose these modes of representation that best suit them, without the gaze of the heteropatriarchy and white cis-gendered gay men.
Read more about Vintage Posters: At Auction August 27, 2020 August 4, 2020 Vintage Posters Vintage Posters: At Auction August 27, 2020 During a summer of containment and people staying close to their personal bubbles, this auction’s assortment of beach and summer resort posters (see below) seems especially poignant, as for many…
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.
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History July 22, 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Upcoming Highlights: LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Our second annual auction dedicated to the art, material culture, and history of the LGBTQ+ community features items by and from major figures and trailblazers; Richmond Barthé, JEB, Paul Cadmus, Antonio Lopez, Harvey Milk, Freddie Styles, Toyen, Oscar Wilde, Walt Whitman, David Wojnarowicz and more.
Read more about As Seen in Books: A Glossary for Items Found in the Pages of Early Printed Books July 21, 2020 Books & Manuscripts As Seen in Books: A Glossary for Items Found in the Pages of Early Printed Books Any experienced cataloger, scholar, collector, or reader of early printing is accustomed to discovering an array of random objects within the pages of books. Even though some of these tidbits may have fallen out of ancient beards, today we celebrate and study them and put them into categories. Devon Eastland, senior specialist for early printed books, provides a handy glossary for these curious items found within various books.
Read more about N.C. Wyeth’s ‘The Black Arrow’ at Auction July 16 July 10, 2020 Illustration Art N.C. Wyeth’s ‘The Black Arrow’ at Auction July 16 Our July 16, 2020 sale of Illustration Art features an iconic work by N.C. Wyeth—one of the most popular illustrators of all time—with impeccable provenance. The Black Arrow, A Tale…
Read more about Swann in Profile: Deborah Rogal July 10, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Swann in Profile: Deborah Rogal After 15 years with Swann, Deborah Rogal is stepping into the role of Director of our Photographs & Photobooks department. As she transitions into her new position we asked a few questions about her time with the house: how things have changed over the years, the photography market, and what’s to come.
Read more about Fine Books & Manuscripts: Auction Highlights for July 30, 2020 July 9, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Manuscripts: Auction Highlights for July 30, 2020 Find here a plethora of autographs, fine art books, modern first editions, incunabula, manuscripts and more, at auction July 30, 2020.
Read more about Al Hirschfeld Caricatures & Theater Portraits July 8, 2020 Illustration Art Al Hirschfeld Caricatures & Theater Portraits “The importance and legacy of Al Hirschfeld’s theater portraits lie in that Hirschfeld gave us nearly a century’s eyewitness record of a very elusive art form,” notes specialist, Christine von…
Read more about Records & Results: June 2020 Fine Art Sales July 7, 2020 Swann Records & Results: June 2020 Fine Art Sales A Full Month of Fine Art Sales at Swann Delivers Record Prices Swann offered four sales of Fine Art this June, each one proving audiences are undeterred by the remote…
Read more about Pen, Pencil & a Bottle of Ink: Al Hirschfeld Seen Through Six Drawings July 6, 2020 Illustration Art Pen, Pencil & a Bottle of Ink: Al Hirschfeld Seen Through Six Drawings Swann Director of Illustration Art, Christine von der Linn, joined special guest David Leopold, author of the best-selling The Hirschfeld Century and the Creative Director of the Al Hirschfeld Foundation,…
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 Collector’s Guide: Declaration of Independence June 30, 2020 Printed & Manuscript Americana Collector’s Guide: Declaration of Independence Probably the most common question we get in the Americana department is “I found an original copy of the Declaration of Independence—is it worth anything?” The short answer: it’s worth somewhere…
Read more about A Toast to Daile Kaplan, Swann’s Doyenne Emerita June 26, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks A Toast to Daile Kaplan, Swann’s Doyenne Emerita At the end of this month Daile will be stepping away from her role as Vice President and head of Swann’s Photographs & Photobooks Department.
Read more about Abstract Art: 1940s Through Now June 24, 2020 Contemporary Art Abstract Art: 1940s Through Now Abstract forms have in many ways always been part of artistic composition, and the early twentieth century saw a push towards works rendered solely through colors and forms following centuries of a general yearning…
Read more about Illustration Art: Upcoming Highlights At Auction July 16, 2020 June 23, 2020 Illustration Art Illustration Art: Upcoming Highlights At Auction July 16, 2020 This wide-ranging sale is led by an iconic work by N.C. Wyeth, and followed by illustrations by Hilary Knight, Leslie Ragan, Howard Pyle, Edward Gorey, Erté, and others.
Read more about The Studio Assistant: Louise Nevelson & Teddy Haseltine June 15, 2020 Prints & Drawings The Studio Assistant: Louise Nevelson & Teddy Haseltine Our June 25 sale of Contemporary Art features a run of prints by Louise Nevelson. Behind great artists are studio assistants equally devoted to their craft. For Nevelson one of…
Read more about Interview: On the Guerrilla Girls June 15, 2020 Vintage Posters Interview: On the Guerrilla Girls Donna Kaz is a writer, director, choreographer and activist, who has led the theatre troupe, “Guerrilla Girls on Tour” for the past two decades. A Guerrilla Girl herself, who has written a memoir entitled UN/MASKED, Memoirs of a Guerrilla Girl On Tour, Lauren Goldberg, our vintage poster specialist, asked Donna to unmask yet again and share some insight into her own experiences with the movement.
Read more about An Introduction to the Transcendental Painting Group June 12, 2020 Modern & Post-War Art An Introduction to the Transcendental Painting Group Modernism’s Arrival in the United States Modernism arrived in the United States in two waves. The first of these occurred in the dawn of the twentieth century, influenced by the…
Read more about New Record for Richmond Barthé in June 4, 2020 Sale of African-American Fine Art June 11, 2020 African American Art New Record for Richmond Barthé in June 4, 2020 Sale of African-American Fine Art Our sale of African-American Fine Art on June 4, 2020 was met with much fanfare, despite an online-only format due to social distancing guidelines in New York City. The sale…
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 Photomontage & Photography in Vintage Posters June 9, 2020 Vintage Posters Photomontage & Photography in Vintage Posters The June 18, 202 Graphic Design auction featured an array of rare and influential examples of photography in posters. While the popularization of photography and the tradition of printing posters…
Read more about Marching Together June 5, 2020 Swann Marching Together A Note From Swann Galleries President Nicholas D. Lowry: Swann is unequivocally against racism, institutionalized racism, racism and discrimination in all forms, and we believe that black lives matter. We are champions of dignity and respect and advocates for peace.
Read more about The Making of a Portrait: Michael Halsband’s Photograph of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat June 5, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks The Making of a Portrait: Michael Halsband’s Photograph of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat Michael Halsband is known for his striking portraits of celebrities, from rock stars to artists, as well as his commercial work for major publications such as Vogue, GQ, and Esquire.…
Read more about Contemporary Art: At Auction June 25, 2020 June 2, 2020 Contemporary Art Contemporary Art: At Auction June 25, 2020 This Contemporary Art auction on June 25, 2020 includes works for sale by Jackson Pollock, Louise Nevelson, Helen Frankenthaler, Andy Warhol, and Edward Ruscha.
Read more about Collecting Photographs by African-American Women June 1, 2020 African American Art Collecting Photographs by African-American Women Swann Auction Galleries’s June 4, 2020 sale of African American Fine Art features five lots from contemporary women photographers who use the lens to document, critique and challenge their societies and their institutions. Here Corey Serrant takes us through the artists and their work.
Read more about The Elegant Sculptures of Richmond Barthé May 27, 2020 African American Art The Elegant Sculptures of Richmond Barthé Three fascinating sculptures by Richmond Barthé feature in our June 4 sale of African-American Fine Art. Each embody his interests in the 1930s, themes that would continue to define his later body of work. They demonstrate the range of a young artist who was coming into his own, embarking on a career in New York, gaining critical and commercial successes. Newly arrived from his debut in Chicago, and soon a sensation in Harlem, Barthé was one of the first African-American artists to develop a commercial career in New York.
Read more about Artist Profile: Ernie Barnes May 26, 2020 African American Art Artist Profile: Ernie Barnes Ernie Barnes was the first American professional athlete to become a noted painter. From his sports experience and the study of anatomy, Barnes’ unique style of elongation captures the movement, energy and grace of his subjects.
Read more about Graphic Design: Featuring Modernist Posters from the Vienna Secession to 1990s Political Images May 25, 2020 Vintage Posters Graphic Design: Featuring Modernist Posters from the Vienna Secession to 1990s Political Images This year’s Graphic Design auction presents exciting posters and materials ranging from the Vienna Secession to political posters of the 1990s. At the heart of the auction are posters from two exceptional private estates: stunning European Avant-garde design from the estate of Alexander Kaplen, and unparalleled Art Deco works from the estate of Jeffrey Aminoff and Kathleen Faccini, a collection that was assembled in the 1980s and 90s.
Read more about Nigel Freeman on the Legacy of Emma Amos, 1937-2020 May 22, 2020 African American Art Nigel Freeman on the Legacy of Emma Amos, 1937-2020 We are sad to hear the news yesterday of Emma Amos’s passing. Emma Amos was a painter, printmaker, weaver and educator—a great artist and innovator who helped broaden greatly American art in the late twentieth century, challenging inequalities in both art and society with a bold figurative message. I would like to remember her life and work as best we can—through the artworks we have handled here at Swann as they introduced me to her many facets as an artist.
Read more about Swann Ushers in a New Era of Live Online Sales with Printed & Manuscript African Americana May 20, 2020 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Swann Ushers in a New Era of Live Online Sales with Printed & Manuscript African Americana Our Thursday, May 7, 2020 sale of Printed & Manuscript African Americana was held live online and was conducted remotely. “This was a strong auction regardless of the circumstances. The…
Read more about Mexican Photography: Graciela Iturbide, Flor Garduño & the Influence of Manuel Álvarez Bravo May 19, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Mexican Photography: Graciela Iturbide, Flor Garduño & the Influence of Manuel Álvarez Bravo The Whitney Museum of American Art’s exhibition Vida Americana: Mexican Muralists Remake American Art posits Mexico’s valuable artistic legacy. José Clemente Orozo, Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros, towering artistic…
Read more about LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History May 15, 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History At Auction August 13, 2020 A Portion of Proceeds to Benefit NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project 19th & 20th Century Trailblazers Our second annual auction dedicated to the art, material…
Read more about A Brief History of the Mixografia Printing Process May 14, 2020 Prints & Drawings A Brief History of the Mixografia Printing Process Sarah McMillan, a cataloguer for Swann, takes us through a brief history of Mixografia, Rufino Tamayo and the lasting impact of the two.
Read more about Introduction to Bookbinding: Folding & Sewing May 5, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Introduction to Bookbinding: Folding & Sewing As a bibliophile expands their collection, they gain a feel for auction house and bookseller’s catalogues, which often include terminology that may seem arcane. However, every character in a complex catalogue entry is used to describe the object being sold. For early printed books, some of the most essential things a specialist must note are the size of the book, its collation, and its condition. In order to understand how a book is described, some knowledge of bookbinding fundamentals is helpful. Here, Devon Eastland, our senior specialist for early printed books, dives into how a book is sewn.
Read more about Old Master Prints & Drawings from the Collection of Matthew Rutenberg May 5, 2020 Prints & Drawings Old Master Prints & Drawings from the Collection of Matthew Rutenberg At Auction May 21, 2020 Our May 21, 2020 sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints opens with a special section—the first hundred lots of the sale—dedicated to fine old…
Read more about Fine Photographs: Highlights by Diane Arbus, Robert Mapplethorpe & Michael Halsband April 29, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Fine Photographs: Highlights by Diane Arbus, Robert Mapplethorpe & Michael Halsband At Auction June 11, 2020 Masterworks of 20th-Century Photography Michael Halsband’s iconic 1985 silver print, Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, presents the two painters in boxing attire. Robert Mapplethorpe’s oversize…
Read more about Beyond the Bestiary: Fantastic Beasts and Figures of Myth in Old Master—and Modern—Prints April 24, 2020 Old Master Through Modern Prints Beyond the Bestiary: Fantastic Beasts and Figures of Myth in Old Master—and Modern—Prints Medieval bestiaries were illustrated catalogues of creatures both real and imagined, detailing physical descriptions, origins, and symbolism of each beast that identified the vices and virtues of society. Prolific in the art of the Old Masters, like Albrecht Dürer, these beasts and the symbolism behind them have survived and evolved through the centuries into Modern and Contemporary Art in western culture.
Read more about Old Master Through Modern Prints April 23, 2020 Prints & Drawings Old Master Through Modern Prints With the largest selection of old master prints to be found at auction stateside, this sale offers an array of fine works, notably special section dedicated to fine old master prints and drawings from the Collection of Matthew Rutenberg. Nineteenth-century works include Mary Cassatt and James Whistler, and Modernists are represented by Erich Heckel, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Jacques Villon.
Read more about A New Muse: Robert Mapplethorpe and Lisa Lyon April 16, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks A New Muse: Robert Mapplethorpe and Lisa Lyon Robert Mapplethorpe met Lisa Lyon, the first World Women’s BodyBuilding Champion, at a party in SoHo in 1979 where her black rubber outfit caught Mapplethorpe’s eye.
Read more about Printed & Manuscript African Americana: Rescheduled for May 2020 April 16, 2020 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Printed & Manuscript African Americana: Rescheduled for May 2020 Among the highlights will be an 1836 autograph book with inscriptions by noted early African-American orators Moses Roper and Peter Williams. The large section on slavery and abolition will include several runaway broadsides and a miniature printing of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation (the only one produced in pamphlet form) intended for soldiers to distribute among the freedmen in the south. Military papers include material written by African-American soldiers, including a Civil War letter and a Spanish-American War diary.