The immensity, depth, and consistent quality of the photography collection inside Howard Stein’s Joy of Giving Something Foundation continues to astound. Back in December of 2014, Sotheby’s sold 175 choice lots from the collection for more than $21M in proceeds (results here). This sale at Phillips takes another bite at the apple, and if the interest surrounding the first sale is anywhere near matched by the material here, the roughly $8M of value on offer will be hotly contested. Once again, there are vintage rarities aplenty from both the 19th and 20th centuries, with dozens of iconic images and superlative prints. Even if the prices feel too rich for your wallet, a flip through the catalog is well worth the time investment, as all the evening sale lots have explanatory texts. Overall, there are a total of 228 lots available in the sale, with a Total High Estimate of $7950000.
Here’s the statistical breakdown:
| Preview Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000) | 53 |
| Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of low lots) | $408000 |
| Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000) | 129 |
| Total Mid Estimate | $3222000 |
| Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000) | 46 |
| Total High Estimate | $4320000 |
The top lot by High estimate is tied between two lots: lot 8, László Moholy-Nagy, Photogram studies for Goerz (negative and positive), 1925, and lot 10, László Moholy-Nagy, Photogram, 1922, each estimated at $150000-250000 (images above, via Phillips).
Here’s the complete list of photographers with four or more lots in the sales, along with the number of lots on offer:
| Multiple Lots For Sale | |
|---|---|
| Alfred Steiglitz | 9 |
| Berenice Abbott | 4 |
| William Henry Fox Talbot | 4 |
| Gustave Le Gray | 4 |
| László Moholy-Nagy | 4 |
| Albert Renger-Patzsch | 4 |
| Edward Steichen | 4 |
| Carleton Watkins | 4 |
Other lots of interest include (images above, via Phillips):
Lot 6, Willi Ruge, Berlin Fallschirmspringer from I Photograph Myself During a Parachute Jump, 1931, estimated at $20000-30000
Lot 12, Eugène Atget, Boutique Coiffeur, Boulevard de Strasbourg, 1912, estimated at $120000-180000
Lot 22, Gustave Le Gray, Troncs d’Arbres, Fontainebleau, 1855, estimated at $100000-150000
Lot 23, Charles Aubry, Untitled (study of leaves), 1864, estimated at $60000-80000
Lot 25, Edward Steichen, The Spiral Shell, 1921, estimated at $80000-120000
Lot 27, Imogen Cunningham, Magnolia Blossom, 1925, estimated at $180000-220000
Lot 29, Gustave Le Gray, Cavalry Maneuvres, Camp de Châlons, 1857, estimated at $70000-90000
The complete lot by lot catalog can be found here (Evening) and here (Day).
