Salmagundi Club

The Salmagundi Club is an art gallery and museum and is one of the oldest art organizations in America. Founded in 1871, its membership in the early twentieth century reads like a veritable Who's Who of American Art and includes William Comfort Tiffany, N.C. Wyeth, Carlton Wiggins, Gustave Wiegand, Emil Carlsen, William M. Post, Bruce Crane, and Childe Hassam. Distinguished professionals from other fields have also been welcomed to the Club as members; John Phillip Sousa, the American songwriter who became a non-artist member in 1904, and Winston Churchill, who became an honorary artist member in 1958. Dedicated to the promotion and enjoyment of the fine arts, the Salmagundi Club continues to thrive today and showcases its members' works, both new and old, in year round exhibitions and sales, both public and private, that keep the galleries alive with quality original art work by contemporary artists in all mediums. Among the most eagerly anticipated of Salmagundi's events are its Fine Art Auctions, open to all bidders. Known by art collectors to be one of the New York's best kept secrets, the Salmagundi Auctions are held twice yearly; every spring and fall. During these months, two individual auctions are held that showcase the work of SCNY Artist Members. This year the June 19th spring auction event will take a new direction. For the first time a selection of historic members' works, carefully selected from the Salmagundi archive collection, will be offered alongside modern work, and the auction will be held in collaboration with Capsule and Litchfield Auctions, local auctioneers dedicated to promoting the quality and authenticity of Salmagundi art to a new audience. Over 150 works will be offered, mostly paintings, all professionally framed and appearing at auction for the first time. Among the experiences offered will be the opportunity to commission a Salmagundian to paint your portrait, architectural or landscape scene, and a unique dinner invitation from legendary New York painter and club member Guy A. Wiggins. The auctioneer will be Nick Dawes of Heritage Auctions, who is also Chairman and CEO of Salmagundi and familiar to many through 25 years as an expert appraiser on PBS Antiques Roadshow. These Spring Auctions are a major fundraising event for Salmagundi, a non-profit organization. Monies raised from the auctions help to fund the operation of our historic organization and maintain our landmark building.