On a recent trip to Maryland, my husband and I visited the national park at Antietam, the site of a ferocious one-day battle on September 17, 1862, in which 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing. We were fortunate to be there at the tail end of a week and a half series of lectures and living history events commemorating the 153rd anniversary of the encounter. Our visit began with a fascinating overview of the role of the United States Sanitary Commission in improving the lives of the soldiers, especially at the front lines (we were surprised to learn that over two-thirds of the 622,000 men who lost their lives in the Civil War died from disease rather than from battle).… Read More

Pablo Picasso (Spanish, 1881-1973), Femme retenant son peignoir, c. 1923 (Lot 601, Estimate $30,000-$50,000)

BOSTON, MA – April 29, 2014 – Skinner, Inc.  is pleased to offer a tremendous selection of fine works during its May 16th auction of American & European Works of Art and American & European Prints & Photography.

The two-part auction will feature a robust offering of modern and contemporary paintings – including an institutional collection of large-scale Polish works – as well as works on paper by iconic artists from Picasso to Miró.… Read More

William Edward Kilburn (British, 1818-1891) Hand-tinted Quarter-plate Daguerreotype of a Girl (Lot 87, Estimate $1,000-$1,500)

Thursday, May 15, 2014

REGISTER

Reception 5:30PM Lecture 6PM

Join Michelle Lamunière, Photography Specialist, for a presentation on the daguerreotype process with highlights from a New England collection. Held in conjunction with the  American & European Works of Art and the Prints & Photography preview and auctions.… Read More

American School, 19th Century Hand-tinted Sixth-plate Daguerreotype of a Mother and Child (Lot 88, Estimate $300-$500)

A daguerreotype is a highly detailed photographic image on a sheet of copper that has been plated with a thin coat of silver and then exposed to light. It is a one-of-a-kind direct positive, meaning that there is no negative from which to make multiple reproductions. Developed by Jacques-Louis-Mandé Daguerre, a French artist and scenic designer, the daguerreotype process was the first practical and widely available method of obtaining permanent images with a camera.… Read More

Large group of American Pocket Watches

Marlborough, Mass. – February 12, 2014 – Skinner, Inc. will hold a Clocks, Instruments & Militaria – Online auction beginning February 25, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. EST and concluding on March 4, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. EST.  The auction is the first of its type to be offered in a convenient, online-only format and will feature antique pocket watches, nautical instruments, cast iron banks, firefighting memorabilia, antique medical equipment, antique cameras, and militaria.… Read More

BOSTON, MA – December 5, 2013 – Skinner, Inc. is pleased to announce strong results from its November 17 auction of Fine Books & Manuscripts. Grossing over $1.1 million, this sale garnered tremendous enthusiasm across both emerging and established collecting areas, highlighting Skinner’s continued growth in the category.

Early Photography

Sold for $192,000: Gardner, Alexander (1821-1882) Photographic Sketch Book of the War.

… Read More

Merian, Maria Sybilla (1647-1717) Histoire Generale des Insectes de Surinam et Toute L’Europe. Paris: Desnos, 1771 (Lot 214, Estimate $45,000-$65,000)

BOSTON, MA – October 25, 2013 – Skinner, Inc. will feature an exceptional selection of important rare books, including a section of children’s books, historic documents, natural history prints, and maps during its Fine Books & Manuscripts auction, November 17.… Read More

How do you tell the difference between a daguerreotype, ambrotype, and tintype? If you’ve been browsing through the Early Photography Collection of Rod MacKenzie, you’ve seen these three types of early photography many times. Here are four questions to ask the next time you’re trying to identify an early photograph.