American Art Association

The American Art Association (AAA) was an art gallery and auction house established in 1883 in Manhattan, New York City. Initially located at 6 East 23rd Street, it moved to Madison Avenue and 56th Street in 1922. As the first U.S. auction house, it played a significant role during the Gilded Age, hosting major art exhibitions and promoting American art through its cosmopolitan venue. The AAA specialized in paintings by American artists and also maintained an Oriental Art Department.

Founded by James F. Sutton, R. Austin Robertson, and Thomas Kirby in 1883, the association supervised the sale of numerous art collections. In 1923, after Kirby’s retirement, Cortlandt F. Bishop acquired the AAA. By 1929, it merged with Anderson Galleries to form American Art Association-Anderson Galleries, Inc., which was later taken over by Parke-Bernet Galleries in 1938. Sotheby's purchased Parke-Bernet in 1964, making it the largest fine art auctioneer in the U.S.

The AAA’s records are preserved at the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, and the Frick Art Reference Library. The association also published materials, such as a 1910 plan detailing its operations. Its history includes notable exhibitions, including Thomas B. Clarke’s collection of American paintings in its first year, benefiting the National Academy of Design.