The following resources are very useful in identifying artists and pertinent information about their careers:

• BMI - This source is available through Ancestry.com
  
  
• Davenport's Art Reference & Price Guide - Ed. R. J. Davenport. This is an expensive but extremely useful tool. The Artfact Pro Decorative Arts CD-Rom sells for $1,295; the Artfact Pro Fine Arts CD-Rom also sells for $1,295; Leonard's Annual Price Index CD-Rom (1999) covers 1980-1998 art auction prices and costs $995. It is published by Gordon's Art Reference, Arizona, Inc. (222.egordon.com). They also publish a hardcover book (ref. 700.75 DAV) which is not as extensive but is very good for identifying basic information about approximately 200,000 artists.
  
  
• Currier's Price Guide to American Artists at Auction by William T. Currier (1994 - 6th Edition), published by Currier Publications, 241 Main Street, Stoneham, MA 02180, 1-800-344-0760 (Ref. 700.75 Cur).
  
  
• Index to Artistic Biography, Vols. I, II, & Supplement, by Patricia Pate Havlice; published by The Scarecrow Press, Inc., Metuchen, NJ (1973) - (Ref. 709.22 HAV).
  
  
• Dictionary of Women Artists, Vols. I & II - Ed. Delia Gaze, published by Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 70 East Walton St., Chicago, IL 60611 (Ref. 709.22 DIC)
  
  
• Art Index, Vols. I-48 - Ed. Ruta Butkus Vanderheide; published by The H.W. Wilson Company, 950 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452 (Ref. 700.02 ART)
  
  
• Who's Who in American Art - by Marquis Who's Who, 121 Chanlon Road, New Providence, NJ 07974 (Ref. 709.22 WHO). Note: The older editions of Who's Who in American Art have more information about WPA artists; the later editions tend to condense information and sometimes drop a name.
  
  
• Who Was Who in American Art - (Ref. 709.22 WHO)
  
• ARTISTS IN CALIFORNIA 1786-1940 II - by Edan Milton Hughes (1989); this is a great source for California artists.
  
  
• Social Security Death Index - If you have information about the date of birth, etc., you might be able to track down an artist through the SSDI. http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/ssdi/main.htm
  
  
• Mantle Fieldings Dictionary of American Painters, Sculptors, and Engravers - Ed. Glenn B. Opitz; published by Apollo Book (1986), 5 Schoolhouse Lane, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 (915-462-0040) - (Ref. 709.22 FIE)
  
  
• St. James Guide to Black Artists - Ed. Thomas Riggs; published by St. James Press (1997), 835 Penobscot Building, Detroit, MI 48226 (Ref. 709.2396 STJ)
  
  
• Americans 1942 - 18 Artists From 9 States, Museum of Modern Art, New York (1942, New York City, NY)
  
  
• Artist/USA - Bicentennial Issue, published by Artists/USA, Inc. (1976, Philadelphia, PA)
  
  
  
• A Biographical Dictionary of Painters and Sculptors in Illinois, Ph.D. Dissertation, Esther Sparks, Northwestern University (709.773 S736B)
  
  
  
  
  
  

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