Auction Results: The Artists of the WPA, February 4, 2021 @Swann

Given the historical resonance between our current moment and the post-Great Depression efforts to restart the economy, the idea of a WPA-themed art auction makes inspired sense. This sale at Swann last week included not only photography supported by the FSA and other government agencies, but artworks in a variety of mediums from the period.

In general, the photographs on offer performed to their modest expectations. A few positive surprises from Rothstein, Sekaer, Vachon, and others helped the Total Sale Proceeds for photography (of roughly $150K) find their way to just above the low end of the aggregate pre-sale estimate range.

The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):

Summary Statistics
Total Lots 59
Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate $141900
Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate $212300
Total Lots Sold 43
Total Lots Bought In 16
Buy In % 27.12%
Total Sale Proceeds $148527

Here is the breakdown (using our typical Low, Mid, and High price range definitions):

Detailed Breakdown
Low Total Lots 55
Total Low Lots Sold 43
Total Low Lots Bought In 12
Low Buy In % 21.28%
Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots $158300
Total Proceeds from Low Lots $148527
Mid Total Lots 4
Total Mid Lots Sold 0
Total Mid Lots Bought In 4
Mid Buy In % 100.00%
Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots $54000
Total Proceeds from Mid Lots $0
Total High Lots 0
Total High Lots Sold NA
Total High Lots Bought In NA
High Buy In % NA
Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots $0
Total Proceeds from High Lots $0

The top lot by High estimate was tied between two lots: lot 13, Lester Beall, It’s Fine For Us/Rural Electrification Administration, 1939, and lot 14, Lester Beall, A Better Home/Rural Electrification Administration, 1941, each estimated at $10000-15000; neither lot found a buyer. The top outcome of the sale was lot 54, John Vachon, A select group of 38 photographs, 1937-1942, estimated at $5000-7500, sold at $37500 (image above, via Swann).

83.72% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range and there were a total of 4 positive surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate) (images above via Swann):

Lot 18, Charles Krutch, Men playing checkers, Red Bank, Tennessee, for the Tennessee Valley Authority, 1935, estimated at $600-900, sold at $3250

Lot 21, Arthur Rothstein, Rally for the Townsend Plan, Kansas, 1936/1980, estimated at $1000-1500, sold at $3500

Lot 25, Peter Sekaer, Old Fashioned Kitchen on Virginia Farm, 1936, estimated at $1200-1800, sold at $5250

Lot 54, John Vachon, A select group of 38 photographs, 1937-1942, estimated at $5000-7500, sold at $37500

The complete lot by lot results can be found here.

Send this article to a friend

Read more about: Arthur Rothstein, Charles Krutch, John Vachon, Peter Sekaer, Swann Auction Galleries

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recent Articles

2025 Guggenheim Fellows in Photography

2025 Guggenheim Fellows in Photography

Here’s the list of the 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship winners in Photography (with links to their respective websites/Instagram pages as applicable). The entire list of current fellows (in all disciplines, including ... Read on.

Sign up for our weekly email newsletter

This field is required.