E-Photo
Issue #183  9/9/2011
 
Be-hold On-Line-Only Auction Ends Sept. 22nd, Entitled "Collector's Joy"

While still preparing for its major regular auction in a few months, Be-hold will hold an on-line-only auction on September 22, optimistically titled "Collector's Joy."

There are 98 lots, with modest reserves from $50 to $2,500. The material has been selected to be interesting not only for collecting but also for reading about. There are full informative descriptions on many of the lots.

Most of the material is from the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are 16 lots of daguerreotypes, and a superb example of the rare Philadelphia ivorytype. Salted paper portraits of Samuel F. B. Morse, Governor George Pugh, and a Mexican miner are included.

Cartes-de-visite include an interesting set of ten from India. The native photographer is shown with his camera, and there are groups representing various parts of Indian society. A cdv by Dufty shows an indigenous group of mountaineers from Fiji.

There are albumen views by Lawrence and Houseworth that include a mining scene. A rare boudoir card, published by Morse of San Francisco, is the first publication of Muybridge's experiments with the motion of a horse.

A number of lots deal with American Indians. There is a cdv by Fredricks of Ely Parker, signed with his Indian name. Parker was Grant's adjutant, and Lee's surrender document at Appomattox was hand written by him. This is accompanied by a letter dealing with Masonic business.

A signed photograph of Charles Curtis, Vice President of the US, is offered. Curtis was the first Native American to hold high political office. A letter by him is about Indian affairs. There is a rare cdv by Louis Heller of prisoners after the Modoc War. Portraits of Indians by Rinehart, Prettyman (published by Cornish) and Lummis are included.

A number of lots are fine photographs of Alaska by Dobbs, Hegg and Newell.

There are also figure studies by von Gloeden, Marconi, Igout, and Arundell Holmes Nichols.

A number of interesting press photographs are by important photographers. There is an early printing of one of Avedon's great fashion photographs and three early photographs by Weegee (one with his rare "Arthur Fellig" stamp). There is a press photograph by the Swiss master of Alpine scenery Albert Steiner. There is a press print of the Pulitzer Prize photograph of the Assassination of Jiro Ajamuna, and photographs of the WWII photographer John Bushemi and of Therese Bonney with her camera in Finland. A portrait of Robert Capa is by Ruth Orkin and one of David Seymour ("Chim") is by Elliott Erwitt.

There's a portrait of Dali and his wife by Cecil Beaton, and of Tennessee Williams by Eisenstaedt, both printed later; as well as, photographs by Bill Owens and Eikoh Hosoe.

The auction can be seen at: http://www.artfact.com/catalog/searchLots.cfm?scp=c&catalogRef=1YTZVKOGTF . Bids can be left on the site or directly with Larry Gottheim by email at behold@be-hold.com or by phone at: 1-914-423-5806. The Internet auction begins at 2 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, September 22. You can find out the details at the Be-hold website at: http://www.be-hold.com .