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 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 Auction Highlights: The New York Sale — September 26, 2024 September 3, 2024 American Art Auction Highlights: The New York Sale — September 26, 2024 In honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of New York City, Swann Galleries is bringing back the New York sale.
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 Specialist Pick: Devon Eastland on Wuthering Heights vs. David Copperfield May 15, 2024 Books & Manuscripts Specialist Pick: Devon Eastland on Wuthering Heights vs. David Copperfield Devon Eastland, specialist for our Focus on Women auction, touches on the special nature of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and the differences between Brontë’s female characters and those in Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield.
Read more about A Brief Publishing History of Don Quixote April 3, 2024 Books & Manuscripts A Brief Publishing History of Don Quixote Collectors of Don Quixote have fastened on to the complex parameters of published editions like true bibliomaniacs. Tracking down each morsel of minutiae appeals to those of us with a…
Read more about Records & Results: Printed & Manuscript African Americana — March 21, 2024 March 27, 2024 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Records & Results: Printed & Manuscript African Americana — March 21, 2024 Swann’s March 21, 2024 sale of Printed & Manuscript African Americana proved once again to be a success among institutions and collectors alike. The sale brought $967,061, closing well within…
Read more about Auction Highlights: Printed & Manuscript African Americana — March 21, 2024 February 12, 2024 Printed & Manuscript African Americana Auction Highlights: Printed & Manuscript African Americana — March 21, 2024 One of our largest African Americana auctions to date includes important documentation of the abolition movement, catalogues and posters for exhibits by leading Black artists, previously unseen Black Panther material, and material on Black-owned businesses.
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: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books — December 7, 2023 November 10, 2023 Maps & Atlases Auction Highlights: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books — December 7, 2023 Highlights from the December 7, 2023 auction of Maps & Atlases.
Read more about Devon Eastland’s Specialist Picks: What to Watch in the October 12, 2023 Auction October 11, 2023 Early Printed Books Devon Eastland’s Specialist Picks: What to Watch in the October 12, 2023 Auction Devon Eastland shares her picks for the October 12, 2023, sale of Early Printed books. Gothic Novels If you’ve read through our offerings for the October 12, 2023, sale, you…
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 Auction Highlights: Early Printed Books — October 12, 2023 September 13, 2023 Early Printed Books Auction Highlights: Early Printed Books — October 12, 2023 The fall Early Printed Books auction on October 12, 2023, will feature lots from three important collectors, including more from Ken Rapaport, as well as works on the history of…
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 Early Modern Women’s Books: Scholar Sarah Lindenbaum on Gift Books May 1, 2023 Focus On Women Early Modern Women’s Books: Scholar Sarah Lindenbaum on Gift Books Cartwright, Comedies, Tragi-Comedies, with Other Poems (1651): Books owned by Mary Kemeys Sarah Lindenbaum is an independent scholar currently working on a book about the life and library of 17th-century female…
Read more about Collector’s Guide: A Look at Whaling History on Paper April 3, 2023 Printed & Manuscript Americana Collector’s Guide: A Look at Whaling History on Paper The adventure, romance, and sometimes horror of the whaling industry have never ceased drawing the attention of collectors. Here, Rick Stattler, director of books and manuscripts, shares a selection of lots that have sold at Swann with a connection to the industry.
Read more about Rick Stattler’s Auction Selections for Spring 2023 March 29, 2023 Books & Manuscripts Rick Stattler’s Auction Selections for Spring 2023 Spring has just about sprung, and Swann Galleries’ resident Americana specialist, and director of the house’s books and manuscripts department, is sharing a selection of lots from the 2023 auction schedule that will put you in the spirit for the season.
Read more about John Larson’s Specialist Picks: Five to Watch in the March 2, 2023 Sale February 22, 2023 19th & 20th Century Literature John Larson’s Specialist Picks: Five to Watch in the March 2, 2023 Sale John Larson, Swann’s nineteenth and twentieth century literature specialist, shares five exciting lots from the March 2, 2023 sale of Fine Books & Autographs. An Inscribed First Edition of Richard…
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 Collecting 101: Antiquarian Maps December 6, 2022 Maps & Atlases Collecting 101: Antiquarian Maps We asked Swann maps specialist Caleb Kiffer a few questions about what to consider when purchasing an antique map. How important is the map maker when considering a map? There…
Read more about October 2022 Sale of Early Printed Books Brings the Highest-Grossing Auction for the Category at Swann October 18, 2022 Early Printed Books October 2022 Sale of Early Printed Books Brings the Highest-Grossing Auction for the Category at Swann The October 13, 2022 sale of Early Printed Books at Swann Galleries was the highest-gorssing auction of books in the auction house’s history at $1.1 million.
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 Family Papers of Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy Brings $281k in Fall 2022 Americana Auction at Swann October 5, 2022 Printed & Manuscript Americana Family Papers of Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy Brings $281k in Fall 2022 Americana Auction at Swann Swann’s fall 2022 auction of Printed & Manuscript Americana held on September 29 earned $960k. Civil War-era material earned nearly $470,000 of that total. Collectors joined the sale through the…
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 Auctions 101: Provenance Research September 19, 2022 Printed & Manuscript Americana Auctions 101: Provenance Research Stattler explains the detective work that sometimes goes into researching an item’s history and provenance Auction houses keep one foot in the past, and one foot in the future. We are…
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 John Larson’s Specialist Picks: 5 Books to Watch in the June 16 Auction June 14, 2022 19th & 20th Century Literature John Larson’s Specialist Picks: 5 Books to Watch in the June 16 Auction John Larson, Swann’s nineteenth and twentieth century literature specialist, shares five lots that are sure to draw interest in the June 16 sale of Fine Books & Autographs. First Edition…
Read more about Letters from Us: Epistolary Novels by Women May 31, 2022 Focus On Women Letters from Us: Epistolary Novels by Women In this year’s Focus on Women sale, we are pleased to offer several interesting epistolary novels written by women.
Read more about Focus On Women: June 2, 2022 Auction Highlights May 6, 2022 Focus On Women Focus On Women: June 2, 2022 Auction Highlights Swann’s second annual Focus on Women sale, as its name suggests, is an opportunity to emphasize women’s experiences and contributions to literature, science, art, politics, and thought. With published and…
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 Artists of the WPA & the Dawn of a New American Identity December 20, 2021 The Artists of the WPA Artists of the WPA & the Dawn of a New American Identity The New Deal not only established a great legacy, but a greater generation of artists whose works defined the American spirit.
Read more about Records & Results: November 2021 Sales at Swann December 9, 2021 Prints & Drawings Records & Results: November 2021 Sales at Swann November Sales at Swann Bring $6.7M November at Swann Galleries featured a marathon of fine art auctions including a two-day sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints and Master Drawings,…
Read more about Consign Now for June 2022: Focus on Women November 5, 2021 Focus On Women Consign Now for June 2022: Focus on Women This past summer Swann held its first auction devoted to works by women. We are pleased to annouce another edition of this sale, to be held in June 2022, once again spearheaded by Devon Eastland, our Early Printed Books Specialist, but offering a wide assortment of material
Read more about Upcoming Highlights: Contemporary Artists’ Books: The Property of a Texas Collector—At Auction November 9, 2021 October 28, 2021 Books & Manuscripts Upcoming Highlights: Contemporary Artists’ Books: The Property of a Texas Collector—At Auction November 9, 2021 An astonishing single owner sale of Contemporary Artists’ Books, many known only via institutional copies, includes an abundance of deluxe issues produced in impossibly small limitations often out of the…
Read more about The Value of First Edition Dust Jackets October 26, 2021 19th & 20th Century Literature The Value of First Edition Dust Jackets Trolling ne plus ultra Gatsby in the Original Jacket Even those with but a passing familiarity with the rare book trade will likely be aware of the fabulous sums obtained…
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 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 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 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 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…