Keith Haring's Early Works from Lifelong Friendship Head to Auction at Sotheby's
A collection of rare Keith Haring works, gifted to his childhood friend Kermit Oswald, will be auctioned at Sotheby's Breuer Building in May 2025. The trove includes a self-portrait from 1985 (estimate $3M–$5M), a painted crib and dresser ($250K–$350K), a carved wood sculpture from 1983 (up to $800K), and a blue square drawing ($150K–$200K). These pieces trace Haring's early experimentation across wood, furniture, and screen-print. Oswald, Haring's best friend since kindergarten, received many works as personal gifts. The sale follows Sotheby's 2023 auction of 31 Haring subway drawings from Larry Warsh's collection, which fetched $9.2 million. A further 41 works from Oswald's collection will be offered in an online auction this October.
Key facts
- Keith Haring's early works from his friendship with Kermit Oswald will be auctioned at Sotheby's Breuer Building in May 2025.
- The collection includes a 1985 self-portrait of Haring as a sphinx, estimated at $3M–$5M.
- A painted crib and dresser, made for Oswald's first child, are estimated at $250,000–$350,000.
- A carved wood sculpture from 1983, part of Haring's Tony Shafrazi Gallery takeover, has an upper estimate of $800,000.
- A blue square drawing from the same period is estimated at $150,000–$200,000.
- Oswald and Haring were best friends since kindergarten; Oswald's father introduced Haring to woodworking.
- Sotheby's previously sold 31 Haring subway drawings from Larry Warsh's collection for $9.2 million in 2023.
- A follow-up online auction of 41 works from Oswald's collection will occur in October 2025.
Entities
Artists
- Keith Haring
- Kermit Oswald
Institutions
- Sotheby's
- Sotheby's Breuer Building
- Tony Shafrazi Gallery
- School of Visual Arts
Locations
- New York
- Kutztown
- Pennsylvania
- Upper East Side