The first focused Photography sale of the year takes place at Swann next week, with the auction house’s customary eclectic mix of material up for bid. As always, the tilt is toward lower priced 20th century black and white work, both vintage and modern prints. An Edward Curtis portfolio is the headliner. Overall, there are 138 lots available, with a total High estimate of $1360000.
Here’s the statistical breakdown:
| Preview Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000) | 104 |
| Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of low lots) | $650000 |
| Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000) | 32 |
| Total Mid Estimate | $535000 |
| Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000) | 2 |
| Total High Estimate | $175000 |
The top lot by High estimate is lot 22, Edward Curtis, The North American Indian, Portfolio #1, 1907, at $70000-100000.
The following is the list of photographers with 3 or more lots in the sale (with the number of lots in parentheses):
Alfred Eisenstaedt (7)
Ansel Adams (6)
Berenice Abbott (5)
Edward Curtis (5)
Brassaï (4)
Henri Cartier-Bresson (3)
André Kertész (3)
Gordon Parks (3)
Aaron Siskind (3)
Edward Weston (3)
Minor White (3)
Other works of interest include lot 33, André Kertész, Distortion #128, 1931-1933, at $30000-45000 (image at right, top), lot 46, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Trafalgar Square on the day of the Coronation of King George VI, London, 1937/1950s, at $20000-30000 (image at right, middle), and lot 58, Minor White, Mendocino #3, 1948, at $4000-6000 (image at right, bottom). All images via Swann.
The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here. The 3D version is located here.
