Milton Esterow, editor of ARTnews, Donates His Collection of Art Books
to Brooklyn College Library

Milton Esterow, editor of ARTNews.

Brooklyn College alumnus Milton Esterow, editor and publisher of ARTnews, the world’s largest-circulation art magazine, is donating an extraordinary collection of art books to the Brooklyn College Library.

"The Esterow materials represent a breathtaking addition to the Brooklyn College Library, enriching our collections and underscoring the library’s strong commitment to art," said Barbra Higginbotham, chief librarian. "We are pleased to be receiving this collection because it will aid students, scholars, artists, collectors, and aficionados of art history."

The Milton and Jacqueline Esterow collection of art books is a reflection of a career that spans more than five decades. The collection of approximately 7,600 volumes encompasses art making from the Renaissance period to the present day. The collection includes catalogues raisonnés, monographs, historical surveys, criticism, biographies, price guides and catalogues pertaining to private collections. Many of the volumes are scarce, out-of-print first editions that were published clothbound. The collection's top books include individual volumes ranging in value from several hundred dollars, such as Berenice Abbott's Changing New York, to those priced at several thousand dollars, such as the four-volume catalogue raisonné devoted to Jackson Pollock.

The collection includes the works of master painters, sculptors, draftsmen, print makers, photographers, performance and conceptual artists.

Milton Esterow was a reporter and assistant to the cultural news director of The New York Times for many years. He purchased ARTnews from Newsweek Magazine in 1972. Under his direction, the magazine has been honored thirty times for excellence in reporting, criticism, and design including two George Polk Awards. He is the author of The Art Stealers.