Art Auctions and Sales  

This guide is intended to assist researchers looking for information about art auctions, sales, or the provenance or custodial history of particular works of art.  It also provides links to some resources and information outside of our collections.

The University Libraries hold nearly 10,000 art auction catalogs from Christie's, Sotheby's, American Art Association and Anderson Galleries, among others. Auction dates range from the early 20th century to to the present. The Library also provides access to databases and reference sources that include recent and retrospective auction sale information.

In this guide (and in the tabs above), you'll find:

• Current and Recent Sales - Find information about sales that occured within the last four decades.
• Retrospective Sales - Find information about sales from the late 16th century through the 20th century.
• Auction Catalogs in Print - Learn how to search for and request paper auction catalogs from the collection.
• Auction Houses Online - Link to the websites of several prominent auction houses in the United States and Europe.
• Studies of the History of Auctions - Find selected scholarly materials about art auctions and auction houses.