African-American Art

AFRICAN-AMERICAN FINE ART--A NEW DEPARTMENT AT SWANN GALLERIES

Swann Galleries is the Only Major Auction House to Offer Regular Sales of Works by African-American Artists

Charles White's rare lithograph entitled "Awaiting his Return," 1946, will be among the highlighs in Swann Galleries' first auction devoted to African-American Fine Art in February 2007. (Estimate: $15,000 to $25,000).

New York, NY (BlackNews.com) - Coming on the heels of several very successful and record-breaking auctions featuring works by African-American artists, Swann Galleries is launching a new department devoted to African-American Fine Art.

This exciting new venture, headed by Nigel Freeman, Swann's Associate Director of Prints & Drawings, will offer annual auctions of prints, drawings, paintings and collages by noted African-American artists--to be held in February during Black History Month.

During the 2005-06 season, four important Romare Bearden collages sold at Swann auctions for more than $100,000 each, and new auction records were achieved for works by a number of African-American artists. This strong performance, and subsequent interest in consignments to forthcoming auctions, inspired the creation of the new department.

"There is a growing secondary market for works by African-American artists, and Swann is proud to be the only major auction house to devote regular auctions to these important pieces," said Freeman. "This segment of the fine art market is young. Our sales will establish market prices and contribute to scholarship in the field."

The first auction will feature impressive pieces by Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett, Charles White, and Hale Woodruff.

Swann Galleries is also the only major auction house to conduct regular sales devoted to Printed & Manuscript African Americana, a growing field of collecting that includes books, manuscripts, historical documents, autographs, photographs, historical prints, posters, and other ephemera. These auctions, conceived and organized by specialist Wyatt H. Day in 1996, attract a large and enthusiastic clientele.

The consignment deadline for the February 2007 auctions of African-American Fine Art and Printed & Manuscript African Americana is November 20.

For further information, and to propose consignments to the first auction devoted to African-American Fine Art, which will boast a full-color catalogue, please contact Nigel Freeman at 212-254-4710, extension 33, or nfreeman@swanngalleries.com.

To propose consignments to the 12th annual auction of Printed & Manuscript African-Americana, please contact Wyatt H. Day, at 212-254-4710, extension 80, or whday@swanngalleries.com.

About Swann Auction Galleries
Swann Galleries was founded in 1941 as an auction house specializing in Rare and Antiquarian Books, and today is the largest specialist auctioneers of Works on Paper in the world. Swann conducts an average of 40 sales a year, encompassing Books, Autographs, Maps, Photographs & Photographic Literature, Prints & Drawings, and Vintage Posters. There are annual special-subject sales devoted to African-Americana, Magic and Space Exploration. Visit www.swanngalleries.com for more information.