Before Grumpy Cat and Lil Bub took the internet by storm, another group of cats rose to fame in the French art world. Based on their prints, 19th-century artists were just as enamored with their furry feline companions as we are today.

Lot 133: Théophile Steinlen, Chat sur le plancher, soft ground etching with aquatint and drypoint, 1902. Estimate $4,000 to $6,000.

Art Nouveau painter Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen’s (1859-1923) oeuvre may be the most cat-heavy in modern art, encompassing a variety of media including paintings, drawings, prints, posters and even sculpture. Some of Steinlen’s most prominent cat imagery is in his posters, such as 1894’s Lait Pur Stérilisé, using the animals as an advertising draw, or in prints such as the domestic Chat sur le plancher (seen above). Steinlen even created a cat-profile ink stamp for his works on paper, which can be seen in the lower right corner of the lithograph below. For even more Steinlen cat prints, look no further than the array included in our March 8 auction of 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings.

Lot 134: Théophile Steinlen, L’Hiver, chat sur un coussin, lithograph, 1909. Estimate $4,000 to $6,000.

Édouard Manet (1832-1883) famously replaced the dog in Titian’s Venus of Urbino with a black cat in his 1863 Olympia, using the animal as a reference to the nude’s sexuality. In a less provocative play, Manet again portrayed a cat in his 1869 print Le Chat et les Fleurs. In comparison with his more controversial works, the latter is a more tranquil, everyday scene of the pet slinking through its territory, a familial view revealing the artist as a true cat lover.

Lot 53: Édouard Manet, Olympia, etching, 1837. Estimate $2,500 to $3,500.

Lot 54: Édouard Manet, Le Chat et les Fleurs, etching and aquatint, 1869. Estimate $1,000 to $1,500.

Berthe Morisot’s (1841-1895) 1889 etching Fillette au Chat (Julie Manet) depicts the artist’s daughter cradling a beloved kitten. The print is after a portrait (now in the Musée d’Orsay, Paris) painted by the artist’s friend and contemporary, Pierre-Auguste Renoir. Both artists are not only important Impressionists, but are also, as seen in this work, champions of cats. Morisot’s largely domestic oeuvre is rife with references to family as well as to pets, indicating the importance of animals to 19th-century home life.

Lot 82: Berthe Morisot, Fillette au Chat (Julie Manet), drypoint, 1889, sold with Nu de dos, drypoint, 1889. Estimate $1,000 to $1,500.

These artists didn’t discriminate, though. If you aren’t a cat person, there’s still a 19th-century work of art for you in Steinlen’s drawing Deux Chiens. Whether it’s cats or dogs, these animals continue to make their way into our hearts – and our art.

Lot 138: Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, Deux Chiens, pencil and watercolor. Estimate $3,000 to $5,000.

For a look at more art featuring furry friends, peruse the complete catalogue. 

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In addition to the many prints and books we bring to auction, Swann often handles original works of art that come to us and need to be authenticated. In this post, we take a closer look at the typical authentication process through a Max Liebermann drawing that was consigned with scant provenance, exhibition, or publication history.

Lot 441: Max Liebermann, Tuchwalke in Florenz, black and white chalk, 1893. Estimate $7,000 to $10,000.

The first step in this situation is to consult the catalogue raisonné, the published listing of all known works by an artist. The drawing in question was not illustrated in any of the raisonnés, so the detective work commenced.

We were in search of any clues that may give us leads regarding provenance or exhibition history

We always start with a physical examination of the artwork. In this case, we were in search of any clues that may give us leads regarding provenance or exhibition history, such as inscriptions, stamps on the paper or old labels on the frame. What we find here may lead us to scour readily available secondary sources like decades-old exhibition catalogues, art reviews or published gallery records in hopes of finding mention of the work in question. What we discovered with the Liebermann was a signature on the front of the drawing (seen in the bottom left corner above), an ink stamp that we were able to locate in Lugt (the published resource of identified collection marks and stamps) and a handwritten title on the back of the mat. The stamp (seen below) connected to a known art collector from the late 1800s. 

Sometimes, our detective work provides enough clear evidence to place the work in one of our auctions. However, nine times out of ten, we need to have it officially vetted by an expert. The Liebermann didn’t quite give us enough information to feel confident, so we researched whether the artist has an accepted individual, institution, foundation, or museum that acts as the authority on establishing authenticity. We learned that the Max Liebermann Archiv in Berlin actively reviews alleged works by the artist.

Having collected and documented as much preliminary information about the work in question as possible, we felt confident that we were presenting the best and most complete case to the expert, Dr. Margreet Nouwen. With the information at hand, Dr. Nouwen was able to identify the drawing as the preliminary sketch for a known painting published in a catalogue raisonné of the artist’s oil paintings and studies published in 1995-96. We learned where and when the drawing was executed (in 1893 during a five-week vacation the artist took in Italy with his wife and daughter), where it was likely exhibited and from what auction it entered the market (C.G. Boerner, Leipzig, in 1919). 

While it can be time-consuming, ultimately the detective work that goes into authenticating a work is necessary, rewarding and pretty fun. The authentication process not only provides information for potential bidders, it also further illuminates the history and career of the artist in question by adding another piece to the puzzle that is their complete catalogue of work. 

The Max Liebermann, and other drawings, are featured in our March 8 auction of 19th & 20th Century Prints & Drawings.

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The success of our January 28 auction of Illustration Art displayed a clear rise in interest in this collecting category, prompting our specialists to expand the department and add a second yearly sale next autumn. The top lot was a charcoal and pastel maquette by Howard Chandler Christy, I Am an American! for his iconic poster of the same name. The drawing sold for $40,000, an auction record for any drawing by the artist.

Howard Chandler Christy, I Am an American!, charcoal and pastel on board, 1941. Sold for $40,000, an auction record for any drawing by the artist.

Charles Addams, The Dark Side of “Little Annie,” watercolor, ink and gouache, cover art for Show: The Magazine of the Arts, 1962. Sold for $17,500.

Addams Family creator Charles Addams had a handful of works in the sale, all of which sold above their pre-sale estimates. The Dark Side of “Little Annie,” an illustration for a 1962 cover of Show: The Magazine of the Arts, humorously depicts the power of the network television industry in the early 1960s. The painting is inscribed to James Aubrey, the central figure in the Show article, who was a young and ambitious executive at CBS. 

Charles Addams, E=MC², watercolor and ink on board, published in The New Yorker Oct. 8, 1960. Sold for $11,700.

Addams’s watercolor and ink cartoon, E=MC², sold for $11,700. The cartoon was published in the October 8, 1960 issue of The New Yorker. Illustrations appearing in The New Yorker continue to be a decided favorite within the Illustration Art category. Arthur Getz’s Cotton Candy at the Circus, a casein tempera cover illustration for an August 1953 issue of The New Yorker, set an auction record for work by the artist to come to auction, selling for $7,250.

Arthur Getz, The Cotton Candy Circus, casein tempera, cover illustration for The New Yorker, April 6, 1965. Sold for $7,250, an auction record for any work by the artist.

Edward Gorey, Haunted New Orleans, pen and ink with wash, published in Holiday Magazine June 1961. Sold for $10,625.

Works by Edward Gorey continue to be popular. Haunted New Orleans, a pen and ink illustration published in the June 1961 edition of Holiday Magazine, brought $10,675. Gorey’s proposed cover for the Crime Club Selection Dead By Now by Margaret Erskine sold for $9,375.

Edward Gorey, Dead By Now, pen and ink, proposed cover and spine for The Crime Club Selection Dead By Now by Margaret Erskine, circa 1954. Sold for $9,375.

Alexandra Exter, costume design for Romeo and Juliet, watercolor and pencil with silk fabric swatches. Sold for $13,750.

Alexandra Exter’s 1921 costume design for Romeo and Juliet, brought $13,750. The designs for this show were her most famous, employing Cubist and Futurist-inspired shapes and colors. 

Christine von der Linn, Swann Galleries’ Illustration Art Specialist, said, “We were thrilled to see an increase in demand and prices for top American illustrators such as Charles Addams, Edward Gorey, and William Steig. Our favorite niche subjects of The New Yorker (which had a 100% sell-through rate) and advertising art were also decidedly crowd favorites as well. We’re excited for future sales where this material features prominently.”

Complete results for this sale can be found here.

Swann accepts consignments of original Illustration Art on a rolling basis. The next sale is slated for Autumn 2016. Email Associate Cataloguer Arielle Bremby with consignment inquiries: abremby@swanngalleries.com.  

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Lot 415: E. Simms Campbell, A Night-Club Map of Harlem, pen and brush, 1932. Estimate $40,000 to $60,000.

It takes more than artistic skill to capture not only the look of a place, but the feel of it. It takes an intimate knowledge, a love, and that’s exactly what jumps off the page in E. Simms Campbell’s vibrant illustration A Night-Club Map of Harlem. 

Elmer Simms Campbell, who published cartoons and illustrations as E. Simms Campbell, was the first African-American illustrator to be syndicated. His work was regularly featured in national periodicals including Esquire, Cosmopolitan, The New Yorker, Playboy and many more. Simms Campbell became a close friend of Jazz great Cab Calloway, who is featured in the lower left corner of the map. In the video clip below, from the documentary film Cab Calloway: Sketches, Calloway reflects on the Jazz clubs of Harlem while giving viewers a tour through an animated version of Simms Campbell’s map.

The map would go on to appear as a centerfold in the first issue of the 1932 Manhattan Magazine; a copy of that issue sold at Swann in 2011 for $16,800. It would later be featured in Esquire. The original pen and brush illustration of the map is featured in our upcoming March 31 auction of Printed & Manuscript African Americana. For more items related to Harlem, Jazz and a wealth of other topics, check out the complete catalogue. 

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The following is an excerpt from the introduction written by Swann Galleries’ Printed & Manuscript African Americana Specialist Wyatt Houston Day for his 2016 catalogue–the 20th annual African Americana sale at Swann. The complete introduction can be found in our digital flipbook version of the catalogue.  

A nearly complete manuscript copy of the Qur’an from the Yattara Family Library in Timbuktu, circa 1600-1700. Sold March 26, 2015, for $50,000.

We are proud of the fact that over the years our sales have provided the opportunity for the rediscovery of two very important manuscripts. Both have changed history significantly.

The first was Lot 337 of our first catalogue in 1996, the manuscript Narrative of Omar Ibn Said, a Fula slave from Senegal who was captured and brought to North Carolina, where he was purchased by the Governor of the state. Omar’s narrative, written in 1831 in Arabic, remains the only known slave narrative written by a slave in his native written language. This narrative, together with the manuscript Qur’an, which we featured in the March 2015 sale, demonstrate the thriving culture that existed in Africa south of the Sahara for centuries prior to the Atlantic slave trade, contradicting the then-widely-held belief that Black Africa had no culture; a theory which helped rationalize the barbarous practice for centuries. 

Hannah Crafts, The Bondswoman’s Narrative By Hannah Crafts, a Fugitive Slave, Recently Escaped from North Carolina, 301 manuscript pages, circa 1850s. Sold February 15, 2001, for $8,500.

The second manuscript was sold at Swann in 2001 in our sixth sale, titled The Bondswoman’s Narrative By Hannah Crafts, A Fugitive Slave Recently Escaped From North Carolina, circa 1850s. It was found in a box among the papers of Dorothy Porter, scholar and long-time librarian at Howard University. The narrative was purchased by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who edited and published it with a lengthy introduction the following year. It turned out to be the first novel written by an African-American woman. Much has been written about it since. 

Over the years, innumerable pieces, both printed and manuscript, have been acquired by collectors and institutions, filling important historical gaps in their historical holdings.

These are only a couple of examples of how our catalogues have coaxed important historical material out of people’s closets, attics and storage facilities and made them available to the wider world to be seen and appreciated by scholars, collectors and the general public.

Over the years, innumerable pieces, both printed and manuscript, have been acquired by collectors and institutions, filling important historical gaps in their historical holdings. It has been a great honor for me and a tremendous learning process to have been able to handle, catalogue and attempt to place sensible estimates on so much incredible material.

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New York City-born photographer Benedict Fernandez is know for his documentary photography, which has depicted everything from protest movements to cultural explorations in Puerto Rico, Russia and Japan. Perhaps one of Fernandez’s most poignant bodies of work, Countdown to Eternity: Photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, features photographs of Dr. King during the last year of his life, as well as the aftermath of his assassination.

Lot 232: Benedict Fernandez, Countdown to Eternity: Photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, limited edition portfolio, 12 prints signed and numbered by the artist, 1989. Estimate $5,000 to $7,500.

Countdown to Eternity began as a traveling exhibition of eighty photographs taken from 1967-68, featuring everything from intimate moments like Dr. King playing catch with his sons, to powerful images of the Civil Rights leader speaking to gathered crowds across the country and marching in protests. The work gives the viewer a multifaceted look into the life and work of an icon. 

Lot 232: Benedict Fernandez, Countdown to Eternity: Photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, limited edition portfolio, 12 prints signed and numbered by the artist, 1989. Estimate $5,000 to $7,500.

The earliest photographs from the exhibition were taken in April of 1967 when Dr. King gave a speech at Riverside Church in New York, the same speech he would give just a week later at the United Nations. The first photograph in this post shows Dr. King delivering that speech in front of the United Nations building. King would be murdered a year to the day after his Riverside Church oration.

Lot 232: Benedict Fernandez, Countdown to Eternity: Photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, limited edition portfolio, 12 prints signed and numbered by the artist, 1989. Estimate $5,000 to $7,500.

Our upcoming auction of Printed & Manuscript African Americana features the limited edition portfolio of the same name, with twelve prints chosen from the traveling exhibition. Only fifty of these portfolios were made, and many are now housed in the collections of various institutions, including the National Portrait Gallery. 

Lot 232: Benedict Fernandez, Countdown to Eternity: Photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s, limited edition portfolio, 12 prints signed and numbered by the artist, 1989. Estimate $5,000 to $7,500.

For more information on this lot, or any other items in our upcoming Printed & Manuscript Americana auction, take a look at the complete catalogue. 

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One of the most appealing qualities of Illustration Art is the physical evidence of the creative process that goes into its making.

While most other works of art appearing at auction are finished, approved prints or canvases, original illustrations often have their “bones” showing. By this, I mean that one often encounters images that still contain labels and marks, usually on the front or back (recto or verso) margins that served as directions to the printers and publishers who would reproduce the work. Such marks might include captions, notes to (or by) the printers including page numbers where the illustration would appear in the publication, and sometimes the artist’s or publisher’s stamps or labels indicating ownership, date and place of publication. These marks give the illustrations a look that is more raw than a finished piece and may offer enlightening details about the illustrator’s methodology. It is often a quality that is attractive to collectors who enjoy this visual history as part of a work’s display.

While most other works of art appearing at auction are finished, approved prints or canvases, original illustrations often have their “bones” showing.

Most commonly seen, crop marks (also called trim marks) are the thin lines placed at the corners of the paper or board on which the illustration was created, indicating where the finished project was to be trimmed. They can be seen on the lower edge of Garth Williams’ endpaper drawing for Charlotte’s Web below. 

Garth Williams, endpaper drawing for Charlotte’s Web, pen and ink with pencil and wash, circa 1952. Sold January 22, 2015 for $10,625.

Registration marks are used to align the artwork with any other application during production, usually if wording or backgrounds were to be later applied to the final image. They often look like a small target with a cross and sometimes appear near the crop marks as in this illustration for the Dick and Jane book:

Richard Wiley, Where We Like to Go, mixed media with collage, featuring the first African-American children to appear in the Dick and Jane series. Sold January 28, 2016 for $2,750.

Sometimes, in addition to the registration marks, celluloid or clear acetate overlays were applied on top of the work and allowed for notes or other features pertaining to the final drawing. Here is a good example of an Edward Gorey drawing used for the cover of Playbill that contains the printer’s specific notes and shows the progression from original drawing to finished product.

Edward Gorey, Gorey Stories, Playbill cover sketch mockup, pen and ink and graphite with overlay. Sold January 28, 2016 for $4,000.

So much minute hand work was used in vintage illustration art. This George Petty centerfold for the July 1941 Esquire Magazine shows both sketched-out, unfinished portions of the artwork as well as applied details in the form of small paper onlays used in the woman’s uniform insignia.

George Petty, …so take my advice and just bet your shirt, early variant of the July 1941 Esquire Magazine centerfold, watercolor and gouache with overlays and cut-outs. Sold January 23, 2014 for $7,500.

These hilarious Richard Taylor cartoons for Playboy are excellent examples of original art boards showing a variety of marks and indications, from the publisher’s stamp, to crop and registrations marks, to the hand-written caption by the cartoonist himself.

Two Richard Taylor ink and watercolor cartoons published in Playboy. Sold January 23, 2014 for $1,750 each.

And sometimes, just the rough, unfinished borders of a piece, if left to be seen, add to the edgy feel of illustrations for pulp magazine as shown in this racy Lou Marchetti cover for Intimate Affairs of a French Nurse.

Lou Marchetti, Intimate Affairs of a French Nurse, gouache, cover for Florence Stonebrakers’s pulp novel of the same name, New York, 1953. Sold January 28, 2016 for $1,820.

Illustration Art instills delight and evokes fond memories. Our interest in this fascinating genre is enhanced when we consider the editorial choices indicated by crop marks, annotations, and other markings.

For more examples of original illustration art with artist and editor markings, take a look at some of our previous catalogues, and keep an eye out for more details on our upcoming sale in Fall 2016. 

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While the bright colors, stunning imagery and historical importance of a painting are the things we tend to focus on when viewing a work of art, here at Swann we know that often the back of a piece can hold its own special interest and value. Such is the case with Homage to Martin Luther King, a watercolor painting by painter, illustrator, textile designer and teacher Loïs Mailou Jones, featured in our upcoming auction of African-American Fine Art. 

Lot 54: Loïs Mailou Jones, Homage to Martin Luther King, watercolor, 1968. Estimate $20,000 to $30,000. At auction April 7, 2016.

This important artwork of the Civil Rights period was Loïs Mailou Jones’s direct response to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The artist’s multi-faceted tribute to the life of Dr. King is depicted in many watercolor panels. This stirring visual representation of his legacy has been exhibited nationally and was on loan for the last twenty years to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC. In Radcliffe College’s Black Women’s Oral History Project, Loïs Mailou Jones herself described this artwork as “one of the works which is considered outstanding as a result of using the black experience as an influence.”

In the same way the powerful images of Dr. King tell the amazing story of his life and influence in the many panels of the painting, the back of this piece tells a story as well.

Jones’s painting has been exhibited extensively. In addition to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, it has been included in shows at the National Civil Rights Museum, in galleries and in a traveling exhibition put on by the Smithsonian titled In the Spirit of Martin: the Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. The label for that traveling exhibition can be seen on the back of the frame in the lower right corner. Next to it is the label for Brody’s Gallery, where the painting was displayed in October of 1998.

Additionally, there are notes on the back of the painting in the artist’s hand, including her name and Washington D.C. address, as well as the title of the piece. 

While we know from Specialist Sylvie François’s post that stamps, tags, labels and notes on the back of an artwork can help experts determine the authenticity of a previously unrecorded work, in the case of a well-documented piece like this the details on the back are reminders of its travels, history and impact, almost like stamps in a passport.

To see more artworks with fascinating exhibition histories, make sure to check out the complete catalogue for our upcoming auction of African-American Fine Art. 

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Paris has long been a desired destination and a haven for expatriate and American artists, with prominent schools like the famed École de Beaux-Arts encouraging practitioners from around the world to come demonstrate their prowess. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, however, several other schools formed as modern, progressive alternatives to the traditional École de Beaux-Arts, with lower fees and more flexible admission policies. Two of these institutions, the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére and the Académie Julian, were magnets for expatriate and modern artists, including many prominent African-American artists.

Lot 33: Loïs Mailou Jones, Fire Dancers, oil on board, 1956. Estimate $10,000 to $15,000.

Founded in 1868, the Académie Julian was the first French art school to accept women and was known for its unpretentious and democratic environment. Instructors were supportive, innovation was welcome and models were chosen by vote. It also boasted an impressive line-up of African-American artists among its venerable ranks over the years, including painters Henry Ossawa Tanner and Loïs Mailou Jones. 

Specialist Nigel Freeman’s photo of the Académie de la Grande Chaumière from his February 2016 visit to Paris.

Lot 15: Hale Woodruff, Sunday Promenade, linoleum cut, circa 1935. Estimate $3,000 to $5,000.

The Académie de la Grande Chaumiére (pictured above), founded in 1905, also had an important roster of African-American artists over the years. Painters Aaron Douglas, Laura Wheeler Waring and Hale Woodruff studied there, as did sculptor Augusta Savage. Alexander “Skunder” Boghossian and Avel de Knight, both of whom are represented alongside Woodruff in our upcoming auction of African-American Fine Art, were also involved with the Académie.

Located just outside the edge of Paris’s famous 14th arrondissement, which contains the majority of the Montparnasse district, the Académie de la Grande Chaumiére placed students at the heart of the bohemian scene, treading the same ground as writers like James Baldwin and Henry Miller, and interacting with several generations of artists from a wide range of styles and schools, such as Alexander Calder, Beauford Delaney, Louise Bourgeois and many others. 

Lot 49: Alexander “Skunder” Boghossian, Untitled (Abstraction), acrylic on canvas, 1971. Estimate $8,000 to $12,000.

Lot 69: Avel de Knight, The Fall, casein on board, 1977. Estimate $1,000 to $1,500.

In a January 1945 journal entry, writer Richard Wright described Paris as “a place where one could claim one’s soul,” a feeling that seems to have rung true for many of these artists, and continues to hold weight for artists and writers today. 

To see more African-American Fine Art informed by travel, experimentation and encountering different cultures, take a look at our complete catalogue. 

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After the close of our Printed & Manuscript African Americana auction last week, we were saddened to learn about the passing of artist Inge Hardison. A multitalented artist, writer and performer, Hardison was best known for her dynamic sculptures of important African-American historical figures for the series she dubbed “Negro Giants in History.” Sculptures in the series including Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth among many others.

Inge Hardison, Harriet Tubman (supplied title), plaster composite bust with anodized bronze finish on wooden base, circa 1960s-70s.

Born in 1914 in Portsmouth, Virginia, she grew up primarily in Brooklyn, NY. Hardison started her career as an actress and only learned of her passion and skill with sculpture when she began experimenting with clay during breaks in her live modeling sessions at various art schools.

She would go on to become the only female founding member of The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, exhibit alongside a number of prominent artists and have her work presented to foreign and domestic dignitaries, including Nelson Mandela.

Inge Hardison passed away at the age of 102.

Inge Hardison, W.E.B. DuBois, anodized plaster bust with bronze finish, circa early 1960s.

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It’s a big weekend for rare books in New York. The ABAA’s New York Antiquarian Book Fair opened yesterday, and the preview for our upcoming Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books auction opened today.

The fair runs through Sunday the 10th at the Park Avenue Armory. We got a sneak peek at installation of the fair, and we can’t wait go back and see more! Keep an eye out for Swann specialists checking out the fair this weekend, and make sure to drop by and see us at Swann as well from noon to 5pm on Saturday, or 10 am to 6pm on Monday after the fair has closed!

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The medical section of our Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books auctions always provides an interesting peek into the progression of human understanding of the body, its ailments and possible methods of cure and relief. One example can be found in the form of a scarce first edition of 18th-century Liverpool surgeon Matthew Turner’s brief pamphlet, An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether, 1761. 

In the catalogue, Specialist Tobias Abeloff describes Turner as “a surgeon, chemist, and freethinker…[who]…advocated the use of vitriolic ether, taken orally or inhaled through the nose, for the relief of a variety of complaints, including headache and other pain.”

Researchers have noted that Turner’s recommendation of utilizing ether as a method of treating pain gives him “a place in the pre-history of anesthesia” (Norman). We’ve included some photos and excerpts of the text below.

Lot 161: Matthew Turner, An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether, [Liverpool], 1761. Estimate $5,000 to $7,000.

“The Publisher of the following short Account of the AETHER having prepared, and successfully made Use of it in his private Practice, for several Years, has at length determin’d to endeavour to extend it’s Utility, by thus making it public; as he knows of no one who has ever published it’s medicinal virtues; or offered it to Sale in it’s Perfection; or given the Criteria by which they who are unacquainted with it might distinguish the Genuine from the Spurious: And he doubts not but every candid Person who examines it, will agree with him, That it carries with it the strongest Marks of a valuable Addition to the Materia Medica, and therefore ought to lie no longer in Obscurity.”

Lot 161: Matthew Turner, An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether, [Liverpool], 1761. Estimate $5,000 to $7,000.

“This truly extraordinary Chemical Preparation is not a new Discovery, having been known and esteemed, as a valuable Curiosity, by many of the greatest Chemists and Philosophers, both Ancient and Modern; particularly by Sir Isaac Newton, and the Honourable Mr. Boyle, who both mention it in their Works, tho’ not by this Name: And therefore before any Thing is said of it’s Virtues as a Medicine, it may not be improper to explain the Nature of it, and enumerate a few of it’s remarkable Properties, considered as a Curiosity in Chemistry, in which Light chiefly it has hitherto been view’d by those who have been acquainted with it.”

Lot 161: Matthew Turner, An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether, [Liverpool], 1761. Estimate $5,000 to $7,000.

A fit of the Head-ach is almost instantly removed by applying the AETHER externally to the Forehead, by means of a bit of Linen Rag, in the Manner hereafter directed for it’s external Application. Or it may be applied to any other Part of the Head where the Pain lies, being first shaved, if necessary. If the Pain is violent, a Dose of it should be also taken inwardly. In stubborn Cases it will likewise be serviceable to snuff a little of the AETHER up the Nostrils, either alone or mixed with equal Parts of Lavender Water, Hungary Water, or Brandy; or it may be more convenient to apply a bit of Linen Rag, wetted with AETHER, up the Nostrils. Any of these Means, or all of them, must be repeated if the Pain is so urgent as to require it. To cure this Disorder radically, when it is of long standing, and to prevent it’s Return, the Medicine must be taken inwardly for a considerable Time every Night at Bed-time, or in violent Cases, every Night and Morning in a small Draught of cold Water, according to the General Direction for taking it inwardly, given p. 11. In some particular Cases, Vomits are very serviceable.”

Take a look at the complete catalogue for more fascinating medical books. 
 

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Our upcoming auction Images & Objects: Photographs & Photobooks features a compelling section of vernacular photographs; among them are some fascinating images of New York from bygone eras.

Lot 261: A group of 57 photographs of the archive of the Norddeustscher Lloyd Bremen company of New York, silver prints, 1930s. Estimate $2,500 to $3,500.

The Norddeustscher Lloyd Bremen company’s incredible Depression-era collection of New York photographs has a distinct point of view that is both modernist and historical. The photographs are made by a variety of German photographers including Hanns Tschira (1899-1957), Richard Fleischhut (1881-1951), Fritz Marutzky, Heinrich Friedrich, Bernhard Marutzky (1878-1952), Paul Cwojdzinski, Wilh. Wiese, Karl Burger, Dr. Paul Wolff, Leo Hannet, and The Wurts Brothers. With credits related to both the Europa and Columbus ships, the images were likely made over a series of visits to America.

Lot 257: Eugene de Salignac, a group of approximately 28 photographs depicting the construction of the Manhattan Bridge, cyanotypes, 1913-22. Estimate $1,800 to $2,200.

This group of approximately twenty-eight photographs by the accomplished Eugene de Salignac depicts the construction of the Manhattan Bridge. The set includes photographs of Brooklyn Plaza, featuring the elaborate pylons, the bridge towers and cables, workers, surrounding roadways, the river itself, subway digging and machinery. Some of the photos also have New York City turn-of-the-century architecture in the background.

Lot 271: A group of 61 photographs of the 1923 New York City Silver Jubilee Parade, silver prints. Estimate $300 to $450.

These sixty-one photographs were taken from a building on East 56th Street and Fifth Avenue, depicting various floats, marching bands, city workers and spectators of the Silver Jubilee parade. The parade, which featured 40,000 marchers and a 16-mile route, commemorated the 25th anniversary of the “Greater City of New York.” 

Lot 272: Album of 43 medium-format photographs of the E.R. Durkee & Co. Factory, Elmhurst, Long Island, silver prints, 1930s. Estimate $400 to $500. 

The E.R. Durkee Company manufactured bottles used for salad dressings, which were patented in 1877. They were also a producer of salad dressings and spices which they shipped nationwide via a railroad line that connected directly to the Elmhurst plant. The pictures in the album (above) include architectural views of the Deco-style building, scenes of landscaping and vegetation (including gardeners at work), interior views of executive offices, the bookkeeping department, dining room and laborers in the printing department.

Lot 279: Post-war photograph of a wife and children in front of their Levittown, Long Island home, ferrotype silver print, 1948. Estimate $500 to $750.

This post-war scene shows a housewife and her children in front of their new home in Levittown, Long Island. Levittown, the first mass-produced suburb, is widely regarded as the archetype for postwar suburbs throughout the country. The newspaper clipping included in this lot notes “The Levitts [who were the developers] are tremendously proud of this project, [and] changed the name from Island Trees to Levittown over tenant objections.”

Lot 284: Beecher Ogden, a group of approximately 125 photographs of New York City in the 1940s-50s, silver prints. Estimate $1,800 to $2,200. 

Take a look at our complete catalogue for more vernacular photographs alongside photobooks and works by photography masters. 

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If you can’t get enough of the material coming up in our two-part auction of Old Master through Modern Prints, featuring A Collector’s Vision: Works on Paper from the Belle Époque & Beyond, there are plenty of opportunities around town where you can see related artwork. As specialists, it’s exciting for us to see exhibitions contributing new scholarship and a public forum for print appreciation. We hope you feel the same way, and recommend the following three shows in New York this season.

Lot 474: Edvard Munch, Der Tod im Krankenzimmer, lithograph, 1896. Estimate $70,000 to $100,000.

At the Neue Galerie

Both sections of the April 28th sale feature important lithographs by Edvard Munch, including his masterwork Der Tod im Krankenzimmer (seen above) and rare ephemeral material like Theater Programm: Peer Gynt. Munch prints abound in the Neue Galerie exhibition Munch and Expressionism. The Neue Galerie show also includes an impression of Erich Heckel’s Mann in der Ebene paired with Munch’s famous The Scream, exemplifying the expertise and attention involved in amassing a private collection such as the one we’re featuring in the April 28 auction, in which Heckel’s woodcut lived with several Munch works.

Lot 365: Camille Pissarro, Paysanne assise, les Pieds dans l’Eau, monotype printed in black, circa 1894. Estimate $30,000 to $50,000.

At MoMA

The delicate Camille Pissarro monotype Paysanne assise, les Pieds dans l’Eau provides a glance into the most intimate form of printmaking. For more monotypes from this period, the Museum of Modern Art’s current exhibition, Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty, highlights the medium as an important exploratory tool for 19th-century artists.

Lot 412: Thomas Hart Benton, The Race, lithograph, 1942. Estimate $20,000 to $30,000.

At Grey Art Gallery at NYU

Lastly, works published by Associated American Artists, such as Louis Lozowick’s Through Brooklyn Bridge Cables and Thomas Hart Benton’s The Race are a fixture in our print auctions. Grey Art Gallery at NYU is highlighting the publisher’s role in collecting art through the exhibition Art For Every Home: Associated American Artists, 1934-2000. 

Our exhibition for Old Master Through Modern Prints is open noon-5pm on Saturday, April 23 and 10am to 6pm April 25 through 27. 

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While most auctions here at Swann are assembled with artworks and items from a host of different consignors, we also regularly handle entire private collections, such as A Collector’s Vision: Works on Paper from the Belle Époque & Beyond, which is being featured alongside Old Master Through Modern Prints.

Viewing a collection can provide insight into the collector’s interests, and often provides viewers the opportunity to see works from related artists, schools and genres presented alongside one another. Such is the case with this collection, which contains a number of pieces from the Belle Époque, a period of peace, progress, artistic accomplishment and experimentation in the interwar period between the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the beginning of World War One (1871 to 1914).

Lot 73: Paul Sérusier, Paysage (La Fin du Jour), color lithograph, 1893. Estimate $2,000 to $3,000.

During the Belle Époque the arts flourished, with multiple different genres and schools forming. One group of artists particularly well-represented in this collection is Les Nabis. Dominant in Paris in the 1890s, Les Nabis were a group of avant-garde artists committed to the revitalization of painting. The group was begun in 1888 by Paul Sérusier, who studied under Paul Gauguin while at the Pont-Aven artists’ colony. Upon his return to Paris, he and a group of fellow students at the Académie Julian, including Pierre Bonnard and Maurice Denis, coalesced into Les Nabis (from the Hebrew word for “prophet”).

Lot 69: Pierre Bonnard, Rue, le Soir, sous la Pluie, color lithograph, 1899. Estimate $10,000 to $15,000.

Later, other artists would join the group, including Henri-Gabriel Ibels, Paul Ranson, József Rippl-Rónai, Ker-Xavier Roussel, Félix Vallotton and Édouard Vuillard. According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, “In both their artistic production and their theoretical writings, the Nabis stressed continuities between art and design…Several of the artists created posters, illustrations, playbills, and other prints using the relatively new method of color lithography, which reproduced their characteristic flowing draftsmanship for mass audiences.”

Lot 47: Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Une Monsieur et une Dame, Programme pour “L’Argent,” color lithograph, 1895. Estimate $8,000 to $12,000.

The lives and work of Les Nabis also intertwined with other notable artists working in Paris at the time. Pierre Bonnard became acquainted with the dynamic Art Nouveau painter and printmaker Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec through the Société des Artists Indépendants, an artists’ association begun by Albert Dubois-Pillet, Odilon Redon, Georges Seurat, and Paul Signac. The Société would go on to exhibit works by Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse, among many others. 

While it is absolutely possible to view and appreciate each of these works on their own, there is something particularly powerful about viewing them together to contextualise the intimate working relationships that existed between the artists. For even more insight into this private collection, see the first half of our two-part catalogue, and make sure to take a look at Old Master Through Modern Prints for even more works from some of these artists. 

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Ballot-box stuffing may be one of the most frequently alleged forms of fraud during any given election season, but there are other sorts of interesting political fraud. Putting aside the various forms of fraud perpetrated in order to bring about voter suppression (which, incidentally, occurs much more frequently and with greater effect than ballot-box stuffing), the forgery of documents occasionally enters into the political fray, often leaving behind fascinating historical artifacts.

In Swann’s May 5 Autographs auction, authentic letters by two U.S. presidents will be offered, each of which discusses a forgery whose creator presumably intended to influence presidential politics by illegitimate means.

Lot 213: Harry S. Truman, Typed Letter Signed “Harry” as President, to James M. Pendergast, 16 August 1952. Estimate $500 to $750.

Lot 213 contains a typed letter, signed in 1952 by President Harry S. Truman, to his long-time friend and Kansas City political associate, James M. Pendergast. The letter refers to an enclosure, which Truman found astonishing enough to share with his friend. The enclosure was a manuscript letter, written on unlined paper, addressed to “H.S. Truman” and signed with the name “J. Pendergast” (we know the details of the enclosure because it remains with Truman’s letter as part of lot 213). Truman conveys to his friend that the “Pendergast” letter is obviously a forgery, and expresses the hopeless desire to prosecute the culprit. The forgery accuses the President of opportunistically changing his position on crucial issues (possibly concerning U.S. policy on the Korean War) and criticizes his relationship with the Ambassador to Mexico, William O’Dwyer, and others. It is possible that the forgery was intended as a joke or insult, as the hand looks nothing like Pendergast’s, and the postmark on the envelope shows it was sent from Chicago, rather than Kansas City. It would seem more likely, however, that the forger genuinely hoped Truman would believe the letter came from his friend, as it might, in that case, have a greater likelihood of making an impact than a letter from an unknown citizen.

It would seem the forger knew nothing of, or was unimpressed by, the famous examples of influential letters to the president written by people with no personal connection to the holder of that office.

It would seem the forger knew nothing of, or was unimpressed by, the famous examples of influential letters to the president written by people with no personal connection to the holder of that office. Perhaps the most famous instance of this is the letter written on October 15, 1860, by 11-year old Grace Bedell, who suggested that Lincoln would have a better chance of winning the presidential election if he were to grow a full beard since it would make him more attractive by filling out his narrow face. Moreover, she added, “all the ladies like whiskers.” Soon after receiving the letter, Lincoln did grow a full beard for the first time in his life—and won the election. Today, Bedell’s letter can be viewed at the Detroit Public Library.

Lot 129: James A. Garfield, Two Autograph Letters Signed, “J.A. Garfield,” 23 October 1880. Estimate $1,000 to $1,500.

The letters in lot 129 were written by Republican presidential nominee James A. Garfield to Republican National Committee chairman Marshall Jewell, expressing his outrage that the Democrats had published a completely fictional letter and presented it as if it were written by Garfield: “Every honest and manly Democrat in America who is familiar with my hand-writing, will denounce the forgery at sight. Put the case in the hands of able detectives at once, and hunt the rascals down.” In the weeks prior to the 1880 presidential election, Democratic National Committee chairman William Barnum irresponsibly or fraudulently approved the publication of a letter allegedly written by Garfield in the Tammany Hall newspaper The Truth. In the published letter, the Garfield impersonator advocated unrestricted Chinese immigration, a view which both Democrats and Republicans knew to be unpopular in California and elsewhere in the West. The national election took place before the error or deception could be adequately corrected, and while Garfield narrowly won the election, he had lost California and Nevada to Democratic presidential candidate Winfield S. Hancock, as well as nearly losing Oregon.

It is not difficult to imagine that history might well have been different, had Truman been persuaded in 1952 by the forged letter from “Pendergast” (unlikely though it might be) to, say, pursue resolutely one policy in Korea; or had enough voters in Oregon been influenced in 1880 by the forged letter from “Garfield” to make Winfield S. Hancock the 20th president of the United States.

For more examples of interesting corrospondence related to important historical figures, take a look at the complete catalogue for our upcoming auction. 

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Our upcoming Autographs auction features an uncommon Oscar Wilde manuscript consisting of five and a half pages of his notes for a review in which he pans a book on book collecting. While Wilde might not have been a fan of that book in particular, there are certainly quite a few books on collecting that we love here at Swann. Many of these were included in Rich Rennick‘s blog post for the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America titled 10 Books Every Book Collector Should Read. You can find the top five here, and make sure to check out Rich’s full post over at ABAA for the complete list. 

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Like any field of endeavor, the rare book trade has its quirks and rituals, its habits and history, its jargon and secrets. Unlike some other trades, book dealers have never been afraid to commit their secrets, memories, and insights to paper. There are many, many fascinating and educational books detailing the inner workings of the rare book trade. We polled some dealers and collectors and arrived at this list of the top ten books every book collector should read.

Let’s start with the more educational books:

1. ABC for Book Collectors by John Carter

The classic reference work on book terminology. First published in 1952, the current edition (the 8th) has been updated to include newer jargon and terms spawned by the internet. With subtle wit and humor, first John Carter and now Nicholas Barker unpeel the layers of meaning from phrases that — although once more common – now appear terribly obscure outside of rare book circles.

In a field where it’s essential that buyers and sellers understand what they’re talking about, ABC for Book Collectors is an excellent guide to our common language.

After one learns the jargon used in the used book trade, the next thing one needs is a guide to spotting which copy is of value and which merely interesting. While an acquaintance with an experienced rare book dealer is the best way to access this information, there are several good books that ABAA members and serious collectors keep on hand for constant reference.

2. Collected Books: The Guide to Values by Allen and Patricia Ahearn

Written by ABAA members Allen and Patricia Ahearn of Quill and Brush, Collected Books: The Guide to Values contains information on some of the most widely collected books, provides notes on discerning one edition from another, and guidelines on typical prices for collectible copies. Noted book collector and rare book expert Nicholas Basbanes (about whom more below) declared “If any single item can be considered essential equipment for today’s book collector, it is Collected Books …this richly informative reference volume offers authoritative guidance for every manner of bibliophile, from beginning bookhunters to hard-core veterans…”

3. First Editions: A Guide to Identification by Edward Zempel and Linda Verkler

As every publisher seems to use slightly different means to identify their first editions, a reference book that collects and comments on these practices is vital.

ABAA member John Schulman of Caliban Books singles out Edward Zempel and Linda Verkler’s First Editions: A Guide to Identification, commenting that “Professional booksellers keep this on hand for reference, as there are simply too many publishers and too many different notations to keep straight otherwise.”

One final identification guide worth pointing out is:

4. A Pocket Guide to the Identification of First Editions by Bill McBride

The great virtue of this book is its small size. You really can carry it around in a pocket and pull it out to confirm if the book you’ve stumbled across is a modern first edition or not. Great for exploring used bookstores on vacation, yard sales, and other unexpected opportunities to acquire old books.

(Do you need more than one identification guide to modern first editions? Possibly not, but I’ve never met a book collector yet who said, “one book is enough.”)

Beyond the reference and identification guides, there are many memoirs and nonfiction books exploring the world of rare books and the mindset of the bibliophile. Perhaps no writer has made this beat his own as much as Nicholas Basbanes, author of many books on book collecting and the history of the book. We’ll pull just one of these to the fore because it’s a perfect introduction to book collecting:

5. A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books by Nicholas Basbanes

Both a “timeless classic” by a charming raconteur and a fascinating work of history for those of us who love old books, bookselling, and the quirky characters who populate the antiquarian book world, A Gentle Madness “captures that last moment in time when collectors pursued their passions in dusty bookshops and street stalls, high-stakes auctions, and the subterfuge worthy of a true bibliomaniac,” according to its publisher.

Critics and collectors agree, with Michael Dirda writing in the Washington Post that “A Gentle Madness is chock-a-block with such strange and appealing characters, each more wonderful than the last. On nearly every page Basbanes neatly profiles similar dreams, dedication, and sometimes sheer biblio-lust. Nicholas A. Basbanes has compiled a wonderful gallery of eccentrics, isolates, charmers and visionaries an ingratiating and altogether enjoyable book.”

If you’re a recent convert to serious book collecting, you need to read Basbanes to understand just what you’ve gotten yourself into. (After this, read Basbanes’ Among the Gently Mad.)

Thanks to our friends over at ABAA for letting us share this. Read the complete post here.

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Through her poignant writing and tragic story, Anne Frank has become a source of inspiration for millions. Two of our upcoming auctions feature items related to Frank, including Anne and Margot’s copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Aus Grimms Märchen), signed and inscribed by the young diarist herself, which will be featured in our Autographs auction.

Lot 46: Anne and Margot Frank’s copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Aus Grimms Märchen), Signed and Inscribed by Anne Frank, with Margot Frank’s ink owner stamp, Vienna, 1925, inscription Amsterdam, circa 1940. Estimate $20,000 to $30,000. At auction May 5.

The discovery of the book is an intriguing tale. It was left behind in the Frank’s Amsterdam apartment when the family’s departure to the famed secret annex was hastened after Margot was called to relocate to a work camp. The book eventually made its way to a secondhand bookstore in Amsterdam’s Runstraat, where a Dutch couple purchased it not long after the war. In 1977, the couple’s children discovered the signature and wrote Anne’s father, Otto Frank, the family’s sole survivor, to let him know of the discovery. In a poignant letter, which will be up for auction alongside the book, Otto expressed how deeply the discovery of the book affected him, as well as his wish that the family keep the book for their own daughter.

While her copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales reminds us of Anne’s innocence and youth prior to her time in hiding and untimely death in a concentration camp, her now-famous diary shows Anne as a young girl wise beyond her years. A copy of the true first edition of Anne Frank’s diary, Het Achterhuis: Dagboekbrieven van 12 Juni 1942 – 1 Augustus 1944 (The House Behind: Diary Entries), will come to auction two weeks after the young writer’s copy of Grimm’s in our May 18 auction of 19th & 20th Century Literature.

Lot 205: Anne Frank, Het Achterhuis, true first edition of the diary of Anne Frank, in Dutch, Amsterdam, 1947. Estimate $5,000 to $7,500. At Auction May 18.

One of only 1500 copies printed, Het Achterhuis was assembled by Anne’s father, Otto Frank, from her diary and papers collected from the secret annex by Miep Gies after the family’s arrest. After its initial release, the book was translated and published in more than sixty languages. Upon its publication in English, Eleanor Roosevelt called the diary “one of the wisest and most moving commentaries on war.” It remains one of the most widely-read books in the world.

Lot 205: Anne Frank, Het Achterhuis, true first edition of the diary of Anne Frank, in Dutch, Amsterdam, 1947. Estimate $5,000 to $7,500. At auction May 18.

The copy in our auction appears in the exceedingly rare second issue dust jacket. The first issue dust jacket is so rare as to be essentially unseen, the second issue, as seen above, was printed in the same year and is also incredibly scarce. 

To see more autograph material related to inspirational historical figures, and influential books, take a look at the complete auction catalogues for both Autographs and 19th & 20th Century Literature. 

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Our Vintage Posters department has expanded and renamed their annual Modernist Posters sale. Now called Graphic Design, this auction features posters and ephemera that highlight the shifting trends in imagery and typography styles starting in the late 1800s and moving through the 20th-century. One technique adopted by poster artists just after WWI was photomontage. Several of the posters in this auction are excellent examples of designers combining this technique with others to create dramatic, visually arresting images. 

Lot 163: Lester Beall, Here It Comes / Rural Electrification Administration, 1939. Estimate $15,000 to $20,000.

American designer Lester Beall was inspired by the work of European avant-garde artists. Beall used primary colors and clean, simple typography to achieve effective visual communication. Several of his posters, like Here It Comes / Rural Electrification Administration, 1939, utilize techniques like photomontage while others, like his 1937 poster for the same organization, focus on clean lines and basic shapes to convey information.

Lot 63: Jan Tschichold, Der Berufsphotograph, 1938. Estimate $12,000 to $18,000.

Beall was one of the first American designers to incorporate tactics from the New Typography movement, which rejected the traditional ideas of informational arrangement and allowed designers and artists to focus on the poster as a blank field on which to compose, much like a canvas. German designer and typographer Jan Tschichold was one of the fathers of this movement, and his 1938 poster Der Berufsphotograph, advertising The Professional Photographer exhibition in Basel, uses a photographic negative to catch the viewers attention and allude to the technical aspects of photography.

Lot 66: Verlangen Sie Kodak Film Für Lebenswahre Fotos, by an unknown designer. Estimate $800 to $1,200.

The sale also includes a small selection of Kodak posters. Among them are Verlangen Sie Kodak Film Für Lebenswahre Fotos by an unknown designer, featuring a cheerful young woman and her dog; and R. Queinnec’s Kodak / Brownie Flash, circa 1950s, advertising a variant of the American Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash manufactured in France.

Lot 65: R. Queinnec, Kodak / Brownie Flash, circa 1950s. Estimate $600 to $900.

Other lots that feature photomontage techniques include two works printed by Paul Martial, both titled [O.T.U.A.], silver print photomontages, circa 1930. Jean Carlu’s moving Pour le Désarmement des Nations, 1932, is the first poster the artist produced for the Office de Propagande Pour la Paix in Paris. Carlu was also one of the first artists to use and fight for the use of photographs in posters. 

Lot 69: Jean Carlu, Pour Le Désarmement Des Nations, 1932. Estimate $3,000 to $4,000.

For a look at more posters and ephemera featuring photomontage and a wide range of other graphic design techniques, take a look at our complete catalogue. 

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Pop art master Roy Lichtenstein is known for creating works in a number of mediums, including paintings, prints and sculpture. Our upcoming auction of Contemporary Art features multiple works by Lichtenstein, including Sunrise, a 1965 color silk panel featuring a cartoon-like sun that was a recurring motif in his work in the mid-1960s.

Lot 153: Roy Lichtenstein, Sunrise, color silk panel, 1965. Estimate $40,000 to $60,000.

According to Mary Lee Corlett, author of The Prints of Roy Lichtenstein: A Catalogue Raisonné 1948-1997, “The image on the fabric was designed by Lichtenstein. It was made into a dress, designed by Lee Rudd Simpson specifically for Lichtenstein’s friend Letty Lou Eisenhauer to wear to his opening at the Galerie Ileana Sonnabend in Paris in 1965. In addition to the dress, one other panel is known to exist.”

The dress is now in the Kyoto Costume Institute; beyond the dress, there are only three or four known panels. The current panel was acquired directly from the artist and resided in the private collection of one of the collaborators on the dress project who assisted Lee Rudd Simpson with the design and fitting of the dress. According to the collector, there were likely additional panels given to Simpson and another collaborator on the project.

Corlett notes that Lichtenstein used a similar design for a more widely-circulated offset color lithograph, published by Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, that may have been used to promote one of several shows in which Lichtenstein’s work appeared at the gallery during 1965. The sunrise design can also be seen in an oil painting and several enamels on metal, also from 1965. His earliest use of the sunrise motif dates to 1964 in two separate oil paintings. 

More works by Lichtenstein featured in our upcoming auction can be seen here. Take a look at the complete catalogue for more works by prominent pop artists, like Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Tom Wesselmann and Robert Indiana. 

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