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February 14, 2019
Author: W K

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swanngalleries

Specializing in rare books, fine art and everything in between.
President & principal auctioneer: @nicholowry

Fine Photographs are at auction October 31. Previe

Fine Photographs are at auction October 31. Previewing Saturday, October 26, and Monday, October 28 through Wednesday, October 30 — 12PM to 5PM⁠
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Browse the complete catalogue and register to bid at the link in our bio. ⁠
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Pictured here is lot 101: Ansel Adams, 'Aspens (vertical), Northern New Mexico,' 1958. Estimate $25,000 to $35,000.

For an artist with such a prominent place in the A

For an artist with such a prominent place in the American pantheon of poster designers, very little biographical information exists about the life of Leslie Ragan. He is best known for his exceptional poster design work for the New York Central Lines railroad. For them, he designed one of the most highly-regarded and recognized American train posters, a glorious Art Deco, Machine Age image of The New 20th Century Limited, the Henry Dreyfuss-designed streamlined train, which was the pride of the New York Central fleet. At the link in our bio, read about Ragan's designs for the railway.⁠
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Pictured here is Leslie Ragan’s The Highlights of the Hudson: (left) Calendar back, 1944. Sold August 2012 for $510; (right) Original maquette, circa 1943. At auction October 10, 2024. Estimate $8,000 to $12,000.

Rare & Important Travel Posters are at auction thi

Rare & Important Travel Posters are at auction this Thursday, October 10!

Visit the link in our bio to browse the catalogue and register to bid.

Fine Books are at auction October 24. Previewing S

Fine Books are at auction October 24. Previewing Saturday, October 19 and Monday, October 21, through Wednesday, October 23 — 12PM to 5PM⁠
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Browse the complete catalogue and register to bid at the link in our bio. ⁠
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Pictured here is a detail from an image in lot 233, a WWI photo album featuring rare photos of Ernest Hemingway documenting his Volunteer Service in the Ambulance Corps. Estimate $20,000 to $30,000.

MoMA’s Black Arts Council stopped by for a walkt

MoMA’s Black Arts Council stopped by for a walkthrough of our African American Art exhibition earlier this week ahead of the October 3 auction.

Swann Galleries is honored to be presenting a grou

Swann Galleries is honored to be presenting a group of artworks in our October 3 auction from the estate of Dr. Constance E. Clayton (1933-2022). Lots 28-48 includes a group from her significant collection of African American Art featuring landscapes and still life paintings, including works by Aaron Douglas, Henry Bozeman Jones, Edward L. Loper, Sr., Charles Ethan Porter and Louis B. Sloan. In Dr. Clayton’s distinguished career as a national leader in education, her work was centered on improving the educational opportunities for students and stressed the importance of African American art and culture. In addition, Dr. Clayton committed herself to furthering the presence of African American artists and scholars within the art institutions of Philadelphia.⁠
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Visit the link in our bio to learn more.

Last night's Swann Salon celebrating Elizabeth Cat

Last night's Swann Salon celebrating Elizabeth Catlett ⁠
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Our African American Art sale is tomorrow, Thursday, October 3, at 12:00 PM ET. Visit the link in our bio to browse the catalogue.

Suzanne Jackson’s 'There is Something Between Us

Suzanne Jackson’s 'There is Something Between Us,' bridges the world of professional sports and contemporary art—especially for Boston fans. Jackson and Celtics icon Bill Russell lived in Los Angeles in 1972—a city where black athletes and artists crossed paths in a thriving cultural scene when Russell acquired the painting on the opening day of Jackson’s first solo exhibition at Ankrum Gallery in 1972. Read more about the connection at the link in our bio.

Thursday's sale of African American Art features s

Thursday's sale of African American Art features standout works by AfriCOBRA artist Nelson Stevens. Specialist Corey Serrant shares a brief history of the artist's career at the link in our bio. ⁠
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Pictured here is:⁠
1. 'Uhuru,' color screenprint, 1971. Estimate $8,000 to $12,000.⁠
2. 'Uhuru - Nina,' acrylic on canvas, 1978. Estimate $60,000 to $90,000.

The African American Art exhibition opens today at

The African American Art exhibition opens today at 12:00 PM ET.

Visit the link in our bio to browse the complete catalogue and register to big.

SWANN SALON | Join us for an evening with the Afri

SWANN SALON | Join us for an evening with the African American Art department as we salute the great Elizabeth Catlett and celebrate the recent openings of Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies.

Hear our specialists discuss Catlett’s legacy and other artworks in the Thursday, October 3 auction.

Register at the link in our bio.

SPECIALIST'S PICK | "I'm in love with this little

SPECIALIST'S PICK | "I'm in love with this little silver dollar which charmingly conceals a beautiful array of tiny nineteenth-century views of New York. It was produced by Rand McNally in 1876 for the centennial of American independence and survives, as far as I can tell, in a single other example located at the University of Virginia. It's one of those perfect little pieces you'd only find at Swann, and an ideal offering in our New York sale." — Caleb Kiffer, Specialist, Maps & Atlases⁠
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Lot 16 coming to auction September 26. To browse the complete catalogue and register to bid visit the link in our bio.⁠

SPECIALIST'S PICK | "Designed by Daniel Burnham at

SPECIALIST'S PICK | "Designed by Daniel Burnham at the turn of the twentieth century, the Flatiron Building was considered a groundbreaking skyscraper in the United States due to its early steel skeleton structure and triangular design. Today, it remains one of the most iconic buildings in New York.⁠
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Upon completion in 1902, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city, and its magnificence has been beautifully recorded by Steichen in this evocative photograph in 1904. With its atmospheric yet modernist aura, the photograph captures the interplay between the tree branches in the foreground, the carioles on the rainy streets, and the newly built Flatiron that we can distinguish in the background at dusk.⁠
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Until today, this image stands as an iconic depiction of the building and a groundbreaking image in terms of pictorialist aesthetic. Steichen made three color variations in brown, blue-green, and yellow-green-black by using different proportions of pigments in each gum process over platinum. These prints are extremely rare on the market. The best-known greenish variation was popularized as a three-color halftone print by Alfred Stieglitz in the publication Camera Work XIV in 1906." — Alice Le Campion, Specialist, Photographs⁠
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Lot 26 coming to auction September 26. To browse the complete catalogue and register to bid visit the link in our bio.⁠

Old Master Through Modern Prints are at auction Oc

Old Master Through Modern Prints are at auction October 17. Previewing Saturday, October 12, and Monday, October 14 through Wednesday, October 16 — 12PM to 5PM⁠
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Browse the complete catalogue and register to bid at the link in our bio. ⁠
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Pictured here is lot 183: Gustave Baumann, 'Road of a Morning,' color woodcut, 1916. Estimate $5,000 to $8,000.

The New York Sale is back on Thursday, September 2

The New York Sale is back on Thursday, September 26, after a 23 year hiatus!

Here Nicholas D. Lowry shares a few vintage posters from the auction featuring lady liberty 🗽

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