+0

On Thursday, December 7, Swann Galleries will conduct a two-session auction of Photographic Literature & Photographs featuring books and images by masters of the medium.

The morning session of Photographic Literature offers a fine selection of books from the private library of Michael Mattis & Judith Hochberg, including a signed copy of The Art of Edward Weston, with an inscription by Brett Weston, New York, 1932 ($6,000 to $9,000); Brassaï's Paris de Nuit, Paris, 1933 ($2,500 to $3,500); Walker Evans's American Photographs, New York, 1938, signed and inscribed by Hugh Edwards ($4,000 to $6,000); and Berenice Abbott's Changing New York, New York, 1939 ($2,500 to $3,500).

Among other literature highlights are several editions of Camera Work, including the desirable Number 36, with 16 photogravures after photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, and one after a drawing by Picasso, New York, 1911 ($15,000 to $25,000); as well as Alvin Langdon Coburn's London, and New York, both London and New York, 1909 and 1910 ($14,000 to $18,000 and $20,000 to $30,000 respectively); F.T. Marinetti's manifesto, Il Futurismo, Rome, 1931 ($3,000 to $4,500); Doris Ulmann's masterpiece Roll, Jordon, Roll, signed by Ulmann and author Julia Peterkin, with an extra photogravure plate also signed by Ulmann, New York, 1933 ($25,000 to $35,000); two copies of Ed Ruscha's Twentysix Gasoline Stations, one a first edition in wrappers, Alhambra, California, 1962 ($7,000 to $10,000), and a third edition signed by Ruscha, Los Angeles, 1962 ($2,500 to $3,500); and a first American edition of Robert Frank's The Americans, Grove Press, 1959 ($4,000 to $6,000), and Frank's Flower Is . . ., Tokyo, 1987 ($5,000 to $7,500).

Japanese titles include Ken Domon and Shomei Tomatsu, Hiroshima-Nagasaki Document 1961, 1961 ($8,000 to $10,000); Eikoh Hosoe's Killed by Roses, signed by Hosoe and Yukio Mishima, Tokyo, 1963 ($3,500 to $4,500); and several works by Daido Moriyama, including his most well-known book, Sashin yo Sayonara [Goodbye Photography, Dear], Tokyo, 1972 ($4,000 to $6,000).

Part two of the auction begins at 2:30 p.m. with a selection of cased images and early photographic albums. From the early 20th century are several Native American portraits by Edward S. Curtis, including a glowing orotone entitled The Vanishing Race, 1904 ($4,000 to $6,000); Frederick Evans's 1900 image of George Bernard Shaw, with a copy of Shaw's book Translations and Tomfooleries ($2,500 to $3,500); and Eugène Atget's albumen photograph of the Bibliotheque Nationale sur la Rue Vivienne-Ancient Hotel Mazarin, 1902-03 ($4,000 to $6,000). Among the Modernist images are a short run of works by André Kertész including The Kiss, Budapest, silver print, 1920, printed 1963 ($5,000 to $7,500), and Chagall Family, Paris, silver print, 1933, printed 1970s ($3,500 to $4,500). There are also many desirable images by Berenice Abbott, such as New York at Night, silver print, 1932, printed 1970s, and Exchange Place, 1936, printed 1980s (each $6,000 to $9,000).

Other highlights include Ansel Adams's Moonrise, Hernandez, N.M., silver print, 1941, printed 1970s ($30,000 to $40,000); Gordon Parks's Self-Portrait, oversize silver print, 1941, printed early 1970s ($5,000 to $7,500); Harry Callahan's Eleanor, silver print, 1948 ($5,000 to $7,500); Arnold Newman's portrait of Picasso, silver print, 1956, printed late 1970s/early 1980s ($3,500 to $4,500); and Horst P. Horst's Untitled (male nude), silver print, 1960s, printed 1980s ($4,000 to $6,000).

From the late 20th century come Irving Penn's image of Woody Allen as Chaplin, platinum-palladium print, 1972, printed 1978 ($15,000 to $25,000); William Klein's Dead Bull, Nimes, mixed-media silver print with painted highlights, 1987 ($6,000 to $9,000); and Sandy Skoglund's A Breeze at Work, oversize cibachrome print, 1987 ($8,000 to $12,000).

The selection of portfolios includes Halsman/Marilyn, with 10 silver prints of Marilyn Monroe, New York, 1981 ($5,000 to $7,500); The First Apeiron Portfolio, one of 40 copies, with 18 silver prints by photographers including Danny Lyon, Aaron Siskind and Minor White ($7,000 to $10,000); and BAM [Brooklyn Academy of Music] Photography Portfolio, with 11 photographs by 11 contemporary artists such as Nan Goldin and Richard Prince, 2000 ($18,000 to $22,000).

The morning session of the auction, offering Photographic Literature, will start at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 7, and the afternoon session of Photographs will begin at 2:30 p.m.

The items will be on public exhibition at Swann Galleries Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, December 4, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A two-volume illustrated catalogue, with information on bidding by mail or fax, is available for $35 from Swann Galleries, Inc., 104 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, or online at Consulter le lien

For further information, and to make arrangements to bid by telephone during the auction, please contact Daile Kaplan at (212) 254-4710 extension 21, or via e-mail at Contacter.