LGBTQ+ Art, Material Culture & History
Updated August 17, 2026
This auction ended on August 13, 2026.
See upcoming auctions from Swann Auction Galleries
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| Date | August 13, 2026 at 10:30 AM EDT |
| Type | Online only |
| Auction house | Swann Auction Galleries |
| Location | New York, New York, 10010 · more auctions in New York |
| Lots | 445 |
| Estimates | $80 – $40,000 |
What's in this auction
445 lots, mostly fine art & prints (14), firearms & militaria (9), comics & books (8), memorabilia & autographs (4). 445 lots have photos and 443 have full descriptions. Pre-sale estimates $80–$40,000 across 445 priced lots. Bidding is online through the auction house's catalog.
Highest-estimated lots
- Hugh Steers, Rose Comforter, 1991. — est. $30,000–$40,000
- Hugh Steers, Birch, 1991. — est. $25,000–$35,000
- Tom of Finland, Untitled. 1981. — est. $20,000–$30,000
- Robert Mapplethorpe, Lisa Lyon. 1982. — est. $12,000–$18,000
- Katherine Bradford, Beach Fire for Detroit. 2026. — est. $12,000–$18,000
From the auction house
This summer's LGBTQ+ Art Material Culture & History auction is a cornucopia of visual and intellectual delights virtually bursting with selections of art, photography, literature, posters, ephemera and more. Now, in our seventh year of holding this auction, we are being offered more and better material than ever and in turn we are offering it back to the community via these sales-with items ranging in content from political to social to artistic to controversial to thought provoking. With incredible works by Tom of Finland, Hugh Steers, Lorenza Böttner, Robert Mapplethorpe, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, David Wojnarowicz, George Platt Lynes, Robert Bliss, Mark Beard, John Lear, Jared French, Paul Cadmus and many other artists this auction is sure to captivate and enthrall collectors and institutions. The sale will also feature works consigned on behalf of the Detroit Queer Biennial and the Leslie Lohman Museum. . Full catalog and bidding: view on liveauctioneers .
In this auction (445 lots)
Categories: Fine Art & Prints (14) · Firearms & Militaria (9) · Comics & Books (8) · Memorabilia & Autographs (4) · Pottery, China & Glass (2) · Electronics & Gaming (2)
- Lot 0001 — Portrait of Walt Whitman with a butterfly. 1873; printed 1920s.
- Lot 0002 — Napoleon Sarony, Portrait of Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. 1882.
- Lot 0003 — Designer Unknown, Henry Hannay / La Femelle de Persiflage. 1892.
- Lot 0004 — Vesta Tilley, Two Period Images of the Performer Dressed as a Man.
- Lot 0005 — Vesta Tilley. Lithograph poster, Circa 1900.
- Lot 0006 — Man de Wirth. Lithograph poster, Circa 1900.
- Lot 0007 — Wilhelm von Gloeden, Seated Male Nude. Circa 1900-1910.
- Lot 0008 — Group of 15 Erotic Indian Miniature Paintings.
- Lot 0009 — Jack Brown, Group of 9 postcards depicting the noted female impersonator performing the cakewalk.
- Lot 0010 — Lord Alfred Douglas, Autograph Manuscript Signed, his 1913 sonnet, "Stones for Bread." 1 page.
- Lot 0011 — Paul Swan, dancer and sculptor, completes a bust of French actress Fernande Cabanel. 1924.
- Lot 0012 — Man Ray, Portrait of George Platt Lynes, Paris (Back view). Circa 1927.
- Lot 0013 — Man Ray, Portrait of George Platt Lynes, Paris (Front view). Circa 1927.
- Lot 0014 — Portrait of Féral Benga at the Folies Bergère. Circa 1930.
- Lot 0015 — Cecil Beaton, A pair of dynamic portraits. Circa 1930.
- Lot 0016 — Carl Van Vechten, Gertrude Stein at Bilignin, with Basket. 1934.
- Lot 0017 — Gertrude Stein arriving in New York on the liner S.S. Champlain. 1934.
- Lot 0018 — Paul Cadmus, YMCA Locker Room. 1934.
- Lot 0019 — Paul Cadmus, The Bath. 1934.
- Lot 0020 — Paul Cadmus, Nudo #1. 1984.
- Lot 0021 — Paul Cadmus, Untitled, (NM 144a).
- Lot 0022 — Cecil Beaton, Portrait of the Broadway performer Carl Trees. Circa 1937.
- Lot 0023 — Bernard Perlin, Untitled (Self Portrait). Circa 1940s.
- Lot 0024 — Jared French, Two studies of male models. Circa 1930.
- Lot 0025 — Jared French, Pair of Studies. Circa 1940s.
- Lot 0026 — Jared French, Two pencil studies. Circa 1940s.
- Lot 0027 — Jared French, Three drawings of young men. Circa 1940.
- Lot 0028 — PaJaMa, Jared French, Saltaire. Circa 1940.
- Lot 0029 — PaJaMa, George Tooker, Nantucket. 1946.
- Lot 0030 — PaJaMa, Paul Cadmus and Margaret French, Provincetown. Circa 1947.
- Lot 0031 — PaJaMa, Paul Cadmus and Margaret French, Provincetown. Circa 1947.
- Lot 0032 — George Platt Lynes & Monroe Wheeler, Untitled. Early 1930s.
- Lot 0033 — George Platt Lynes, Jared French. 1938.
- Lot 0034 — George Platt Lynes, Charles "Tex" Smutny and Ted. 1941.
- Lot 0035 — George Platt Lynes, Portrait of Herbert Bliss. Late 1940s-early 50s.
- Lot 0036 — Cuff links given by George Platt Lynes to his partner Monroe Wheeler, with his gift card. Circa
- Lot 0037 — George Platt Lynes, Two male figure studies for the Ballet Theater Foundation. Circa 1950.
- Lot 0038 — Horst P. Horst, A Portrait of Dancer Manolo Vargas. 1944.
- Lot 0039 — Carl Van Vechten, Tennessee Williams. 1948.
- Lot 0040 — Tennessee Williams, Starry, Starry Nite. Circa 1980.
- Lot 0041 — Avel De Knight, Group of 4 drawings. Circa 1940s.
- Lot 0042 — Avel De Knight, Group of 4 drawings. Circa 1940s.
- Lot 0043 — Avel De Knight, Group of 4 drawings. Circa 1940s.
- Lot 0044 — Raoul Pène Du Bois, Group of three drawings.
- Lot 0045 — Duncan Grant, Untitled (Paul Roche). 1950.
- Lot 0046 — Cecil Beaton, Untitled (Scrum).
- Lot 0047 — Cecil Beaton, Untitled (Tackle).
- Lot 0048 — Beauford Delaney, Untitled (Portrait). Circa 1940.
- Lot 0049 — Richard Olney, Portrait of James Baldwin. Circa 1951.
- Lot 0050 — René Bolliger, Untitled (Two men in intimate embrace). Circa 1950s.
- Lot 0051 — Paul Jacoulet, Pair of color woodblock prints. 1952.
- Lot 0052 — Robert Indiana, Portrait of Ellsworth Kelly. 1956.
- Lot 0053 — Walter Stuempfig Jr., Two Boys, Oil on canvas.
- Lot 0054 — Joseph Cornell, Typed Note Signed, "Arpingly yours, / Joseph," in blue pencil, with a small Hans
- Lot 0055 — Allen Ginsberg, The Mattachine Society's copy of "Howl and other Poems," signed by Ginsburg. 1958,
- Lot 0056 — Lorraine Hansberry, Group of 3 short stories published in issues of One: The Homosexual Viewpoint.
- Lot 0057 — André Baudry, editor., The first seven years of the French journal Arcadie: Revue Litté
- Lot 0058 — An unpublished collection of erotic stories. Circa late 1960s.
- Lot 0059 — Phil Andros (Samuel Steward), $tud. 1966.
- Lot 0060 — Florida Legislative Investigation Committee., Homosexuality and Citizenship in Florida, a.k.a. "The
- Lot 0061 — Le Guide Gris. 1965.
- Lot 0062 — Echo '65: The Homosexual Citizen in the Great Society (conference program). 1965.
- Lot 0063 — Fred McDarrah, Sip-In. 1966; printed 2018.
- Lot 0064 — The first two issues of "Unique"--with coverage of the publishers' own legal victory in the
- Lot 0065 — Mattachine Book Service, New York City Gay Scene Guide Quarterly. 1968.
- Lot 0066 — Mattachine Book Service, New York City Gay Scene Guide. 1968.
- Lot 0067 — Regent House, Your Guide to the New York Gay Scene. 1967.
- Lot 0068 — The '69 New York Directory. 1969.
- Lot 0069 — Barfly, Western Edition. 1974.
- Lot 0070 — 6 issues of the New York news weekly Gay. 1969-1970.
- Lot 0071 — Group of 63 New York tabloids including issues of Big David; Dick, the Paper with Balls; and Gay
- Lot 0072 — A near-complete run of the Boston tabloid Fag Rag. 1971-1986.
- Lot 0073 — 60 issues of the New York entertainment weeklies Michael's Thing and Where It's At. 1975-1981.
- Lot 0074 — Leonor Fini, Monsieur Venus by Rachilde. 1972.
- Lot 0075 — Leonor Fini, Carmilla by Joseph-Sheridan Lefanu. 1983.
- Lot 0076 — Janet Wolfe Stanley, Group of three erotic lithographs. 1974.
- Lot 0077 — JEB (Joan E. Biren), Leonard Matlovich, Washington DC. 1987.
- Lot 0078 — JEB (Joan E. Biren), Pagan and Kady, Monticello, NY. 1978, printed 2011.
- Lot 0079 — Cynthia MacAdams, A pair of photographs from her groundbreaking feminist series Rising Goddess. 1983
- Lot 0080 — David Hockney, The Beginning. 1966.
- Lot 0081 — David Hockney, Peter. 1969.
- Lot 0082 — David Hockney, David Hockney/ Hamburger Kunsthalle. 1995.
- Lot 0083 — David Hockney, Reproduction of his Menu for Dinner in Honor of Henry Geldzahler. Circa 1978.
- Lot 0084 — David Hockney, Hockney's Alphabet, Signed on front free endpaper. 1991.
- Lot 0085 — Fred Mitchell, (i) Untitled, and (ii) John Strickland Moving, (Pair). 1962.
- Lot 0086 — Fred Mitchell, Untitled (Three Figures). 1970.
- Lot 0087 — Fred Mitchell, Swimmer, Near Amsterdam. 1989.
- Lot 0088 — Peter Berlin, Self-portrait. 1970s.
- Lot 0089 — Bernard Perlin, Portrait of a Man. 1973.
- Lot 0090 — [Richard Roesener], Original artwork for an advertisement for the Lion Pub. 1975.
- Lot 0091 — Pierre Molinier, Portfolio containing 16 studies of the French performance artist Thierry Agullo in
- Lot 0092 — George Dureau, Roosevelt Singleton. 1978.
- Lot 0093 — George Dureau, Jerry Barnes. Circa 1980.
- Lot 0094 — George Dureau, John Hinton. 1983.
- Lot 0095 — Bill Rice, Untitled (Seated Man). 1979.
- Lot 0096 — Bill Rice, Two Men on a Park Bench.
- Lot 0097 — John B. Lear Jr., Two watercolors.
- Lot 0098 — Robert Giard, Richard in the Shower: #1 (Reaching for a Towel) * Richard in the Shower: #2 (Draped
- Lot 0099 — Robert Giard, Portrait of Newton McMahon. 1981.
- Lot 0100 — Robert Giard, Mitchell and Lidell, from the Nudes series. 1983; printed 1984.
- Lot 0101 — Robert Giard, Scott O'Hara. 1993; printed 1994.
- Lot 0102 — Christopher Makos, Marcus Abel * Michael Loomis. 1979 and 1995.
- Lot 0103 — Christopher Makos, Vertical Nude Male (quadriptych). 1980s.
- Lot 0104 — Christopher Makos, Two male figure studies. Circa late 1980s-early 90s.
- Lot 0105 — Cynthia MacAdams, Robert Mapplethorpe, N.Y.C. 1985; printed 1986.
- Lot 0106 — Marcus Leatherdale, Robert Mapplethorpe IV. 1979.
- Lot 0107 — Robert Mapplethorpe, Marcus Leatherdale / Erection. 1979.
- Lot 0108 — Robert Mapplethorpe, Portrait of the dancer Peter Reed. 1980.
- Lot 0109 — Robert Mapplethorpe, Lisa Lyon. 1982.
- Lot 0110 — Marcus Leatherdale, Amazon. 1985.
- Lot 0111 — Robert R. Bliss, Resting #1. 1955.
- Lot 0112 — Robert R. Bliss, Boy and Girl on the Shore. 1965.
- Lot 0113 — Robert R. Bliss, Resting Figure. 1965.
- Lot 0114 — Robert R. Bliss, Untitled (Reclining Boy). 1971.
- Lot 0115 — John Burton Harter, Beach Boy. 1969.
- Lot 0116 — John Burton Harter, Sherman Asleep. 1981.
- Lot 0117 — Joe Brainard, Untitled (Nude). 1965.
- Lot 0118 — Roberto Estevez, Le Dernier Ange. 1966.
- Lot 0119 — Bruce of LA, A suite of 17 early photographs credited to Bruce of LA. Circa 1947.
- Lot 0120 — Group of beefcake magazines, including a run of "The Male Figure" by Bruce of Los Angeles, and more.
- Lot 0121 — A run of Physique Pictorial magazine. 1960-1990.
- Lot 0122 — The first four issues of Rugged: The Male Figure in Photo with Pertinent Commentary. 1967.
- Lot 0123 — Bruce of LA, A selection of approximately 80 male physique photographs. Early 1960s.
- Lot 0124 — Neel Bate (Blade), Set of 12 vintage gelatin silver reproductions of drawings. 1948.
- Lot 0125 — (Dom Orejudos) Etienne, A group of four chromogenic prints of his erotic art under his pseudonym
- Lot 0126 — (Dom Orejudos) Etienne, A group of 20 Target Studios photographs of his erotic art under his
- Lot 0127 — Promotional booklet from the studio of beefcake photographer Joe Miller. Early 1960's.
- Lot 0128 — Jim French (Colt Studio), An archive of 5 sets of photographs in their original glassine envelopes,
- Lot 0129 — Jim French / Lüger, Untitled (Twisting). Circa 1960s.
- Lot 0130 — Jim French / Lüger, Untitled (Squatting). Circa 1960s.
- Lot 0131 — Jim French / Colt, Untitled (Two Cops). 1968.
- Lot 0132 — Jim French / Colt, Untitled (Smoking Cowboy). 1968.
- Lot 0133 — Jim French / Colt, Untitled (Wrestling). Circa 1968.
- Lot 0134 — Jim French / Colt, Untitled (Dance Saturday Night). 1969.
- Lot 0135 — Jim French (Colt Studio), An archive of approximately 49 silver prints. 1968-1969.
- Lot 0136 — Issue of Physique Pictorial and other Athletic Model Guild ephemera. 1966-1970.
- Lot 0137 — William Whitworth, Group of 3 charcoal drawings.
- Lot 0138 — Robert Henry (Bob) Mizer, editor, Physique Pictorial magazine, including the first published work by
- Lot 0138A — Joël Lelièvre (Photographer), Histoires d'Hommes / Good Hot Stuff. 1975.
- Lot 0139 — Exclusive Attractions at the Park "Male" Theatre, Offset flyer. 1969.
- Lot 0140 — Tom of Finland, Group of smaller publications and ephemera. 1962-2017.
- Lot 0141 — Tom of Finland, Untitled. 1969.
- Lot 0142 — Tom of Finland, Preparatory sketch of Jack in the Jungle #2. 1971.
- Lot 0143 — Tom of Finland, Jack and the Jungle / Beach Boys. Circa 1970's.
- Lot 0144 — Tom of Finland, Kake, collection of printings by D.T.F. and later reprints in the original format.
- Lot 0145 — Tom of Finland, Set of early editions of the Pekka stories: The Loggers, Sex in the Shed, Camping,
- Lot 0146 — Tom of Finland, Target Studios. Group of 12 photos in two sleeves. 1975-1976.
- Lot 0147 — Tom of Finland, Large group of his publications. 1971-2000.
- Lot 0148 — Tom of Finland, Untitled. 1981.
- Lot 0149 — Tom of Finland, Perfection. 1990.
- … and 295 more lots
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