Photographs: Documentary as Art

Leonard Freed, "Baltimoreâ€¦. Dr. Martin Luther King

Russell Lee. "Day laborer and his wife Oklahoma City

Done

Yonkers, NY, United States

Auction Details

Photographs: Documentary as Art

Be-Hold

Important vintage photographs mostly of social history issues that are strong works of art, plus additions.

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Carleton Watkins, "Malakoff Diggings, near N.: Carleton Watkins, "Malakoff Diggings, near N. Bloomfield, Nevada County." Mammoth plate (15 x 21 inches) albumen print, 1870 -81 This was the largest mining operation of its kind. What we see is the

0001: Carleton Watkins, "Malakoff Diggings, near N.Est.

$15,000

$25,000

Lot Passed

Aubrey Beardsley at Mentone.: Aubrey Beardsley at Mentone. 4 ¼ x 5 ¼ inch collotype on an imprinted 7 ¼ x 10 inch mount. Photographed by M. Abell Beardsley is in his hotel room on the Riviera where he died

0002: Aubrey Beardsley at Mentone.Est.

$400

$900

Lot Passed

Alvin Langdon Coburn, "The Bridge, London.": Alvin Langdon Coburn, "The Bridge, London." 8 1/8 by 6 ½ inch photogravure on 9 3/8 x 7 ¾ inch mount, from July 1906 "Camera Work." Slight almost unseen roughness at extreme upper right corner just

0003: Alvin Langdon Coburn, "The Bridge, London."Est.

$400

$500

Lot Passed

William Mortensen, "A Tibetan Priest". 1930s: William Mortensen, "A Tibetan Priest", 7 x 5 inch image on a 9 ½ x 7 ¾ inch sheet, gelatin silver print (with no barite layer), 1930's. Signed and titled beneath the image. Mortensen

0005: William Mortensen, "A Tibetan Priest". 1930sEst.

$1,500

$2,500

Lot Passed

Mortensen, "Tantric Sorcerer", 1930s: Mortensen, "Tantric Sorcerer", 7 x 5 inch image on a 9 ½ x 7 ¾ sheet, matte gelatin silver print, 1930's. This is a portrait of the Japanese actor Sujin, whom Mortensen met on the set of De Mille's

0006: Mortensen, "Tantric Sorcerer", 1930sEst.

$1,500

$2,500

Lot Passed

William Mortensen, "La Chatte": William Mortensen, "La Chatte" 5 x 6 ½ inch image on a 7 ¼ x 9 ½ inch sheet, 1930's. This was possibly for a projected project "Pictorial Compendium of Witchcraft and Demonology."

0007: William Mortensen, "La Chatte"Est.

$1,000

$2,000

Lot Passed

SOLD

William Mortensen, "Siren of the South Pacific.": William Mortensen, "Siren of the South Pacific." 7 ½ x 5 ¾ inch image on a 9 ½ x 7 ¾ inch sheet, 1930's. Signed and titled in light pencil on the verso, with measurement notations.

0008: William Mortensen, "Siren of the South Pacific."Est.

$800

$1,500

William Mortensen, "Victoria/Rebecca.": William Mortensen, "Victoria/Rebecca." 7 x 5 ½ inch image on a 9 ½ x 7 ¾ inch sheet, matte gelatin silver print, 1930's. Signed by Mortensen beneath the image. This is a curious

0009: William Mortensen, "Victoria/Rebecca."Est.

$500

$900

Lot Passed

Dorothea Lange, Miners: Dorothea Lange, Miners' monument, Bisbee Arizona, 14 x 11 inch vintage gelatin silver print, May 1937. This is a monument dedicated to the copper miners of Bisbee, sponsored by the Works Progress

0010: Dorothea Lange, MinersEst.

$2,500

$3,500

Lot Passed

Jack Delano. Squatter Family, Spartenburg. 1941: Jack Delano. Squatter Family, Spartenburg. 11 x 14 inch vintage gelatin silver print on heavy paper, 1941. A pencil description on the verso (probably by Delano) reads "Chldren of 'Squatter' family

0011: Jack Delano. Squatter Family, Spartenburg. 1941Est.

$2,500

$3,500

Lot Passed

Jack Delano, World's Fair' Turnbridge Vermont: Jack Delano, 'World's Fair' Turnbridge Vermont. 11 x 14 inch vintage gelatin silver print on heavy paper, 1941. Delano's F.S.A. credit stamp and the negative number in pencil on the verso. The

0012: Jack Delano, World's Fair' Turnbridge VermontEst.

$2,500

$3,500

Lot Passed

SOLD

Jack Delano. Central and Northwern RR Yards Chiocago: Jack Delano."A general view of one of the classification yards at Proviso Yard. Central and Northwestern RR. Chicago, Ill. Dec 1942." 14 x 11 inch vintage gelatin silver print on double weight paper,

0013: Jack Delano. Central and Northwern RR Yards ChiocagoEst.

$800

$1,500

SOLD

Jack Delano, Squatter Children, S. Carolina: Jack Delano, "Children of Willie Smith, a 'squatter' who had to move out of Camp Croft, Near Whitestone, SC. Mar 1941." 11x14 inch vintage gelatin silver print, on single weight paper, 11 x 14

0014: Jack Delano, Squatter Children, S. CarolinaEst.

$800

$1,500

SOLD

Russell Lee, "Farm mother and child, Muskogee, Oklahoma: Russell Lee, 11 x 14 inch vintage gelatin silver print on single weight paper. "Farm mother and child at pie supper near Muskogee, Okla." Lee wrote the title and technical notes about camera over the

0015: Russell Lee, "Farm mother and child, Muskogee, OklahomaEst.

$2,200

$3,000

Russell Lee, "Cajun mother and child near New Iberia,: Russell Lee, "Cajun mother and child near New Iberia, Louisiana." 10 x 13 1/2 inch toned gelatin silver print on double weight paper. Lee has written the title and technical notes about the camera,

0016: Russell Lee, "Cajun mother and child near New Iberia,Est.

$2,400

$3,500

Lot Passed

SOLD

Russell Lee. "Day laborer and his wife Oklahoma City: Russell Lee. "Day laborer and his wife standing in doorway of the half canvas half lumber house near Oklahoma City." 14 x 11 inch vintage gelatin silver print on single weight paper. Lee has written

0017: Russell Lee. "Day laborer and his wife Oklahoma CityEst.

$2,000

$3,000

SOLD

Russell Lee, "Caboose of the Rio Grande Southern,: Russell Lee, "Caboose of the Rio Grande Southern, Narrow Gauge Railway. Telluride, Colorado. Sept. 1940." 6 x 9 1/8 inch vintage gelatin silver print on single weight paper. The title is typed onto

0018: Russell Lee, "Caboose of the Rio Grande Southern,Est.

$600

$900

Russell Lee. ""Chuck and bed roll wagon of the tank: Russell Lee. ""Chuck and bed roll wagon of the tank gang near Marfa Texas May 1937." 9 x13 3/4 image on an 11 x 14 inch sheet, vintage gelatin silver print on single weight paper. Lee's F.S.A. stamp

0019: Russell Lee. ""Chuck and bed roll wagon of the tankEst.

$700

$1,200

Lot Passed

Russell Lee, Milking Cows. FSA: Russell Lee, Milking Cows. 11 x 14 inch vintage gelatin silver print on heavy paper, Ca. 1940. It has the F.S.A. negative number in pencil on the verso, but doesn't have the F.S.A. credit stamp.

0020: Russell Lee, Milking Cows. FSAEst.

$1,200

$2,000

Lot Passed

John Vachon, "Lumber Truck-plains of South Dakota -: John Vachon, 11 x 14 inch vintage gelatin silver print, 1942. "Lumber Truck-plains of South Dakota - 1942" in pencil in Vachon's hand on the verso, with Vachon's F.S.A. credit stamp and notations in

0021: John Vachon, "Lumber Truck-plains of South Dakota -Est.

$1,200

$2,000

Lot Passed

John Vachon, Clearing snow or playing winter games. FSA: John Vachon, 11 x 14 inch vintage gelatin silver print on double weight paper, ca. 1940. Clearing snow or playing winter games. Vachon's F.S.A. credit stamp and pencil negative number on the verso. A

0021A: John Vachon, Clearing snow or playing winter games. FSAEst.

$800

$1,200

Lot Passed

SOLD

John Vachon, Fire escapes. FSA: John Vachon, Fire escapes. 8 x 13 ½ inch vintage gelatin silver print on single weight paper. This appears to be at the side of a factory. It is a rare abstraction in the F.S.A. photographic canon..

0022: John Vachon, Fire escapes. FSAEst.

$800

$1,500

John Vachon, Rural church with stakes for vegetables in: John Vachon, Rural church with stakes for vegetables in the foreground. 10 ¼ x 13 ½ inch vintage gelatin silver print on single weight paper. Vachon's F.S.A. credit stamp, the negative number and

0024: John Vachon, Rural church with stakes for vegetables inEst.

$500

$900

Lot Passed

Ben Shawn, "Boone County Arkansas Family of: Ben Shawn, "Boone County Arkansas Family of Resettlement Administration client in doorway." 8 x 9 7/8 inch gelatin silver print on single weight paper, with pencil notations about cropping and "full

0025: Ben Shawn, "Boone County Arkansas Family ofEst.

$500

$900

Lot Passed

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Auction Details

Be-Hold

Yonkers, NY, United States

4.3

5 Reviews

178 Followers

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Material may be viewed by appointment at our premises at 66 Main St., Yonkers, NY 10701 (1/2 hour from Grand Central Station).

Yonkers, NY 10701

USA

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Condition Key

A detailed description of the condition can be found in the "Guide" on the home page of our be-hold.com website. The condition should be clear from the scans and descriptions. As a further aid, items are given a number grade in brackets at the end of each description: [4] is reserved for photographs in rich, clean, undamaged condition. [3] is material that is slightly less rich, with possibly some minor fading or soil as can be seen. [2] is material with more handling, wear, fading -- but no damage. [1] material in poor condition but offered because of importance. Damage to the print is a different issue and is indicated by the prefix [D] in front of the condition code, such as [D3]. The nature of the damage will be indicated. This does not include damage to the mount, but not the print. In some cases, a + or - will be added to the condition code to show which end of the condition category is applicable.