Swann’s recent sale of vernacular photography performed with the quirky unevenness we might have expected from such material, with a nearly equal distribution of lots that soared to unexpectedly high prices and lots that sold below their estimates or failed to sell entirely. The top end of this sale was particularly soft, and even though there were many positive surprises at lower price points, they couldn’t in aggregate make up for the passes of some of the more highly estimated works. All in, the Total Sale Proceeds fell below the pre sale estimate range, but perhaps more importantly, Swann was able to further solidify its position in the growing market for vernacular photography.
The summary statistics are below (all results include the buyer’s premium):
| Summary Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Lots | 297 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale Low Estimate | $810300 |
| Aggregate Pre Sale High Estimate | $197600 |
| Total Lots Sold | 224 |
| Total Lots Bought In | 73 |
| Buy In % | 24.58% |
| Total Sale Proceeds | $760989 |
Here is the breakdown (using the Low, Mid, and High definitions from the preview post):
| Detailed Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Low Total Lots | 284 |
| Total Low Lots Sold | 217 |
| Total Low Lots Bought In | 67 |
| Low Buy In % | 23.59% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Low Lots | $905600 |
| Total Proceeds from Low Lots | $652864 |
| Mid Total Lots | 12 |
| Total Mid Lots Sold | 7 |
| Total Mid Lots Bought In | 5 |
| Mid Buy In % | 41.67% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of Mid Lots | $232000 |
| Total Proceeds from Mid Lots | $108125 |
| Total High Lots | 1 |
| Total High Lots Sold | 0 |
| Total High Lots Bought In | 1 |
| High Buy In % | 100.00% |
| Aggregate High Estimate of High Lots | $60000 |
| Total Proceeds from High Lots | $0 |
The top lot by High estimate was lot 143, (Cased Image), John Brown, early 1850s, estimated at $40000-60000; it did not sell. The top outcome of the sale was tied between two lots: lot 27, (Cyanotypes/Engineering), Selection of 63 images documenting the construction of a trestle bridge, 1899-1902, estimated at $5000-7000 (image above, left, via Swann), and lot 283, Jimmy DeSana, Book maquette for “Submisson”, 1979, estimated at $15000-25000; both sold at $22500.
While only 71.88% of the lots that sold had proceeds in or above the estimate range, there were a total of 21 surprises in the sale (defined as having proceeds of at least double the high estimate), nearly all from the vernacular portion of the sale:
Lot 7, (Alaska), Album, 1905-1910, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $4750
Lot 13, (African Americans), Group of 11 photographs, 1886, estimated at $4000-6000, sold at $13750
Lot 18, (American Occupational), Fire Chief, 1880, estimated at $500-750, sold at $5250 (image above, right, via Swann)
Lot 24, (Cyanotypes – World’s Fair), Group of 13 cyanotypes by R.A. Beck, 1892, estimated at $500-750, sold at $1625
Lot 26, (Vernacular Architecture), 90 photographs of outbuildings, 1918, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $2750
Lot 27, (Cyanotypes/Engineering), Selection of 63 images documenting the construction of a trestle bridge, 1899-1902, estimated at $5000-7000, sold at $22500 (image above, left, via Swann)
Lot 29, (San Francisco), Album, 1911, estimated at $600-900, sold at $2750
Lot 33, (Spiritualism), Group of 8 photographs, 1930s, estimated at $1000-1500, sold at $3000
Lot 38, Elliott & Fry, Sample book, 1880, estimated at $300-450, sold at $3750
Lot 49, (Iowa City College), Cyanotype album, 1904-1928, estimated at $400-600, sold at $1500
Lot 50, (Road trip), Album, estimated at $300-450, sold at $1625
Lot 55, (Postcards), Album, estimated at $400-500, sold at $1375
Lot 62, (Collage), Collage of Napoleon Bonaparte, 1910, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $3750
Lot 64, (Post-Victorian Vernacular), Bromide print of hand grasping hair, 1910, estimated at $600-900, sold at $6500(image above, middle, via Swann)
Lot 83, (Window Displays), Album, estimated at $500-7500, sold at $15000
Lot 117, Nick Ut, Children fleeing napalm strike, South Vietnam, 1973, estimated at $1000-1500, sold at $4352
Lot 123, (Female Offenders), Group of 150 mug shots, 1959-1964, estimated at $1200-1800, sold at $4750
Lot 126, (Boston), Mug shot album, 1970-1971, estimated at $600-900, sold at $2125
Lot 127, (Gay New York), Mini-archive of photographs, 1970s, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $3750
Lot 181, Carl Van Vechten, Bathing in the Arno, 1935, estimated at $800-1200, sold at $2560
Lot 246, Aaron Siskind, Lithuanian Store, 1957, estimated at $4000-6000, sold at $12500
Complete lot by lot results can be found here.
