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Auction Catalog Collections

 Collection
Identifier: 04-exws_auctioncatalogs

Scope and Contents

The manuscript and book auction catalogs were purchased for the sake of  those pursuing bilbiographic research on manuscripts and rare books who might find valuable sale and provenance information in the catalogs. They record auctions that took place mainly through Bloomsbury, Sotheby's and Christie's, spanning from the nineenth through the late twentieth centuries. Similary, the donation received of jewelry auction catalogs are intended for those purusing research on the history of jewelry and costume. The majority of the jewelry catalogs were of auctions held via Sotheby's or Christie's in various locations from the mid-1980s through the mid-2000s. The third series of the collection is devoted to auction catalogs that record the sales of items other than manuscripts, books or jewelry.

Dates

  • Creation: 1815-1997; bulk 1920-1997
  • Other: Date acquired: 2000

Creator

Extent

621 Volumes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Collections of catalogs from major international auction houses (Bloomsbury, Sotheby's and Christie's) pertaining to auctions that took place primarily in the early twentieth through the late twentieth century. The majority of the catalogs are for manuscript, book and jewelry sales, but a third collection recording auctions of a variety of other items is currently under development.

Arrangement Note

This collection of auction catalogs is divided into three series: 1) Jeremy Griffiths Manuscript Auction Catalog Collection  (529 items) - Sotheby's, Christie's and miscellaneous manuscript, book auction catalogs and 2) Sotheby's and Christie's jewelry auction catalogues (104 items), and 3) Miscellaneous (13 items). To be consistent with nomenclature across various Archon finding aids, we have used "Folder no., Item no" to represent each of the 634 volumes in the finding aid.

Physical Access Requirements

WMU Special Collections. Non-circulating. Contact department for access.

Source of Acquisition

Unknown (manuscript and book catalogs), Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (jewelry catalogs)

Method of Acquisition

Purchase (manuscript and book catalogs) and donation (jewelry catalogs).

Accruals and Additions

2010.

Physical Description

The collection is made up 634 volumes (21.5 linear feet) which are shelved upright, just as other serials. They are all in very good condition. The collection is divided into three series: 1) Jeremy Griffiths Manuscript Auction Catalog Collection 529 items) - Sotheby's, Christie's and miscellaneous manuscript, book auction catalogs and 2) Sotheby's and Christie's jewelry auction catalogues (104 items), and 3) Miscellaneous (13 items).

Title
Inventory of the Auction Catalog Collections Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Sydney Small and Neil Chase
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Western Michigan University Libraries, Special Collections
Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490