The Business of Art: Markets, Auctions, Appraisals, Galleries: Art Auctions

Auction catalogs represent an important source for various types of information on works of art and artists. They can provide provenance information or a "genealogy" of a work of art. Detailed illustrations and descriptions of a work of art are usually available. They can also help to identify a particular object sold at auction. As a group they can help to trace trends and taste of a particular time period or collector.

Use the KU Library Catalog to learn what catalogs are owned by KU. Check the name of the auction house, e.g., Sotheby's or Christies, and a title like [Catalogues of sales]. Although KU no longer subscribes to any of the auction catalog series (the subscriptions were cancelled in January 2009 due to budget restrictions), the library owns thousands of such publications dating primarily from the 1970s through 2008 and from the auction houses of Sotheby's, Christies, and Phillips.

Due to overcrowding in the Art & Architecture Library, the auction catalogs are housed in a locked area in Anschutz Library; patrons wanting to use the older catalogs should consult the library catalog to determine if KU owns the specific publication and then ask for assistance from the Art & Architecture Library staff to have the catalog retrieved for their use.  

KU owns some annual compilations of auction prices that are organized by artist's name with the pieces sold during the year listed in alphabetical order; data elements include artist's name, name of artwork, dimensions, medium, signature, auction information, price realized.

Gordon's Print Price Annual. 1978-. Recent volumes include a directory of auction houses, listing of sales from the previous year, an alphabetical list by artist's name of prints sold at auction, and a cross-index listing by catalogue raisonne number.

International Auction Records. (aka Guide Mayer) 1968-. Arranged alphabetically by artist's name. Earlier volumes divides the sales into media chapters, e.g., paintings, prints, watercolors, sculptures, drawings.  

Catalogue des Catalogues de Ventes d'Art, Bibliotheque Forney, Paris. 2v. Boston, G.K. Hall, 1972. This Parisian library was founded in 1886 to promote artistic craftsmanship among the city's workers. The collection is particularly strong in the decorative arts. In French.

Mireur, Hippolyte. Dictionnaire des Ventes d'Art Faites en France et a l'Etranger Pendant les XVIIIme & XIXme Siecles. 7v. Paris: Maison D'Editions d'oeuvres artistiques, Ch. de Vincenti, 1911-12. Organized alphabetically by artist's name, this set indexes about 3,000 public sales of the 18th & 19th centuries from 30,000 artists and 50,000 items. In French. 

Lancour, Harold. American Art Auction Catalogues, 1785-1942: A Union List. New York: New York Public Library, 1944. Indexes about 7,000 catalogues with entries including first day of sale, owner's name, short descriptive title, auction firm, collation, number of lots, location of copies. Additional information includes list of American auction houses, list of catalogues, and index of owners.

iCollector. A free database dedicated to trading antiques, fine art and premium collectibles on the Internet. It gives you access to online auctions, auction catalogs, dealers, and gallery directories.

AskArt. Covers more than 200,000 artists. From its inception the focus was on American artists from the early 16th-Century through the present. However, in January of 2007 the database expanded to include international artists' auction records. Includes biographies, bibliography, images, sales information, and more. KU has a subscription to this resource.

FindArtInfo. A combination free & subscription service. Free search allows a search by artist's name to find a list of sales with the date of sale, title of work, medium, and price.

Invaluable (formerly Artfact). A subscription service offering information on upcoming and past auctions. Bidders can search and buy from over 160,000 auctions annually  and the database includes more than 57 million complete auction results . 

ArtPrice. A subscription service with Fine Art auction information on the prices of art works, for people who want to buy, sell, insure, or invest in Art. 

artnet. A subscription service offering a place to buy, sell and research fine art online. Includes an online gallery, a daily magazine and a price database.

Some auction houses host free "open house" days where visitors can bring in their artworks and have auction-house staff members share their expertise. Other houses allow owners to mail their information with a photograph, and their experts will respond. Below is a list of some of the largest auction houses in the U.S.

Bonhams & Butterfields, 220 San Bruno Avenue, San Francisco CA 94103, (offices also in Los Angeles and Chicago), (415) 861-7500

Christie's, 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York NY 10020, (212) 636-2000

Dallas Auction Gallery, 2235 Monitor Street, Dallas, TX 75207, (214) 653-3900

Doyle Galleries, 175 East 87th Street, New York NY 10128, (212) 427-2730

Freeman/Fine Arts of Philadelphia, Inc. 1808 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia PA 19103, (215) 563-9275

Leslie Hindman, 1338 West Lake Street, Chicago, IL 60607, 312.280.1212

Phillips de Pury & Company, 450 West 15th Street, New York NY 10011, (212) 940-1200

Skinner, 63 Park Plaza, Boston MA 02116, (617) 350-5400

Sotheby's, 1334 York Avenue, New York NY 10021, (212) 606-7000

Websites for the various auction houses will usually provide a calendar of upcoming auctions as well as auction results from recent sales; some may also produce the entire catalog for an upcoming sale online. Both Christies and Sotheby's now allow online searching of upcoming and past auctions.

Christie's, Database allows searching of upcoming or past sales back to 1991 and images of objects back to 1999. Searching can be done by keyword, sale location, low estimate, or sale date.

Sotheby's, Links to "Sold Lot" archive. Database that extends from 1998 with, where permitted by copyright, images from 2001. Searching is available by keyword, creator, title/name, hammer price, sale date, provenance, auction location, sale title, sale number, lot number, or department. Search of upcoming lots also available by browsing the catalogues.     

Journals are another good source of information on upcoming auctions.

The Art Newspaper, 1990-. Monthly newspaper about the visual arts based in London. Includes news about artists, exhibitions, collectors, museums, fairs, books, and more with worldwide coverage.  

Art & Antiques, 2000-. Monthly magazine intended for art collectors and consumers which covers fine art, artists, antiques, furniture and collectables.