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Modernism and its markets: Sales catalogues and auction prices

Resources for studying modernism and its markets, from the late nineteenth century to the present

 


Detail of: Georges Braque, Fruit Dish, Bottle and Glass, 1912. Oil and sand on canvas (60 x 73 cm).
Centre Pompidou: acquisition number AM 1984-499. Source: Frans Vandewalle, Flickr (edited). Licence.

 

Key auction house departments include:

 

Modernist works are sometimes also sold by other departments within the auction houses.

The database Gallica has digitised a selection of historic French sales catalogues.

 

At the SIA library, most important catalogues will be found in these two categories:

  • Sotheby's: impressionist and modern art
  • Christie's: impressionist and modern art

  • see the sales catalogues guide for more info, including finding catalogues SIA does not have

 

Artprice and artnet are both key for prices achieved at auction.

Selected older auction records are included in the Benezit Dictionary of Artists.