November 8, 2024Marco TomaschettBooks & Manuscripts Collecting 101: Estimating a George Washington Autograph for Auction Read more about Collecting 101: Estimating a George Washington Autograph for Auction A question I am frequently asked by non-collectors or people new to collecting is, “How do you estimate the value of an autograph?” The question is not easy to answer…
Read more about Auction Highlights: Autographs — November 14, 2024 October 24, 2024 Autographs Auction Highlights: Autographs — November 14, 2024 This November auction will include rare autographs by world leaders, authors, Arthurian legends, and musical figures.
Read more about Specialists in the Field: James Baldwin’s Century October 17, 2024 Books & Manuscripts Specialists in the Field: James Baldwin’s Century Swann autographs specialist Marco Tomaschett visited the Schomburg Center to view their display celebrating James Baldwin’s centenary year. The exhibition is open through next year. Celebrating 100 Years of James…
Read more about This Season’s Successes: Winter-Spring 2024 Auctions in Review July 15, 2024 19th & 20th Century Literature This Season’s Successes: Winter-Spring 2024 Auctions in Review In the 2024 Winter-Spring season, Swann Galleries continued to provide high-quality auctions of unusual and rare material. Several single-owner collections were featured, including Illustration Art: Featuring Highlights from the Collection…
Read more about Collecting Aviation History June 18, 2024 Books & Manuscripts Collecting Aviation History As a specialized auction house, Swann has the unique ability to connect collectors with their specific interests. This is especially true for aviation collectors; the auctions from our books and…
Read more about Auction Highlights: Autographs — June 25, 2024 June 6, 2024 Autographs Auction Highlights: Autographs — June 25, 2024 Highlights from Swann’s June 25 timed Autographs Sale.
Read more about Gilded by Association: Autographs in the March 7, 2024 Auction February 26, 2024 Autographs Gilded by Association: Autographs in the March 7, 2024 Auction Autographs provide the collector with a number of joys, one of which is their ability to bring you closer to people in another time and place. Of course, every autograph…
Read more about Auction Highlights: Autographs — March 7, 2024 February 7, 2024 Autographs Auction Highlights: Autographs — March 7, 2024 This auction will contain property from the Forbes Collection, reflecting a keen interest in American history, world leaders, American entertainers between the 1930s and 1960s, and writers.
Read more about Nicholas D. Lowry’s Specialist Picks: Favorite Lots from The Subculture Sale January 31, 2024 Vintage Posters Nicholas D. Lowry’s Specialist Picks: Favorite Lots from The Subculture Sale Nicholas D. Lowry shares his picks for The Subculture Sale. Bidding open now through February 8.
Read more about Auction Highlights: The Subculture Sale — February 8, 2024 January 8, 2024 Vintage Posters Auction Highlights: The Subculture Sale — February 8, 2024 Highlights from the February 8 Subculture Sale
Read more about 2023: Year in Review December 19, 2023 Swann 2023: Year in Review Swann Galleries continued to offer exceptional auctions of quality material in 2023. The year featured several collections, including a special selection of 100 works from the Stephen White collection in…
Read more about Auction Highlights: Fine Books & Autographs — October 26, 2023 October 4, 2023 Books & Manuscripts Auction Highlights: Fine Books & Autographs — October 26, 2023 Autographs The spirits of conflict and exploration are intertwined in the autographs on offer. Among the most respected explorers of the unknown are scientists, each of whom must contend with…
Read more about Part II: The Einstein-Serbu Correspondence October 4, 2023 Autographs Part II: The Einstein-Serbu Correspondence One of the best-known modern Romanian historians, Nicolae Iorga, has the distinction of being one of the few scholars of his day or before to document the lives of educated…
Read more about Part I: The Einstein-Serbu Correspondence October 3, 2023 Autographs Part I: The Einstein-Serbu Correspondence One of the best-known modern Romanian historians, Nicolae Iorga, has the distinction of being one of the few scholars of his day or before to document the lives of educated…
Read more about A Look Back At Swann’s Book & Manuscripts Sales July 6, 2023 Books & Manuscripts A Look Back At Swann’s Book & Manuscripts Sales Winter/Spring 2023 Brings a Record-Breaking Season for the Books & Manuscripts Department Books and manuscripts had a standout winter/spring season at Swann. “As a company whose origins are as a…
Read more about Records & Results: Focus on Women — June 1, 2023 June 6, 2023 Focus On Women Records & Results: Focus on Women — June 1, 2023 The house’s third iteration of Focus on Women on June 1, 2023, an auction dedicated to the contributions of women to art, life, and society, brought $361,090, a total more…
Read more about Fine Books, Autographs & Illustration Art: June 15, 2023 Auction Highlights May 24, 2023 Fine Books & Manuscripts Fine Books, Autographs & Illustration Art: June 15, 2023 Auction Highlights Our June Fine Books & Autographs sale features remarkable items signed by U.S. Presidents, musicians, and entertainers, as well as a special selection of autographs by historical figures who aspired…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: March 2, 2023 Auction Highlights February 7, 2023 Fine Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Autographs: March 2, 2023 Auction Highlights Our March 2 Fine Books & Autographs sale will feature an outstanding selection of presidential autographs, including clipped signatures and signed letters by George Washington. More than three items are…
Read more about The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part II January 23, 2023 Autographs The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part II Nineteeth Century America When thinking of autographs, the first thing to come to mind is famous signatures—John Hancock, Babe Ruth, Walt Disney, etc. Inscribed names with looping letters and distinct…
Read more about The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part I January 4, 2023 Autographs The Signer’s Mark: Signatures of the Unlettered — Part I Middle Ages Through the Seventeenth Century When thinking of autographs, the first thing to come to mind is famous signatures—John Hancock, Babe Ruth, Walt Disney, etc. Inscribed names with looping…
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 Autograph Collector’s Guide October 17, 2022 Autographs Autograph Collector’s Guide Swann Autographs specialist Marco Tomaschett shares the ins and outs of starting your own rare autograph collection If you’re new to autograph collecting, bearing in mind a few things while…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: October 27, 2022 Auction Highlights October 4, 2022 Art Press & Illustrated Books Fine Books & Autographs: October 27, 2022 Auction Highlights A large assemblage of extraordinary Americana autographs includes a sweeping group of presidents, and many founding fathers. More than three items are signed by George Washington, including an autograph survey…
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 Collecting the Stage: Stephen Sondheim June 7, 2022 Illustration Art Collecting the Stage: Stephen Sondheim In our 80 years as a company, Swann has always been an auction house dedicated to niche markets with specialists who are experts in their respective fields, but often our…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: June 16, 2022 Auction Highlights May 24, 2022 Art Press & Illustrated Books Fine Books & Autographs: June 16, 2022 Auction Highlights Fine Autographs Sure to arouse curiosity, the summer Fine Books & Autographs sale shines a light into some of the most sparkling gemstones of history. Bidders can explore significant material…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: February 17, 2022 Auction Highlights January 19, 2022 Autographs Fine Books & Autographs: February 17, 2022 Auction Highlights The auction has a number of autographs by inspiring innovators, including the cover of the 1982 issue of Time magazine featuring Steve Jobs, signed by him. If the greatness of…
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 Fire and the Wizards of Light: Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison October 25, 2021 Autographs 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: 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 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 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 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 New Auction Record for Frederick Douglass Autograph Set in Winter 2021 Sale of Fine Books & Autographs March 2, 2021 Fine Books & Manuscripts New Auction Record for Frederick Douglass Autograph Set in Winter 2021 Sale of Fine Books & Autographs The house closed out February 2021 with an exceptional sale of Fine Books & Autographs, which saw a 90% sell-through rate and exceeded the total high estimate, bringing in $522,632.…
Read more about Ship’s Papers, Passports, and Privateers: Marco Tomaschett on Collectible Documents and U.S. Maritime History February 22, 2021 Autographs Ship’s Papers, Passports, and Privateers: Marco Tomaschett on Collectible Documents and U.S. Maritime History Water vessels played a critical role in shaping the early history of America. That U.S. maritime history is brief relative to some other nations is an advantage, because many artifacts…
Read more about Fine Books & Autographs: February 2021 Auction Highlights February 3, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Autographs: February 2021 Auction Highlights Featuring fine autographs by Frederick Douglass, Albert Einstein, James Dean, John F. Kennedy, Lord Byron, Richard Wagner, alongside literature and art books by Joseph Albers, Leonetto Cappiello, Ian Fleming, Ernest Hemingway, Ralph Ellison, and more.
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 Autographs by Washington, Hamilton & Hancock Bring Top Prices in November 2020 Sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts November 23, 2020 Books & Manuscripts 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 & Manuscripts saw great success across categories with a 90% sell-through rate…
Read more about The Voice & Hand of Frederick Douglass November 12, 2020 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 others, the features that characterize their handwriting can change depending on circumstance, and…
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 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 Romare Bearden’s Letters to Art Historian Harry B. Henderson, Jr. March 26, 2020 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Romare Bearden’s Letters to Art Historian Harry B. Henderson, Jr. Here we take look at letters, postcards and greeting cards from Romare Bearden to his longtime friend and collaborator Harry Henderson, as well as touch on the 2005 sale of Henderson’s art collection that made the establishment of our African-American Fine Art Department possible.
Read more about Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts February 24, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Swann Galleries saw a successful sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on Thursday, February 20 with literature and autographs bringing strong numbers.
Read more about Sarojini Naidu’s Galley Proof of ‘The Broken Wing’ February 17, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Sarojini Naidu’s Galley Proof of ‘The Broken Wing’ Sarojini Naidu was an Indian writer and politician, born in Hyderabad, India in 1879. She wrote widely admired, moving, musical poetry in English, having both British and Indian subject matter,…
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 Two Books Once Owned by Herman Melville Come to Swann September 27, 2019 Autographs Two Books Once Owned by Herman Melville Come to Swann Two volumes from Herman Melville’s personal library come to auction at Swann Galleries October 10.
Read more about Autographs: Davy Crockett, Greta Garbo, Annie Oakley & Herman Melville—Fall 2019 August 27, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Autographs: Davy Crockett, Greta Garbo, Annie Oakley & Herman Melville—Fall 2019 Signed material by artists, authors, politicians, musicians and more, including Davy Crockett, Walt Disney, Annie Oakley, Babe Ruth, Greta Garbo, Franz Liszt, George Washington.
Read more about Herman Melville: A Bicentennial Celebration August 1, 2019 Autographs Herman Melville: A Bicentennial Celebration We celebrate the author, now recognized as one of the cornerstones of American literature, on what would have been his 200th birthday.