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Posted May 4, 2005

Gordon's Art Reference print and photograph compendiums of auction selling prices and price records are the best available anywhere because they're more detailed and contain more information than those of other art price publishers. To begin with, Gordon's sales results contain technical data not found in other price database products including quality of image impressions, paper types, condition information, and margin details (exactly the way they're described in auction catalogues). Gordon's also provides extensive reference book bibliographies, and their editorial staff corrects incorrect titles, editions or states, catalogue raisonne numbers, and other errors that appear in auction catalogue listings. Additionally, titles of artworks are translated into the language of the catalogue raisonne for many major artists.

Gordon's Print Price Annual 2005 contains 50,000 international auction prices for prints in all price ranges sold during the 2004 auction year, with no minimum price cut-offs, prices for buy-ins (items that fail to sell), and withdrawn lots (items withdrawn from auctions before sales take place). Sales records include those for Old Master, Modern, and Contemporary fine prints; decorative, historical, botanical, topographical, and Japanese prints; vintage, fine art, and film posters; illustrated books, livres d'artiste (artist books), books and periodicals with original graphics; Picasso ceramics; and more.

Gordon's Photography Price Annual International 2005 contains approximately 15,000 sales results for photographs sold at international auctions during 2004. Included are 19th and 20th century photographs as well as books and periodicals that contain original photographs. Information about negatives, print dates, signature information, and other critical details are also included.

You see, here's the deal-- the more you know about a print or photograph in terms of condition, signature information, and other particulars, the more accurately you can apply its selling price at auction to similar prints or photographs. For example, if you're researching a Picasso print, and you find two auction records for it, one for $15000 and the other for $5000, you have to know why the huge price differential. Maybe the $5000 print has condition problems, it's been cut down, or it's a later edition. Auction records mean nothing unless you know why. And Gordon's tells you why better.

Gordon's Print Price Annual 2005 edited by Howard Moneta, LTB Gordonsart, Inc., Phoenix, 2005, hardbound, 2016 pages, 8 1/2 by 11 inches, $265; six-month update, $95.

Gordon's Photography Price Annual International 2005 edited by Howard Moneta, LTB Gordonsart, Inc., Phoenix, 2005, hardbound, 595 pages, 8 1/2 by 11 inches, $145.