Auction: Photographs and Photographic Editions, October 6, 2009 @Bloomsbury

Bloomsbury begins the Fall auction season in New York with its dual sale of photographs and photographic editions coming up on the 6th. As such, I've split this post and the usual statistical measures into two sections, to reflect the differences between the two groups of items on offer. (Catalog cover at right.)

The photography section is headlined by a group of 50 Weegee prints (including quite a few of his distortions) from the Suzanne and Hugh Johnston Weegee Collection; a special reception with the collectors (who hold the largest collection of Weggee's work in private hands) and a screening of their documentary on Weegee is scheduled for October 2nd. In general, beyond the Weegees (who will appeal to a relatively small audience), the sale lacks real star power, with most of the lots in the affordable range. Overall, there are 197 photographs on offer, with a total High estimate of an even $1000000.

Here's the photography breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 192
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $911000

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 5
Total Mid Estimate: $89000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 0
Total High Estimate: NA

The top photo lot by High estimate is lot 19 Richard Avedon, Cyd Charisse, Evening Dress by Macrini, 1961/1981, at $20000-30000.

Our favorites from this portion of the sale include:

Lot 3 Lee Friedlander, Nude, 1981
Lot 37 Ruth Orkin, 3 White Stoops, 1952
Lot 77 Weegee, West 51st Street Sign, New York City, Distortion, 1955 (at right)
Lot 164 Iwase Yoshiyuki, Untitled (nude), 1950

The second section of the sale includes photographic editions and books; there are a total of 95 books on offer, with a total High estimate of $185800.

Here's the book breakdown:

Total Low Lots (high estimate up to and including $10000): 94
Total Low Estimate (sum of high estimates of Low lots): $170800

Total Mid Lots (high estimate between $10000 and $50000): 1
Total Mid Estimate: $15000

Total High Lots (high estimate above $50000): 0
Total High Estimate: NA

The top book lot by High estimate is lot 219 Alexander Rodchenko and Volya Lyakhov, Poet Vladamir Mayakovsky, 1924; Soviet Advertising Posters 1917-1932, at $10000-15000.

For our own library, we would be interested in:

Lot 235 Yoshikazu Suzuki and Shohachi Kimura, Ginza Haccho, Ginza Kaiwai, 1954
Lot 261 Lee Friedlander, Flowers and Trees, 1981
Lot 280 David Goldblatt, Particulars, 2003

The complete lot by lot catalog (including both photographs and books) can be found here.

Photographs and Photographic Editions
October 6th

Bloomsbury Auctions
6 West 48th Street
New York, NY 10036