February 24, 2020Kelsie JankowskiBooks & Manuscripts Jane Austen Rules Winter 2020 Fine Books & Manuscripts Read more about 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 The Rise of Illustration Art in the Public Eye February 21, 2020 Illustration Art The Rise of Illustration Art in the Public Eye Swann Galleries’ Illustration Art Director Christine von der Linn weighs in on the burgeoning category: Illustration art has the ability to reach people in a way that many genres do…
Read more about California Modernism: Photography from Group f/64 February 20, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks California Modernism: Photography from Group f/64 The perpetual sunshine and endless summer enjoyed by California natives has traditionally been linked to the glamor and film industries. But in the 1920s and thirties, a community of artist-photographers known as Group f/64 developed a photographic vocabulary and visual style that might best be described as California Modernism.
Read more about A Novel, By a Lady: Jane Austen First Editions February 19, 2020 Books & Manuscripts A Novel, By a Lady: Jane Austen First Editions For the first time in nearly a decade, first editions all six of Jane Austen’s major novels will be offered in our winter 2020 sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts on February 20. The novels are set to come across the block in exceedingly rare period bindings, just as Austen herself would have seen them published, with half-title pages. Here we touch on the offering and what makes a first edition Austen novel special.
Read more about Puerto Rican Poster Archive Shines in Winter-Spring 2020 Sale of Vintage Posters February 18, 2020 Vintage Posters Puerto Rican Poster Archive Shines in Winter-Spring 2020 Sale of Vintage Posters Our sale of Vintage Posters on Thursday, February 13 was the house’s most successful February poster offering in over 10 years.
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 Artist Profile: Edward Steichen’s Foray into Color Photography February 13, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Artist Profile: Edward Steichen’s Foray into Color Photography Our winter-spring 2020 sale of Classic & Contemporary Photographs on February 25 is set to offer a rare color image by Edward Steichen. Here Daile Kaplan, the house’s director of photographs and photobooks, presents Steichen’s love for horticulture and the photographer’s employment of color images.
Read more about Printed & Manuscript Americana: Winter-Spring 2020 Highlights February 12, 2020 Printed & Manuscript Americana Printed & Manuscript Americana: Winter-Spring 2020 Highlights This sale covers American history from the sixteenth to twentieth centuries, with a diploma from the Princeton Class of 1783, whose commencement was attended by Washington and the Continental Congress; a variant printing of the Bay Psalm Book; a first edition of the earliest firsthand account of the Lewis and Clark expedition; and an unusual volume of original outsider and occult art from 1904.
Read more about A Puerto Rican Archive of Graphic Design February 6, 2020 Vintage Posters A Puerto Rican Archive of Graphic Design Our winter-spring 2020 sale of Vintage Posters on February 13 is set to feature an extensive archive of over 350 posters by Puerto Rico’s most renowned painters, designers and graphic artists. Here Nicholas D. Lowry, the house’s vintage posters director, touches on the featured artists and the movement that brought these works to light.
Read more about Historic Auction for African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Co. January 31, 2020 African American Art Historic Auction for African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Co. Our Thursday, January 30 sale of African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Company was an all-around success. The packed auction room saw all 87 lots find buyers, bringing $2.9 million—over twice the high-estimate for the auction—29 new auction records were established, and 22 artists made their market debuts.
Read more about Forthcoming in August 2020: LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History January 30, 2020 LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Forthcoming in August 2020: LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day, 1971. Upcoming at auction. Remembering & Creating History Swann Galleries’ inaugural Pride Sale in June 2019 was met with a full house and eager international…
Read more about 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings: Upcoming in March 2020 January 28, 2020 Prints & Drawings 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings: Upcoming in March 2020 Prints, paintings and drawings include examples by Jean-François Millet, Joan Miró, René Magritte, Rufino Tamayo, Diego Rivera and others.
Read more about Market Debuts: Artists to Watch in our January 30 Auction January 27, 2020 African American Art Market Debuts: Artists to Watch in our January 30 Auction Our January 30 sale of African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Company features nearly 30 market newcomers. Here we’ve assembled a selection of ten artists whose work is set to cross the auction block for the first time.
Read more about The Johnson Publishing Co. Collection January 16, 2020 African American Art The Johnson Publishing Co. Collection In an introduction to the catalogue for our January 30 sale of African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Company, Nigel Freeman, director of Swann’s African-American Fine Art department, touches on the legacy of the publishing house, their art collection and Johnson Publishing Co.’s impact on African-American culture.
Read more about Swann in Profile: Devon Eastland January 15, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Swann in Profile: Devon Eastland With the 2020 auction season on the horizon, we sat down with the newest addition to our books and manuscripts department, Devon Eastland, senior specialist for early printed books, to discuss all things books and material culture.
Read more about 2010-19: The Decade in Review January 13, 2020 Swann 2010-19: The Decade in Review The 2010s brought Swann a number of notable moments including memorable sales, the establishment of two new departments, and the celebration of the 75th anniversary of our first sale. Here we take a look at some of favorite highlights from the last ten years.
Read more about Welcoming the New Decade: A Letter from Swann Galleries’ President, Nicholas D. Lowry January 13, 2020 Swann Welcoming the New Decade: A Letter from Swann Galleries’ President, Nicholas D. Lowry As a new decade dawns, I am reminded that in order to move ahead Swann must continuously look into the historical rearview mirror and select the best material from bygone…
Read more about Classic & Contemporary Photographs: Winter-Spring 2020 January 10, 2020 Photographs & Photobooks Classic & Contemporary Photographs: Winter-Spring 2020 Photographs by outstanding American artists headline this auction: Berenice Abbott, Dawoud Bey, Margaret Bourke-White, Harry Callahan, Edward Steichen and Minor White.
Read more about Fine Books & Manuscripts: Winter 2020 January 3, 2020 Books & Manuscripts Fine Books & Manuscripts: Winter 2020 First editions of all of Jane Austen’s major novels, over 20 inscribed first editions by Graham Greene, autographmaterial from Walt Whitman, Napoleon and Princess Diana.
Read more about Hawaiian-Language Schoolbook Makes its Market Debut at $68k in Fall 2019 Maps & Atlases Sale December 19, 2019 Maps & Atlases Hawaiian-Language Schoolbook Makes its Market Debut at $68k in Fall 2019 Maps & Atlases Sale Swann Galleries closed out the decade with a marathon sale of Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books on Tuesday, December 17. The auction brought $910,087 and saw a 93% sell-through rate. Highlights included rare cartographic publications from Hawaii, atlases from across the globe and historic prints.
Read more about Collector’s Guide: Currier & Ives December 13, 2019 Maps & Atlases Collector’s Guide: Currier & Ives Founded by Nathaniel Currier in 1835, Currier & Ives was the major poster firm of the nineteenth century. James Merritt Ives joined Currier in 1857, and the two produced some of the most popular images of the period through 1907—with the bulk of their work being done in the 1860s. Together they published thousands of prints, in three folio sizes (small, medium and large) of scenes that are still sought by collectors today.
Read more about Auction Record for Ilonka Karasz in Fall 2019 Illustration Art Sale December 12, 2019 Illustration Art Auction Record for Ilonka Karasz in Fall 2019 Illustration Art Sale Swann Galleries’ sale of Illustration Art on Tuesday, December 10 featured an array of original works, from well-known characters of children’s literature to striking New Yorker covers and theater designs. The auction was a success, with seven of the top 20 lots ultimately acquired by institutions.
Read more about Vintage Posters: Winter-Spring 2020 Highlights December 10, 2019 Vintage Posters Vintage Posters: Winter-Spring 2020 Highlights Ski poster enthusiasts always find something appealing in our winter Vintage Posters auction, but most exciting is the section of rare and important Art Nouveau posters
Read more about African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Company December 7, 2019 African American Art African-American Art from the Johnson Publishing Company We welcome a new decade with 100 fine artworks from the collection of the Johnson Publishing Company, a great institution of American publishing and an icon of African-American culture. The sale will feature paintings, sculpture and works on paper from diverse periods, with 75 artists featured,
Read more about Collecting the Works of Women Illustrators December 3, 2019 Illustration Art Collecting the Works of Women Illustrators Our fall 2019 sale of Illustration Art on December 10 features a superb selection of artwork by women, whose contribution to the field is only just beginning to receive the recognition it deserves. Here Laura Polucha, the cataloguer for our Illustration Art department, touches on the highlights from the offering including story illustrations, advertisements and cartoons.
Read more about The Hot Bid Interviews Christine von der Linn for our December 10 Sale of Illustration Art December 2, 2019 Illustration Art The Hot Bid Interviews Christine von der Linn for our December 10 Sale of Illustration Art Sheila Gibson Stoodley, author of The Hot Bid, spoke with our Illustration Art Directors, Christine von der Linn about a special 1973 Charles Addams cartoon published in The New Yorker at auction December 10 in our Illustration Art sale.
Read more about 20 Years of Travel Posters Pays Off with 10 New Records November 20, 2019 Vintage Posters 20 Years of Travel Posters Pays Off with 10 New Records “After twenty years of conducting auctions of Rare and Important Travel Posters it was validating to see the sale turn in the best results in the last three years,” noted Nicholas D. Lowry, Swann Galleries’ President and Director of Vintage Posters. The Thursday, November 14 auction saw a 75% sell-through rate, an “industry-leading number as no other poster sales come close to this level of success,” continued Lowry, as well as bringing ten new records for artists and images alike.
Read more about Still Reading It for the Cartoons: Changing Production Methods & Public Perception in Illustration November 19, 2019 Illustration Art Still Reading It for the Cartoons: Changing Production Methods & Public Perception in Illustration Cartoonists Emily Flake & Benjamin Schwartz in Conversation We got together on December 5, 2019 to hear from cartoonists Emily Flake and Benjamin Schwartz, both regular contributors to The New…
Read more about Exhibition Guide: Museums Showing 9th Street Women… & Beyond November 18, 2019 Contemporary Art Exhibition Guide: Museums Showing 9th Street Women… & Beyond Your exhibition guide to shows featuring the women of the Abstract Expressionist movement and beyond.
Read more about Il Guercino Leads Fall 2019 Old Master Drawings November 9, 2019 Prints & Drawings Il Guercino Leads Fall 2019 Old Master Drawings Our curated sale of Old Master Drawings on November 5, 2019, brought original works, studies and preparatory drawings from the most sought-after European draughtsmen from the past several centuries.
Read more about Fall 2019: Illustration Art November 8, 2019 Illustration Art Fall 2019: Illustration Art This fun and wide-ranging Illustration Art auction offers an early images by Dr. Seuss, as well as a selection of illustration by Edward Gorey, Charles Addams, Ludwig Bemelmans, Saul Steinberg, Georges Lepape, H.A. Rey and Charles Dana Gibson.
Read more about 20 Years of Rare & Important Travel Posters at Swann November 7, 2019 Vintage Posters 20 Years of Rare & Important Travel Posters at Swann Swann Galleries’ November 14 sale of Rare & Important Travel Posters marks the house’s twentieth annual sale in the category. Here we share Nicholas D. Lowry’s entry to the catalogue, in which he reflects on the history and impact of the sale.
Read more about Rembrandt Etching of Pieter Haaring Brings a New Record for the Print November 5, 2019 Prints & Drawings Rembrandt Etching of Pieter Haaring Brings a New Record for the Print With an offering from the past five centuries, our October 29, 2019 sale of Old Master Through Modern Prints brought collectors exceptional works from key artists and included Rembrandt etchings from the John Villarino Collection.
Read more about Fall 2019: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books November 4, 2019 Maps & Atlases Fall 2019: Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books Interesting items for all collectors feature in the sale with botanical and historic prints, plates by John James Audubon, Hawaiian and Japanese imprints, atlases and maps of nearly any destination you can think of.
Read more about Collecting the Papers of Women Artists, Critics, and Dealers: A Conversation With the Archives of American Art November 1, 2019 Contemporary Art Collecting the Papers of Women Artists, Critics, and Dealers: A Conversation With the Archives of American Art Join us on November 19 for the third in a series of events highlighting The Archives of American Art.
Read more about Science Leads Fall 2019 Early Printed Books October 29, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Science Leads Fall 2019 Early Printed Books Our Thursday, October 24 sale of Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books saw a full auction room and active bidding on the internet and phones with a particular interest in publications by scientists, as well as incunabula, bibles and manuscript publications.
Read more about Artist Profile: Kehinde Wiley October 28, 2019 African American Art Artist Profile: Kehinde Wiley Who builds a statue of a young man with locks, perched on a horse ready to ride into the ranks of Confederate statues in Virginia? Kehinde Wiley does. Who let this dude into the building? Who turned him loose on the rest of us, asking “Why not?” then answering himself with art that breaks molds, blending, for example, British Romanticism with urban power.
Read more about Edward S. Curtis & Irving Penn Shine in Fall 2019 Classic & Contemporary Photographs October 22, 2019 Photographs & Photobooks Edward S. Curtis & Irving Penn Shine in Fall 2019 Classic & Contemporary Photographs Swann’s Thursday, October 17 sale of Classic & Contemporary Photographs featured a broad range of photographic material including works by Edward S. Curtis, Irving Penn, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange and W. Eugene Smith.
Read more about Early Printed Books by John Bulwer — A Pioneer in the Education of the Deaf in England October 21, 2019 Early Printed Books Early Printed Books by John Bulwer — A Pioneer in the Education of the Deaf in England Born in London in 1606, John Bulwer was an important figure in the study of deafness, gesture and the human body and a pioneer the education of the deaf in England. He published five works on the subject before his death in 1656. Set to come across the block are three first editions of Bulwer’s publications.
Read more about Fall 2019: Contemporary Art October 16, 2019 Contemporary Art Fall 2019: Contemporary Art Anchoring this auction is a special selection of works by women of the New York Abstract Expressionist school, notably Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell and Lee Krasner, in a timely celebration of the era and their overlooked contributions to the first specifically American movement to achieve international influence.
Read more about Fall 2019 Fine Books & Manuscripts Brings Record Prices October 14, 2019 Books & Manuscripts Fall 2019 Fine Books & Manuscripts Brings Record Prices We brought forth a remarkable offering of autographs, art, press and illustrated books, as well as nineteenth and twentieth-century literature, in a Thursday, October 10 sale of Fine Books & Manuscripts.
Read more about Fall 2019: Rare & Important Travel Posters October 11, 2019 Vintage Posters Fall 2019: Rare & Important Travel Posters Our twentieth anniversary Travel Poster sale can be summed up in one powerful, romantic word: trains. An extraordinary private collection of American railway posters, the best we’ve ever seen, includes a virtual history from the early years of the New York Central Lines to the Streamliner trains of the 1930s and 40s.
Read more about 9 New Auction Records in Fall 2019 Auction of African-American Fine Art October 10, 2019 African American Art 9 New Auction Records in Fall 2019 Auction of African-American Fine Art Swann Galleries’ Fall 2019 auction of African-American Fine resulted in nine new auction records, supported by a room brimming with bidders—in fact, there were just enough chairs for everyone.
Read more about Happening January 28: Celebrating the Legacy of the Johnson Publishing Company October 9, 2019 African American Art Happening January 28: Celebrating the Legacy of the Johnson Publishing Company Amid a backdrop of highlights from the Johnson Publishing Company’s incredible art collection—the majority of which hung in the offices of the company’s historic Chicago headquarters—we will sit down with fashion commentator Audrey Smaltz.
Read more about Rembrandt Etchings from the John Villarino Collection October 9, 2019 Prints & Drawings Rembrandt Etchings from the John Villarino Collection Old Master Through Modern Prints At Auction October 29 Over the course of his prolific career, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669) completed more than 350 etchings and cemented his reputation as…
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 Artist Profile: Aaron Douglas October 7, 2019 African American Art Artist Profile: Aaron Douglas New York was waiting for Aaron Douglas, though no one knew just how much, including the artist himself. By the time he arrived in 1925 he had no idea what was waiting, not the lifetime of work and certainly not the eventual reputation as the Harlem Renaissance’s father of African-American art.
Read more about Archives Revealing Information on Slavery & the Underground Railroad Lead Fall 2019 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana October 3, 2019 Printed & Manuscript Americana Archives Revealing Information on Slavery & the Underground Railroad Lead Fall 2019 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana The September 26 sale of Printed & Manuscript Americana was an overall success with material relating to slavery & the Underground Railroad leading the sale.
Read more about Fall 2019: Old Master Through Modern Prints October 2, 2019 Prints & Drawings Fall 2019: Old Master Through Modern Prints Old Master works include early tour-de-force impressions by Francisco José de Goya, Albrecht Dürer, Pieter Bruegel, Antonio da Canal, Il Canaletto and Giovanni B. Piranesi. Further highlights in the art of printmaking from the nineteenth through the twentieth century include works by European and American masters Thomas Hart Benton, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dalí, Martin Lewis and Henri Matisse.
Read more about The Making of an Image: Irving Penn’s Cuzco Children October 2, 2019 Photographs & Photobooks The Making of an Image: Irving Penn’s Cuzco Children Our October 17 sale of Classic & Contemporary Photographs features an impressive selection of portraiture from the last two centuries. The most significant is Irving Penn’s 1960, printed 1978, platinum-palladium print, Cuzco Children. Here Daile Kaplan, the house’s Vice President and Director of Photographs & Photobooks, touches on Penn’s practice and the making of the image.