WHISTLER PRINTS SELL FOR RECORD PRICES

SWANN GALLERIES'S AUCTION OF WHISTLER AND HIS INFLUENCE RECENTLY OFFERED APPROXIMATELY 150 PRINTS BY JAMES AM WHISTLER AND HIS FOLLOWERS. NEARLY 20 PRINTS SET WORLD AUCTION RECORDS, INCLUDING THE SALE'S TOP LOT, A VERY EARLY IMPRESSION OF NOCTURNE, ETCHING AND DRYPOINT ON JAPAN PAPER, 1879-80, WHICH BECAME THE MOST EXPENSIVE WHISTLER PRINT EVER SOLD AT AUCTION WHEN IT BROUGHT $282,000. THE LUMINOUS AND RICHLY INKED ETCHING WAS LIKELY ONE OF THE FIRST THE ARTIST MADE UPON HIS ARRIVAL IN VENICE, AND DISPLAYS HIS SOUGHT-AFTER BUTTERFLY SIGNATURE. A SPOKESPERSON FOR SWANN SAID: 'SETTING THE RECORD PRICE FOR ANY WHISTLER PRINT SHOWS THE QUALITY AND SCARCITY OF THE MATERIAL WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GATHER IN THE PAST FEW SEASONS. THIS IS THE HIGHEST PRICE FOR A PRINT EVER SOLD AT SWANN, SOLIDIFYING SWANN'S PLACE IN THE MARKET FOR RARE WORKS ON PAPER.' AMONG THE MANY OTHER WHISTLERS THAT SET RECORDS IN THE SALE WERE A VERY SCARCE FIRST STATE OF 'ROTHERHITHE', 1860, ETCHING AND DRYPOINT, $14,400; 'LITTLE SMITHFIELD', ETCHING ON JAPAN PAPER, WHICH HAD NOT APPEARED AT AUCTION IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, $18,000; 'BATTERSEA: DOWN', DRYPOINT, 1875, WITH SOFT, HAZY TONES AND INKY PLATE EDGES, $13,200; 'FISHING BOATS, HASTINGS', ETCHING AND DRYPOINT ON JAPAN PAPER, $15,600; 'FULHAM', ETCHING, ONE OF THREE ETCHINGS WHISTLER MADE OF THE OLD PUTNEY TOLL BRIDGE IN 1879 BEFORE ITS DESTRUCTION, $14,400; AND 'RUE DES BON ENFANTS, TOURS', ETCHING AND DRYPOINT, CREATED WHILE HE WAS ON HONEYMOON IN THE LOIRE VALLEY, $21,600.