My main role as a Pratt Institute School of Information Fellow at the Brooklyn Museum Library is to help make our vast collection of auction catalogs discoverable in our library online catalog known as Brookmuse, which is part of Arcade, a shared NYARC catalog. The Library holds thousands of catalogs from multiple auction houses dating back into the 1800s, and up to the present. During my time here, I’ve been cataloging a small, early 20th century section of those catalogs, originating from Christie’s and Sotheby’s.
These small, precious catalogs, while plain in their design, provide windows into the art market for a select periods of time. They hold invaluable printed and annotated information, which answers questions about the provenance, or the pedigree, of objects of all kinds, including the visual and decorative arts. This information can inform us of an object’s monetary value, but also describes what kinds of objects came up on the market at certain periods of time. Objects of vertu (objects of importance), miniature enamel portraits, silverware, snuff boxes, rugs, and, of course, fine paintings and sculptures, are often the items I see for sale in these circa 1940 auctions.
These catalogs are of interest to our own Brooklyn Museum curators as well as outside researchers from around the world. They provide a deeper understanding of important artists and artworks, which can impact our understanding of art history and offer us valuable new perspectives.
Posted by Samantha Levin
