Lot 124

Neel Bate (Blade), Set of 12 vintage gelatin silver reproductions of drawings. 1948.

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Neel Bate (Blade), Set of 12 vintage gelatin silver reproductions of drawings. 1948.

Estimate: $1,000 - $1,500

Starting Bid: $750

(0 Bids)

by Swann Auction Galleries
August 13, 2026 10:30 AM EDT
Live Auction
104 East 25th Street
New York, NY, US 10010

Neel Bate (Blade)
1916-1989
Untitled (from "The Barn"). Set of 12 vintage gelatin silver reproductions of drawings. 1948.
Silver gelatin prints.

  • Provenance: Notes:
    This groundbreaking series of twelve homoerotic drawings tells the story of a chance encounter between a farm boy hitchhiker and a motorcyclist who seek shelter in a barn during a rainstorm. Noted for their cinematic storytelling and explicit imagery, the drawings exemplify Bate's focus on working-class men, farm boys, truckers, and sailors, rendered with lean, expressive figures that convey both physical desire and emotional intimacy.

    Created at a time when obscenity laws prohibited such material, The Barn circulated clandestinely. An early attempt to sell prints in gay bars ended when police seized the works, though unauthorized reproductions soon spread internationally, cementing the series' underground reputation and influence.

    Today, The Barn is recognized as a landmark of American homoerotic art, reflecting both the repression and resilience of queer expression in the mid-twentieth century.
  • Dimensions: Each approximately 7 x 5 in. (17.8 x 12.7 cm.)
  • Medium: Silver gelatin prints.
  • Condition: Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

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$150 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $5,999 $200
$6,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
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$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 $499,999 $20,000
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