By Stephen Perloff
Editor of The Photograph Collector Newsletter
(With some assistance by Alex Novak, although not responsible for the bad puns)

The spring auction season began with some hope that the photography market would consolidate the signs of economic recovery that had been building since the fall. Certainly the results at the AIPAD Photography Show trended in the right direction, as did Swann's March photo sale, if somewhat haltingly.

Sotheby's led off on April 13. The sale began with a run of 34 daguerreotypes--and a relatively small crowd consisting largely of daguerreotype collectors who all sat--stereotypically--in the back of the room. (The audience did begin to grow as the morning session got underway.)

Only nine of the daguerreotypes passed, and despite the collectors in the audience, all but one or two of the sales were by order bid or telephone. The highest selling daguerreotype was a portrait of Caroline Parker by an anonymous American photographer. It sold to telephone bidder L0090 for $62,500. This bidder was also successful in acquiring six other of the daguerreotype lots for $81,250, or $143,750 all together.

Dealer Jill Quasha planted $80,500 for Paul Strand's Growing Iris, Maine ($50,000–$70,000), good for ninth place on the top ten. Edward Steichen's Illustration for Vogue (Hands over Head) and Ansel Adams's Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada, both estimated at $20,000–$30,000 sold for $45,000 each. The former was bought Galen Lee, a consultant who was very active on some of the top lots in this sale, apparently buying for a California collector. The latter sold to a commission bidder.

Adams's Teton Range and Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming ($30,000–$50,000) sold to another commission bidder for $86,500 and tied for sixth place. Adam's Monolith, the Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park sold for it high estimate at $37,500. Adams's Portfolio Three: Yosemite Valley garnered only two-thirds of its low estimate, $50,000, and his Portfolio Four: What Majestic Word, passed at $47,500. There had been decently active bidding to this point, yet the room remained relatively quiet, although playing an active role in some underbidding.

A private collector bidding on the phone against yet again another phone bidder climbed to $206,500 to capture a print of Margaret Bourke-White's Gargoyle, Chrysler Building, New York, 1929/30 ($120,000–$180,000), the third highest price of the day. The print has silvering circles around the glue, which apparently is common with this image. As one dealer noted, "It comes with the territory." According to dealer William Schaeffer, this was not the print used on the cover of the Bourke-White catalogue produced by Edwynn Houk, which he apparently was the original source of.

Edwynn Houk paid $27,500, more than double the high estimate, for Walker Evans's Alabama Farmer's Kitchen, 1936, printed later, while Jeffrey Fraenkel snared Evans's Alabama Tenant Farm, Kitchen Wall, for $37,500. Jill Quasha was back for a 1950s print of Julius Shulman's classic Kaufmann House, Palm Springs, 1947, well over the estimate at $47,500. Minneapolis gallerist Martin Weinstein reportedly has another vintage print of the same Shulman image available.

The afternoon session brought some better material. The star of the sale was an early print of Edward Weston's Nautilus, 1927, purchased by Bernice Lovett in 1927 and remaining in her family until the sale. Estimated at $300,000–$500,000, it was the object of active bidding, including from dealers Paul Hertzmann, Jeffrey Fraenkel and Howard Greenberg, but ultimately went in the room to Galen Lee for a California-based collector for $1,082,500, the top lot in the sale, the only million-dollar lot of the season, and more than 20% of Sotheby's total. That's virtually the same price result as the last one that was sold at Sotheby's October 2007. Most observers felt that the print in this sale had the edge--no matter how slim--over the very good print in the 2007 sale.

Another Weston, a rare print of Civilian Defense, 1942 ($50,000–$70,000) was the object of a dogfight between Peter MacGill and noted Weston collector Michael Mattis. Mattis landed safely at $152,500, the fourth highest price of the sale. Mattis also gobbled up Weston's Eggplant ($15,000–$25,000) at $72,100, over the bid of Paul Hertzmann.

The cover lot, László Moholy-Nagy's unique Photogram, early 1920s, captured second place, going to Galen Lee again for the California collector at $290,500. So this collector took the top two lots, plus another major lot that would easily rank in the top ten of many auctions. Charles Isaacs and the phone provided the underbidding. Considering some of the condition problems on this piece though, the price was very strong indeed, although printing-out photograms by Moholy-Nagy are quite rare.

Peter MacGill staked his claim to Robert Frank's Butte, Montana, 1956 ($30,000–$50,000), besting Jeffrey Fraenkel at $146,500, and fifth place. A phone bidder dug Frank's Wales (Miners, Caerau), 1951 ($50,000–$70,000), to the tune of $69,700. Edwynn Houk voted for Frank's Chicago (Political Rally) at the low estimate, $62,500. And one of my favorite Frank images, S.C. (Barbershop, McClellanville), trimmed a cool $86,500, and tied for sixth place. Apparently it went to a man in the room.

Irving Penn's Cuzco Children went to the phones for $62,500. Tenth place went to Garry Winogrand's Women Are Beautiful portfolio ($60,000–$90,000) at $76,900. Jeffrey Fraenkel was the buyer. But Robert Mapplethorpe's Flowers suite ($60,000–$80,000) passed at $54,000.

Also tied for sixth place at $86,500 and the low estimate was Bernd and Hilla Becher's Six Spherical Gas Tanks, 1998, which went to a phone bidder over a commission bid.

Vik Muniz's Doubting Thomas (from Pictures of Chocolate) ($25,000–$35,000) was certain at $45,000, the same price paid by Michael Mattis for Shirin Neshat's Identified, from The Women of Allah series ($30,000–$50,000).

The sale totaled $5,081,265, with an 18.3% buy-in rate.

Denise Bethel, Head of Sotheby's Photographs Department said, "We are thrilled with the stellar results of today's sale, which show that the market for photography is strong across all categories, from the 19th century to the 21st. The prices we achieved for Edward Weston's Nautilus, at $1.08 million, and the Moholy-Nagy Photogram, at $290,500, show the resiliency of the photographs market for the very best material. The outstanding price for the Nautilus makes Sotheby's the only auction house to have sold six classic photographs for over $1 million each."

(Copyright ©2010 by The Photo Review. My thanks to Steve Perloff and The Photograph Collector Newsletter for giving me permission to use this information. The Photograph Collector, which is a wonderful newsletter that I can heartily recommend, is published monthly and is available by subscription for $149.95 (overseas airmail is $169.95). You can phone 1-215-891-0214 and charge your subscription or send a check or money order to: The Photograph Collector, 140 East Richardson Ave, Langhorne, PA 19047.)

 

By Stephen Perloff
Editor of The Photograph Collector Newsletter
(With some assistance by Alex Novak, although not responsible for the bad puns)

Christie's followed on April 14 with a much-anticipated late afternoon sale, "Three Decades with Irving Penn: Photographs from the Collection of Patricia McCabe." McCabe was Penn's long-time studio manager and the beneficiary of many gifts from Penn over the years. The room was packed as the sale began, with standing room only in the back and at least 18 people manning the phones along the sides of the room.

The sale got off to a roaring start as Penn's dealer Peter MacGill rode off with Hell's Angel: Doug, well over the high estimate at $42,500. Penn's Poppy, Glowing Embers (New York), 1968, printed 1989 ($70,000–$90,000) was as intense an object of contention as the poppy trade in Afghanistan. Eventually a phone bidder outlasted collector Jack Hastings, taking home the prize for $182,500, the fifth highest price of the sale.

Next, phone bidder 1822, who was a big phone buyer in this sale, snared Broken Egg, NY, 1959, a dye-transfer print, printed no later than 1964 and estimated at only $7,000-–$9,000, for a whopping $206,500. I wonder if hash browns came with that egg. It was good for a tie for third place.

Then 1822 filled an inside straight, grabbing Playing Card, NY, 1975, platinum-palladium print, printed 1976 ($20,000–$30,000) after anteing up $170,500, for sixth place. 1822 also captured the next lot, Street Photographer, New York, 1951, a platinum-palladium print, printed 1976 ($25,000–$35,000) for $80,500, tenth place.

A different phone bidder carried off Penn's Self Portrait, 1986 ($25,000–$35,000) for $68,500 after jumping into the bidding after this one stalled initially at the $45,000 hammer mark. Again, occasionally, the estimates seemed irrelevant.

But 1822 was back for Cuzco Children, 1948, gelatin silver print, printed no later than 1964, just over high estimate at $206,500, which put the lot into a tie for third place. Then 1822 came back again to pick up the portrait of John F. Kennedy for $37,500.

Three Asaro Mudmen, New Guinea, 1970, gelatin silver print, printed 1984 ($40,000–$60,000) took ninth place at $110,500. The buyer? 1822! They also took Dahomey Children at $23,750.

Peter MacGill claimed Bone Forest, 1980 ($12,000–$18,000) at $43,500, outbidding Ute Hartjen of Berlin's Camera Work gallery.

A new phone bidder paid $68,500 for Train Sandwich Vendor, New York, 1951 ($25,000–$35,000). This was lot 24, of 70, and it had taken 45 minutes of intense bidding to get here. A 5 pm sale usually ends in plenty of time for people to get dinner afterward, but at this rate I was wondering if we might be there till breakfast the next day.

A phone bidder, 1792, who had won a couple of somewhat lower-priced lots earlier, made off with Butcher, London, 1950 ($15,000–$25,000) at $74,500, even though no filets were included. Sitting Man with Pink Face (New Guinea), 1970/1980 ($25,000–$35,000) waited out a bid of $52,500 from the phones. Yet another phone bidder went shopping for Mud Glove (SM), Neg. IV, 1975 ($20,000–$30,000) paying $56,250--that's for one glove, and not even Michael Jackson's glove.

Ute Hartjen, who had underbid two lots previously, was finally a winner, taking Hell's Angels, San Francisco, 1967, printed 1984 ($18,000–$22,000) for $43,750. 1822 paid $47,500, just over high estimate, for Five Okapa Warriors, New Guinea, 1970, or a mere $9,500 per warrior.

Another poppy did very well, despite the mishandled section of the photograph at the lower right, which was clearly mounted later to minimize the damage. Lavender Glory Poppy, New York, 1968, dye-transfer print, printed 1984 ($50,000–$70,000) took eighth place at $116,500, the only lot to go to an order bidder. I wonder if they actually looked over the print. It was also difficult to see who was actually bidding them up.

A woman in the corner, who appeared to be an art consultant, was drawn to Iron Couple, 1980 (estimated $12,000-18,000) for nearly double the high estimate at $43,750.

Peter MacGill swept up Cigarette No. 69, 1972, just over high estimate at $47,500. Then a phone bidder more than tripled the high estimate for Penn's engaging portrait, Kiesler and De Kooning, 1960/1972, paying $60,000 for the prize. A woman in the room picked up Sewing Machine with 13 Objects, 1979, for more than double the midpoint of the estimate at $37,500.

The small tradesmen came up big. This series here deservedly got its due. Plumber, New York ($18,000–$22,000) raised his rates to $68,500. 1842, who also bought the Train Sandwich Vendor, got this one. And Motorcycle Policeman, New York ($20,000–$30,000) sped to $56,250 to another phone bidder.

A phone bidder outlasted other phones to take Vionnet Dress with Fan, 1977, for $47,500. The piece had apparently been in a glass frame that broke. The breakage created some scuffing lines on the image. It was also mat burned (as were several other images in the sale). Nothing that a bit of good conservation couldn't clean up, but…

1842 was back for a third and final time, winning Nude No. 151, New York, 1949–51, printed 1974, at well over twice the high estimate, $62,500. And 1822 was far from done, adopting Brother and Sister (Morocco), a 1971 platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1991 ($25,000–$35,000) for a cool $134,500, good for seventh place, and giving shelter to 5 Moroccan Women, 1971 ($30,000–$25,000) at $47,500.

Another phone took Cigarette No. 42, 1974 for $37,500. (Editor's note: the Stephen Perloff look-alike portrait of Augustus John sold to the room for a mere $15,000. Better luck next time, Steve.)

Then came what would prove to be the top two lots in the sale: 2 Guedras, 1972, platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1977, and Four Guedras (Morocco), 1971, platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1985 (both estimated at $40,000–$60,000). They brought $314,500 and $165,259, respectively--almost $80,000 per Guedra! Who else but 1822 claimed them, as well as the last big lot in the sale, the final dummy for Moments Preserved ($20,000–$30,000), for a smart $68,500.

There were a few other lots in between worth a mention, including a dye transfer Rose, Colour Wonder (London), 1970, that went to a phone bidder for $47,500; and Six New Guinea Mudmen, 1970, that sold for a bargain $35,000 to New York gallerist Howard Greenberg. The art consultant on Iron Couple came back jumping bids on another still life The Spilled Cream, 1980, to get it for nearly double the low estimate at $43,750. One went after the sale at Sotheby's last October for a mere $10,000, plus premium. One AIPAD dealer was also offering a Three Guedras for $35,000 at the AIPAD Show just a week before. That might indicate how crazy Penn's prices got here.

Finally a phone got the last lot of the sale, Ospedale, 1980, for $40,000, over an estimate of $15,000-25,000.

The sale finally ended at 6:48 pm--a little short of two hours for only 70 lots, perhaps one of the longest auctions per lot ever.

1842 took three important lots totaling $199,500. Peter MacGill, Penn's dealer, took ten lots totaling $272,000. But 1822 was the big spender, claiming nine of the top ten lots, and 13 lots overall, for a whopping $1,702,750, fully 44% of the sale total of $3,851,250.

After the successful sale at Sotheby's, this auction proved that the market had rebounded--and in a big way for the best material. Philippe Garner, International Head of Photographs, said, "We are delighted with the results of tonight's sale of Three Decades with Irving Penn: Photographs from the Collection of Patricia McCabe, the most significant group of photographs by Irving Penn ever to come to auction and with a result that was a great tribute to his masterful talent. The personal significance of this work to Mr. Penn's longtime assistant, Patricia McCabe and its special provenance made this collection especially desirable. The top selling lot, 2 Guedras, far exceeded its high estimate at $314,500. In addition, we are extremely pleased that the sale was 100% sold by value and by lot, and [by] today's total of $3.8 million."

Actually, Christie's missed out on some bragging rights here. Both Garner's quote and the summary at the top of Christie's press release quote the sale as 100% sold by value, or by dollar. But unlike an athlete who can give no more than 100%, despite all those sports clichés, you can sell more than 100% by value--that is, over estimates--as Christie's did here. On what were mostly reasonable estimates, only 11 lots sold under their low estimates, 10 lots within the estimates, and 49 lots over their high estimates--some way over, as noted. For one night at least the exuberance--rational or otherwise--was back in the photography auction market.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Photo Review. My thanks to Steve Perloff and The Photograph Collector Newsletter for giving me permission to use this information. The Photograph Collector, which is a wonderful newsletter that I can heartily recommend, is published monthly and is available by subscription for $149.95 (overseas airmail is $169.95). You can phone 1-215-891-0214 and charge your subscription or send a check or money order to: The Photograph Collector, 140 East Richardson Ave, Langhorne, PA 19047.)

 

By Stephen Perloff
Editor of The Photograph Collector Newsletter
(With some assistance by Alex Novak, although not responsible for the bad puns)

On the morning of April 15, Christie's offered Selections from the Baio Collection of Photography. Joseph Baio's collection focuses on images of children and their myriad and complex relationships with other children, parents, siblings, adults, and strangers, and it spans the history of the medium. A lawyer by trade, Baio has been a key supporter of the InMotion benefit photography auctions. InMotion offers support to low-income women who need free legal services in matrimonial, family and immigration law. And apart from being one of the genuinely good guys in the photography community he has been a key supporter of many young, contemporary photographers--and, dare we mention, father of Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio.

Yossi Milo and Howard Greenberg battled over two prints by Loretta Lux, The Rose Garden, 2001, dye bleach print, and Paulin, 2002, dye-bleach print (both $10,000–$15,000). Milo took the first at $27,500 and Greenberg the second at $30,000.

A young Asian woman named Jade (I somehow haven't learned her last name) who has been helping build a collection for her family, got a bit of a bargain on Lee Friedlander's iconic Galax, Virginia, 1963, printed 1980s ($20,000–$30,000) at $21,250.

Howard Greenberg bought Philip-Lorca DiCorcia's Brian in the Kitchen, 1988 ($12,000–$18,000) for $23,750. Paul Hertzmann adopted Henri Cartier-Bresson's Family, Mexico, 1934 ($20,000–$30,000) for $30,000. Then Greenberg came back to cool off with Weegee's Summer, the Lower East Side, c. 1937 ($5,000–$7,000), at a scorching $20,000.

Next came the key image in the sale--and one of the top lots of the spring sales: Eugene Atget's Joueur d'Orgue, the organ grinder, c.1898–1899, a gelatin silver chloride (printing-out) print ($100,000–$150,000) that originally came from the collection of Tristan Tzara. It is one of four extant prints known, two mediocre prints in French collections and a fine print in the Gilman Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Naturally there was intense interest and extremely active bidding. First to drop out was an internet bidder, then Howard Greenberg consulting on a cell phone. Jade and a phone bidder went back and forth with determination, then hesitation as the high estimate was doubled, then tripled. Finally, 1842--perhaps the same bidder who bought several Penn's the night before--claimed the prize at an astounding $686,500, a world auction record for Atget, the highest price, by far, of the sale, and of Christie's three sales, and the second highest price of the spring auctions.

A few lots later a European collector bidding on the phone bought the second highest lot of the sale, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy's The Water's Edge (Hungarian Sea), c. 1929 ($15,000–$25,000 for $52,500, but it was almost an afterthought.

Howard Greenberg bested Yossi Milo again for Philip-Lorca DiCorcia's Tokyo, 1998 ($10,000–$15,000) at $27,500, then closed out the significant lots by winning DiCorcia's Head #23, 2000 ($15,000–$25,000), tying for second place at $52,500.

The sale totaled $1,425,500 with a 29% buy-in rate. Though there were a few lower-priced bargains, this was a solid result and proved once again that money will come out for good works.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Photo Review. My thanks to Steve Perloff and The Photograph Collector Newsletter for giving me permission to use this information. The Photograph Collector, which is a wonderful newsletter that I can heartily recommend, is published monthly and is available by subscription for $149.95 (overseas airmail is $169.95). You can phone 1-215-891-0214 and charge your subscription or send a check or money order to: The Photograph Collector, 140 East Richardson Ave, Langhorne, PA 19047.)

 

By Stephen Perloff
Editor of The Photograph Collector Newsletter
(With some assistance by Alex Novak, although not responsible for the bad puns)

Christie's afternoon session had some strong material, certainly much more interesting than last April's auction, and the prices reflected that. But the vast majority of the bidding was by phone, with some order and internet bids. Only about 20 lots were won in the room. So with that said, I'll give you the top ten in order along with several other interesting lots.

The top lot, not surprisingly, was another Irving Penn, Woman in Moroccan Palace (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn), Marrakech, 1951, platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1983 ($300,000–$500,000). Jade tried for this one, too, but surrendered to phone bidder #1861, at $446,500.

Charles Sheeler's magnificent Bucks County Barn, 1918 ($100,000–$150,000), a rare vintage print and the source of his notable 1932 painting, had been in the Arensberg family until now. The chickens finally came home to roost with Peter MacGill on this print at $386,500.

Robert Mapplethorpe's Calla Lily, 1984, a silver print with a low estimate of $50,000–$70,000, was the subject of a war between two botanists on the phone (well, probably not, but it's a funny image to imagine) with 1861 again emerging the victor at $326,500. 1861 also made off with a different Mapplethorpe, Calla Lily, 1988, a platinum print ($150,000–$250,000), at $266,500.

In fifth place was Imogen Cunningham's Magnolia Blossom, 1925, a gelatin silver print ($250,000–$350,000) at $242,500. Another flower, do you think…? Why, yes, it was bought by our botanist, or perhaps a honeybee, 1861.

Peter Beard's Orphaned Cheetah Cubs, from The End of the Game, 1968, gelatin silver print with ink, blood handwork and collage, printed 1998 ($40,000–$60,000), actually went to a European collector on the phone at $152,500. Helmut Newton's Self Portrait with Wife and Models, Paris, Vogue Hommes, 1981, ($50,000–$70,000) followed at $128,500, going to a European dealer on the phone.

Because we missed him--or her--1861 was back on a spending spree, claiming Jaromir Funke's abstraction, Kompozice, c. 1924 ($50,000–$70,000) for $116,500, and Irving Penn's Picasso (B), Cannes, 1957, a platinum-palladium print, flush-mounted on aluminum, printed 1985 ($70,000–$90,000) for $104,500.

Toronto dealer Jane Corkin picked up Robert Frank's Andrea, Mary and Pablo, Texas, 1955, (triptych) gelatin silver print, printed 1970s ($50,000–$70,000), tenth on the top ten, for $92,500. This print had sold for $72,000 at Phillips de Pury in April 2007.

A few other top lots going to the phones include Richard Avedon's Dovima with Elephants at $80,500; Helmut Newton's Fifteen Photographs under low estimate at $56,500; and Ansel Adams's Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada at $43,750. And while buying six of the top ten lots, 1861 also took home William Christenberry's English Rose (40 chromogenic prints) for $37,500; Ansel Adams's Mount Williamson at $43,750; Lewis Hine's Mechanic at steam pump in electric power house, 1921, for $74,500; Mapplethorpe's Orchid, under estimate, at $22,500; and the portfolio of 10 dye-transfer prints by Harold Edgerton for $40,000, more than double the high estimate. That sent 1861's spending spree to $1,454,750!

Christie's multiple-owner photographs sale totaled $4,055,125 with a meager 13% buy-in rate. That brought their three-day total to $9,331,875 (although they reported, "In their entirety, the sales totaled an impressive $9,298,875." I'm not sure where their discrepancy comes in.)

(Copyright ©2010 by The Photo Review. My thanks to Steve Perloff and The Photograph Collector Newsletter for giving me permission to use this information. The Photograph Collector, which is a wonderful newsletter that I can heartily recommend, is published monthly and is available by subscription for $149.95 (overseas airmail is $169.95). You can phone 1-215-891-0214 and charge your subscription or send a check or money order to: The Photograph Collector, 140 East Richardson Ave, Langhorne, PA 19047.)

 

By Stephen Perloff
Editor of The Photograph Collector Newsletter
(With some assistance by Alex Novak)

Phillips de Pury & Company's sale on April 16 in New York totaled $3,470,675 as compared to just over $1.8 million a year ago, selling 82% by value, with many of the sale's top lots surpassing their pre-sale estimates, but with a high 39.3% buy-in rate (although many others sold after the sale and after their official report). There was a higher concentration of fashion, nudes, and contemporary work here than at the other houses.

The highest selling lot in the sale was Edward Steichen's Wheelbarrow with Flower Pots, France ($150,000–$200,000), a rare palladium and ferroprussiate print that sold for $194,500. It came down to a battle between two New York dealers, Peter MacGill and Howard Greenberg, with MacGill in this instance coming up on top. Steichen's Triumph of the Egg ($40,000–$60,000) just finished out of the top ten at $47,500, and was bought by New York gallerist Edwynn Houk.

Iconic works by master photographers fared very well, as exemplified by Robert Mapplethorpe's Ken Moody and Robert Sherman ($60,000–$80,000) selling for $110,500 to a phone bidder; and Diane Arbus's Identical Twins, Roselle, NJ, ($70,000–$90,000), which claimed $98,500 from another phone bidder. Andy Warhol's Parking Lot Sign, c. 1976–86 ($25,000–$35,000) was ticketed by yet another phone bidder at $37,500, and Peter Beard's Hunting Cheetah's on the Taru Desert, Kenya, 1960 ($15,000–$20,000) was corralled at $50,000 by an Internet bidder, the highest priced lot to go to the Internet in this spring's auctions. Several other Beard's in the sale also went to the Internet, perhaps the same bidder.

Contemporary photography sold equally well as represented by David LaChapelle's Last Supper (Jesus is my Homeboy) ($60,000–$80,000), which sold for $134,500, the second strongest result for the artist at auction and his Addicted to Diamonds, 1997 ($40,000–$60,000), which shot up to $79,300, were both sold to the phone. The former had a larger audience watching as a large group of tourists peered a bit disconcertingly into the auction room from the ramp outside.

Other strong examples by contemporary photographs include Hiroshi Sugimoto's Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut ($50,000–$70,000), at $62,500, which sold to a man in the room; Joel Sternfeld's McLean, Virginia, December 4, 1978 ($40,000–$60,000) was bought by a phone bidder at $60,000; Vik Muniz's Venus and Cupid after Antonio Corregio from Pictures of Junk ($30,000–$50,000), sold for $40,000, the same price as his Orchestra, from Pictures of Chocolate ($20,000–$30,000); Andreas Gursky's brightly colored Zurich Bankproject No. 8 ($20,000-30,000) got a check for $37,500, despite the buffed-out scratch in the plexi of the Diasec-mounted photo; Bien-U-Bae's Sonamoo ($22,000-$28,000) was sold to a phone bidder for $37,500; and Ruud Van Empel's Venus #3 ($25,000–$35,000), swam to $31,250.

Fashion photography proved its consistent appeal with Helmut Newton's Saddle II, Paris ($40,000–$60,000), riding to the phones for $86,500; Irving Penn's Cocoa dress (Balenciaga), Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn, Paris, which brought $74,500--same as his Cuzco Children, Peru, 1948 ($60,000–$80,000); Louis Faurer's Bowing for the Vogue Collection, Paris, selling for $25,000 to a phone bidder; Helmut Newton's Scene from Pina Bausch Ballet, Wupperfal, and Robert Mapplethorpe's Apollo both went to phone bidders for $31,250 each; and the cover lot, Herb Ritts's Versace Dress, Back View, El Mirage, at $20,000.

The interesting result of the above group is the Cuzco Children, 1948, gelatin silver print, printed here in 2002, which brought only $74,500 versus the $206,500 paid for a 1964 printing of the same image at the Christie's Penn auction just days previous. Considering that neither were vintage prints (and this hasn't made much difference to date on Penn's), the difference is startling.

A lot of catalogue space was devoted to Nobuyoshi Araki's series "celebrating" his 60th birthday. One phone buyer bought all ten lots, mostly below their estimates, for a total of $41,500--not exactly impressive considering the large six pages used to promote the work.

The relatively high buy-in rate guaranteed some disappointments. No one dug Robert Frank's Ben James, Welsh Miner, 1953 ($60,000–$80,000). Only 11 of the 25 Willy Ronis prints found homes, which is not surprising since the market has been flooded with them at auctions and through other sources. Edward Weston's Nude on Sand, Oceano ($40,000-60,000) went down, but it had been conserved and had major condition problems. And Cindy Sherman's ugly Untitled #187 failed at $32,000 ($50,000-70,000). But clearly Phillips too saw a substantial rebound in the market.

"We had a solid sale and are particularly pleased with the results of our higher value property. Our total value is higher than the previous season's, reflecting the growing confidence in the photographs market," commented Vanessa Kramer, Director of New York Photographs department.

(Copyright ©2010 by The Photo Review. My thanks to Steve Perloff and The Photograph Collector Newsletter for giving me permission to use this information. The Photograph Collector, which is a wonderful newsletter that I can heartily recommend, is published monthly and is available by subscription for $149.95 (overseas airmail is $169.95). You can phone 1-215-891-0214 and charge your subscription or send a check or money order to: The Photograph Collector, 140 East Richardson Ave, Langhorne, PA 19047.)

 

Joanna T. Steichen, who was the third wife of noted photographer Edward Steichen, died July 24, at her summer home in Montauk, NY. She was 77. According to family members, her death was completely unexpected and unanticipated. Her step-granddaughter said that she had been battling Parkinson's for a number of years and had accidentally drowned in her swimming pool, probably due to its effects.

She was born on February 22, 1933, in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in Albany.

Only 26 at the time, Joanna Steichen met her photographer husband in 1959 through the poet Carl Sandburg, who was Steichen's brother-in-law. She had been working with Sandburg on an American Airlines advertising campaign that she was involved with as a copywriter at Young & Rubicam.

Steichen, having suffered both a stroke and the death of his beloved second wife Dana, became attracted to the young Joanna Taub, as she was known at that time. She married Steichen at the age of 27. He was 80. After his death in 1973, she became the guardian and gatekeeper of Steichen's legacy and his work.

She helped him organize exhibitions and work on his pictorial autobiography, "Edward Steichen: A Life in Photography." As his estate's executor, she arranged for the donation of thousands of prints and negatives to the International Museum of Photography and Film at the George Eastman House in Rochester.

In later years, Joanna Steichen worked on the book "Steichen's Legacy", collaborating with the photographer George Tice. Rather than presenting Steichen's work in chronological order, she grouped his photographs by theme, prefacing each section with a personal essay that incorporated Steichen's comments to Joanna about his work.

Her final editorial project was the George Eastman House book "Steichen in Color", being published by Sterling and to be released September 7, 2010.

After Steichen's death, she earned her master's degree in social work from Columbia University, and her professional life was spent as a psychotherapist in private practice. Leisure time was devoted to travel, friends, opera, theater and music. She authored several books and many articles.

Joanna Steichen was an emeritus member of the Eastman House Board of Trustees. Edward Steichen himself was an active member of the board from 1948 to 1967, and was at Eastman House on its opening day in 1949. She was to serve as honorary chairwoman of the upcoming Eastman House Benefit Auction at Sotheby's New York on Oct. 4.

Joanna Steichen was on the arts committee of LongHouse Reserve, and was an advocate for the Montauk Library, the Montauk Playhouse Community Center and the Hampton Day School. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's, she worked tirelessly with the Parkinson's Disease Foundation for improved care and education, and special exercise regimes for patients battling this devastating illness.

She leaves behind many devoted friends and numerous cousins, as well as two step-granddaughters and three step-great-grandchildren.

Her step-granddaughter, Francesca Calderone-Steichen, said: "I knew Joanna Steichen from the time I was a teenager. She was a complex and varied personality with many different attributes and talents, and she had the unique ability to compartmentalize her life and her work into many different areas that never overlapped. Over everything, she was a fierce protector of Steichen's life and work. The Steichen family will continue in her footsteps to ensure the preservation of Steichen's heritage and legacy, not the least of which was his desire for perfection in his own work, his joy in his art, his zest for living, his genuine desire to help emerging young artists move forward in their careers, and his deep and abiding love of nature."

"Joanna Steichen was a special friend to George Eastman House and her legacy will long live on, through her gifts to our archive and her writing projects," said Dr. Anthony Bannon, the museum's Ron and Donna Fielding director. "She recognized Eastman House's archival leadership for preserving the Steichen archive, and we will continue to honor her wishes, as the stewards of this important collection, while at the same time celebrating her life."

Howard Greenberg of Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York City, said, "I speak for all the staff of the gallery when I say how shocked and saddened we are at the loss of Joanna Steichen. As my relationship and friendship with Joanna grew over many years, I came to understand her as a woman of great intellect and culture. But it was during her battle with Parkinson's disease that I realized her great strength of character and spirit. She managed Steichen's work and legacy with care and concern. She was cautious only to insure no mistakes would be made. I am grateful that she was able to complete her lifelong ambition, the book "Steichen's Legacy", see Steichen's work celebrated across Europe and here with a major show that met with her approval, and to benefit from the many sales of prints in her collection of Steichen's work."

Funeral services will be held next month and will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her name should be sent to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation at 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018, or online at: http://www.pdf.org .

 

The photography dealers on I Photo Central have been extremely busy over the last month or so, putting up over 300 new photographs. You can see these new items at: http://www.iphotocentral.com/search/result_list.php/16/30/0 .

There are now nearly 2,000 different photographers and over 8,800 items listed for sale on I Photo Central, making it the most important place to buy photography in the market. You can search all of these here: http://www.iphotocentral.com/search/search.php .

Lots of top vintage and contemporary pieces are included in the many images added to the site. Some of the important 19th-century photographers and images posted include: a group of very early Italian views from the 1850-60s from Cuccioni, Anderson (salt prints), MacPherson, Alinari (salt print), Altobelli and Mollins and others; two extremely rare 1850s views of Iran (one a paper negative and one a salt print from paper negative) by Antonio Giannuzzi; two large Baldus salt prints of Paris in superb condition; a very rare (possibly unique) Cypress view by De Clercq; two knock-out salt print portraits of photographer Auguste Vacquerie by P. J. Delbarre & Cie.; a pair of rich albumen prints relating to the New Opera by Durandelle; a mammoth plate print by William H. Jackson of the oldest church in North America (also a fabulous telescope image by Jackson); a rare book, "Tahiti", with 31 illustrations printed in autotype (carbon) by Col. Stuart-Wortley; 31 photographs of the building of the ill-fated Nicaragua Canal; primitive 1850s prints of flowers by Circle of Charles Negre, and likely to be by the master himself; a fine half-plate daguerreotype of a mother and her children (two boys are in military outfits); Frith's famed image of a "Crocodile on a Sand-Bank, Egypt";

Mid-century work includes a great series of very nice group of cyanotypes from about 1910 from the former Technical High School in Springfield, MA.

Twentieth-century images include: an Irving Penn of fighter Joe Louis and a great platinum Nude (#119); Mapplethorpe's Grantley (Back of Male Nude); two still lifes by Sougez; a group of Bruce Davidson vintage prints of his very first important body of work from "The Widow of Montmartre"; a pair of NASA moon photographs (added to our large inventory of moon images); a key group of early prints by George Zimbel; a large group of 1970s vintage nudes by James Fee; a vintage 40s portrait of Edward Weston by Ansel Adams; two photographic montages of silhouettes in a model stage setting by Linked Ring member Bernard Alfieri; several interesting carte-de-visites including portraits of W.H. Fox Talbot, Abraham Lincoln, and the Prince Imperial; a vintage nude by Brassai; a group of Henri Cartier-Bresson images; a pair of atmospheric Blanc et Demilly images of Lyon; images by John Collier, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Gaston Lemaire, Ralph Steiner, Sasha Stone, Leonard Misonne, Max Waldman, Ilse Bing, Baron DeMeyer, Robert Capa, Laure Albin-Guillot, Albert Rudomine, Chevojon Studio, etc.

Plus numerous images that will knock you out from lesser known or anonymous photographers. There's something here for every budget.

We have also continued to change out images and add to our essays for all our Special Exhibits, so they are worth another peek, especially if you have not looked lately. If you see one you like, let a friend know too! And don't be afraid of posting them up on your Facebook page.

You can see all of these fine new exhibits and others (now a total of 150 Special Exhibits in all, including those in the archive!) at: http://www.iphotocentral.com/showcase/showcase.php . Don't forget to check out the archived exhibits at the bottom of the page as well.