Cataloguer, American Art
Christie's · New York City · $57,000–$63,000 (stated in the posting)
Cataloguer, American Art
The Company
Christie’s, the world’s largest Art Business, is an incredibly exciting & enriching place to start or continue your career. Whether you work within one of our Specialist Art Departments or in our more Operational focused teams we are all working together with one common goal in mind: to continue the success of this 250 year old company, steeped in history, bringing constant innovation whilst not forgetting our age old values; Passionate Expertise, Exceptional Client Service, Teamwork, Integrity, Business Judgement & Innovation. . Colleagues across all departments are truly passionate about what they do and it is constantly inspiring to work with industry leaders across all segments of the business.
Why this role matters
As the market-leading auction house for American Art, Christie's is uniquely positioned to shape the future of the category and expand its leadership in an evolving and increasingly competitive market. As Cataloguer, American Art, you will play a critical role in delivering the continued excellence of one of the industry's most respected departments.
At an exciting period of expansion for the American Art business the Cataloguer position will contribute to the production of all auction and private sale materials for the American Art department. Responsibilities include processing the consigned works of art for sale, including research and catalogue entry writing and proofing; coordination of photography, and varying duties as dictated by department priorities and frequency of sales.
How you'll make an impact
- Research property for bibliography, provenance and exhibition history using libraries, on-line databases, the internet, and outside experts (such as curators, dealers, publishers, etc.).
- Physically catalogue property for public and private sales including measuring property, assessing condition and media used, paired with research methods listed above.
- Write and prepare catalogue essays.
- Assist business-getters in preparing documents for potential consignments (e.g. proposals).
- Coordinate restoration and framing serving as primary liaison with outside experts and internal stakeholders.
- Act as liaison between department and experts to communicate effectively in a timely fashion.
- Flag any authenticity concerns and condition issues in timely manner to appropriate specialist.
- Proof all cataloguing with specialists before submitting final proof to Catalogue Production.
- Prepare property for hilling sessions (meetings to determine value, condition and marketability of property); and amend catalogue sheets after hilling sessions.
- Send out special interest letters to market each upcoming auction, as assigned.
- Prepare condition reports in the system and forward to clients upon request.
- Assist clients in galleries during preview weekend and sale week and act as main point of contact for any questions related to the property within the sale both internally and externally.
- Maintain department library and research materials.
- Assist with catalogue production where needed.
- Coordinate photography, restoration, copyright approval.
- Serve as primary liaison with outside experts.
- Maintain sale images in media library (monitor progress, liaise with photo studio on missing images, deadline constraints).
- Participate in Telephone Bidding with clients during the auction.
- Business Getting.
- Assistance with appraisals, including conducting research to support insurance appraisal documents – liaison between Trust & Estates & department.
- Other duties as assigned by Manager.
What you will bring to the team
- Bachelor’s degree in the fine or decorative art category preferred, or equivalent work experience
- Master’s degree preferred
- Minimum 2 years paid experience in the Arts
- Knowledge of E-mail, Spreadsheet, Word Processing and Presentation software (Microsoft Office preferred)
- Ability to learn Christie’s systems including COS, JDE, intranet and website.
- Strong typing skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including superior written and spoken communication
- Superior client service skills
- Ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- Demonstrated ability to multi-task and prioritize
- Strong follow-up skills with attention to detail
What's great about working for us
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision care plans for employees and dependents (On average, Christie’s pays 80% of total premiums)
- 401(k) Savings Plan – Christie’s provides a matching contribution up to 5% (subject to IRS limits)
- Life Insurance - 3x base salary up to $400k (100% paid by Christie’s)
- Disability Insurance (100% paid by Christie’s)
- Generous time-off and leave policies; including 100% Paid Family Leave up to 16 weeks.
- Fitness Reimbursement Program: reimbursement of eligible fitness fees and memberships up to $600 per year
- Annual Discretionary Performance Bonus Plan
- Commuter Benefits - Pre-tax money towards your daily commute with a Christie’s contribution of $21 per month
- Back Up Child & Elder Care – up to 10 days of back-up Child or Elder Care through Bright Horizons
- CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Day- Each employee receives one paid day per year to dedicate their time to a charity of their choice.
- Perks and Discounts through Zo and Plum Benefits
*Christie’s reserves the right to change company benefits at any time
Christie’s, Inc. is committed to principles of equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, Christie’s Inc. ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status or liability status for service in the United States Armed Forces.
Closing Date: November 9th, 2026
*Posted salary range does not include discretionary bonus compensation and/or overtime pay.