E-Photo
Issue #251  6/10/2019
 
Be-hold Announces Online Photo Auction, Closing July 10th
Autochrome by Arnold Genthe, ca. 1910.
Autochrome by Arnold Genthe, ca. 1910.

Be-hold announces an online auction of photographs on Wednesday, July 10th, beginning at 11 am EST. The auction will feature an exciting selection of photographs that deal with social, political and WWII material as well fine examples of photographic art.

Early selections include an Alexander Gardner photograph of Charles Sumner and Longfellow, "The Politics and Poetics of New England".

Many of the photographs that deal with social history are important vintage press photographs. Two Farm Settlement Administration photographs of black subjects by Russell Lee are included. There are many more offerings that deal with black history. An album containing over 100 original photographs fully covers the famous 1910 Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries fight in Reno. This was a major event in the history of racism as well as one of the greatest prizefights in the sport. There are rare early vintage photographs by Margaret Bourke-White from the 1930’s. Other early examples are by Alfred Eisenstaedt and Dorothea Lange. Seven very rare photographs of San Francisco Chinatown from 1910 are part of the social history offerings.

There are two powerful early press print images from W. Eugene Smith’s coverage of the Minamata disaster, and one by Roman Vishniac of "A fool of Novgor0d". Later-printed political images are by Cornell Capa. A Danny Lyon photograph of Texas prisoners and an early Arthur Tress photograph of "a young hood" holding a plastic flower covered with oil at the Gowanis Canal in Brooklyn deal with social issues. A press print by Ansel Adams of a 1940’s scene in Hornito CA is an example of an art photograph first issued as a press print.

A vintage photograph by Margaret Bourke-White shows Russians seeking shelter during an air raid. There are two wartime photographs by Brassai, two by Robert Capa, and others by W. Eugene Smith and Joe Rosenthal.

Leon Levinstein,  1970, vintage silver gelatin.
Leon Levinstein, 1970, vintage silver gelatin.

The auction includes a variety of portraits, including a beautiful one by Frank Eugene. There are other portraits by Frantisek Drtikol, an Indian by Rinehart, figures from literature and art including one by Man Ray, artist Aristide Maillol by Manuel Frères, author Paul Morand by Germaine Krull, Leadbelly by Berenice Abbott, one of Robert Rauschenberg and a striking portrait of Jimi Hendrix. There is a tender portrait by Robert Frank of his wife and young child. Margaret Bourke-White shows up in a Hollywood cheesecake photo of her in a bathing suit.

A small group of daguerreotypes features a portrait of an English naval officer with a model of ship. There are two waxed calotype negatives by Dr. John Murray of a scene in India, a group of photographs and books by Josef Sudek, and photographs by Leon Levinstein, Walker Evans, and Ralph Eugene Meatyard.

Another important offering in the sale is a group of beautiful autochromes, including one by Arnold Genthe.

A full presentation will be available on the Be-hold website at https://www.be-hold.com, starting on Friday, June 14th. Contact Larry Gottheim at +1-914-423-5806 or behold@be-hold.com for more information. The work can be previewed in Yonkers, NY by appointment. Bidding may be arranged directly with Be-hold or through the LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable platforms.