CURTIS, EDWARD. A group of film negatives. [CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1868-1952]. A group of approximately 122 copy negatives and copy prints from the original Curtis negatives, a part of the so-called 'Graybill Project.' The group housed in binders and folders, occasionally with typed inventories. Provenance: From the Collection of Dr. Billy T. Utley. After Edward Curtis's death, his daughter Beth inherited his materials relating to the creation of The North American Indian and his photography studios. Following her death in 1974, her husband, Mag Magnuson, gave all of Edward Curtis's 8x10 inch glass plate negatives and nitrate cellulose negatives to Curtis's only grandson, Jim Graybill. By that time, Dr. Utley had become a close friend of Mag's. He saw that the nitrate cellulose negatives were beginning to disintegrate, and became concerned about the fragility of the glass plate negatives which were being stored in an earthquake-prone area. Dr. Utley proposed to Jim Graybill that he be allowed to make copies of the Curtis negatives, Graybill agreed, and the so-called 'Graybill Project' was launched. Utley took the negatives to Knight Harris at Producer's photo Lab on Santa Monica Blvd., who created two backup sets of negatives: one for Jim Graybill, and one for Dr. Utley. Graybill donated his Curtis material, including the original negatives and his backup set, to the Smithsonian in 2011. The majority of Dr. Utley's set was sold in these rooms in his sale, The Curtis Studio, on June 30, 2021. What remains with the present set of approximately 122 copy negatives and copy prints include examples of Curtis's first Mount Rainier negatives, images of Alaska, and copies of some of Curtis's most enduring images, including: Canyon de Chelly, Vanishing Race, Wisham Fisherman, Women of the Desert, Water Carriers Taos, Chief of the Desert, Flathead Camp on the Jocko River, Invocation, and Son of the Desert. Lot to be sold without reserve. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ¤ ¤ Unless indicated by the ¤ symbol next to the lot number (or bearing an explicit statement such as 'No Reserve' or 'Without Reserve'), which denotes no reserve, all lots in the catalog are subject to a reserve. The reserve is the minimum hammer price that the seller is willing to accept for a lot. This amount is confidential and does not exceed the low estimate value. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing