Press Release

The History of Books & Manuscripts at Swann Galleries

Published on Oct 7, 19

Bibliophilia is an Art at New York’s Oldest Auction House

Bibliophiles of every denomination—Americana, autographs, art books, archives, atlases, ephemera, literature, maps—can find their niche at Swann Galleries. Originally founded in New York as a book auction house, we hold regular specialized sales devoted to books, printed material and manuscripts.

Books & Manuscripts Specialists

Rick Stattler, Director

Printed & Manuscript Americana

Printed & Manuscript African Americana

Rick Stattler joined Swann in 2007. Previously, Rick spent 15 years in the library world, first as manuscript curator and library director at the Rhode Island Historical Society, and then as an archivist at Harvard’s Houghton Library.

George S. Lowry, Director Emeritus

George S. Lowry, Chairman of Swann Galleries, served as President and Chief Auctioneer from 1970 to 2000. He became Chairman in 2001. Since acquiring the business from its founder Benjamin Swann, he has steered the company from a three-person business serving the book trade to its current position as the leading American auctioneer of rare and antiquarian books and works of art on paper.

Tobias Abeloff, Specialist

Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books

Tobias has worked at Swann Galleries since 1982, specializing in fifteenth- to eighteenth-century European and English books, medical and scientific books and travel literature. After 37 impressive years as a mainstay in the books department, Tobias’s last catalogue for Swann will be the October 24 auction of Early Printed, Travel, Scientific & Medical Books.

Christine von der Linn, Specialist

Illustration Art

Art, Press & Illustration Books

Christine von der Linn is head of illustration art and a Senior Specialist in the books department, focusing on art, architecture, fine press and illustrated books. She has nurtured the illustration art department from dedicated annual sales beginning in 2013 to popular biannual events.

Marco Tomaschett, Specialist

Autographs

Marco Tomaschett joined the autographs department in 2007, following four years as a books administrator. Together with Rick Stattler, Marco produced the catalogue for the Allyn Kellogg Ford Collection, the most successful book-department auction in Swann’s history, at the time of sale.

John D. Larson, Specialist

19th & 20th Century Literature

Since 1990, John D. Larson has been a writer, editor, archivist and books and manuscripts specialist with an emphasis on 19th and 20th Century Literature. He joined Swann in 2011 and has since catalogued several collections including the Lawrence M. Solomon Collection of Mystery, Detective & Science-Fiction Literature.

Caleb Kiffer, Specialist

Maps & Atlases

Caleb Kiffer is the Maps & Atlases Specialist at Swann. The department covers an exceptionally wide range of material including maps, atlases, globes and navigational instruments; natural history books, prints and drawings; American and foreign books with plates; decorative graphics; and ephemera from the fifteenth century through the early 1900s.

David Rivera, Administrator

Books & Manuscripts

David Rivera has worked at Swann Galleries since 2007, and currently serves as Administrator for the Books & Manuscripts Department. David is instrumental in putting together our African Americana catalogues, and oversees book department exhibitions.

Are you also a Bibliophile?

Our books and manuscripts specialists organize approximately 15 specialized sales per year, and we’d love to see you at the next auction or exhibition. There are many ways to stay in touch: opt-in to Auction Updates for email reminders about auction dates, when new catalogues are posted, sale highlights and exhibition openings; sign up for our newsletter to get periodic auction news and highlights; or download our live bidding app to browse, bid and livestream sales on the go.