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Imogen Cunningham and Edward Weston claimed the top spots at John Moran

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MONROVIA, Calif. — Two titans of 20th-century art photography battled for top honors at John Moran Auctioneers December 6. Complete results are available at LiveAuctioneers.

In the end, there can be only one, and the title went to Imogen Cunningham (1883-1976) for Two Callas from the 1925-1929 period. Signed by the artist and featuring a Mills College (Oakland, California) label, the silver bromide print carried provenance directly back to Cunningham, which clearly helped bidders feel confident. Estimated at $100,000-$200,000, more than two dozen bids landed the print at $230,000 ($303,600 with buyer’s premium).

Landing in second place was Edward Weston (1886-1958), considered the father of art photography. Prologue to a Sad Spring from March of 1920 features his colleague, model and lover Margrethe Mather in a composition imbued with pervasive melancholy. Estimated at $60,000-$80,000, the palladium print hammered for a phenomenal $170,000 ($224,400 with buyer’s premium).

After the two hero lots, sale numbers settled into more expected territory, with Cunningham and Weston trading results. Her Rubber Plant 3, circa 1929, is a silver bromide enlargement print on glossy paper signed and marked with the Mills College stamp; it sold for $25,000 ($33,000 with buyer’s premium) against a $3,000-$5,000 estimate.

Two more Weston lots both focused on his circa-1916 frequent model Enrica (or Enrique) Jackson. Nine portraits of Jackson were gathered into a single lot that brought $12,000 ($15,840 with buyer’s premium) against the presale estimate of $4,000-$6,000. A single portrait titled Enrique sold for $5,500 ($7,260 with buyer’s premium), well above its $1,000-$1,500 estimate.
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Imogen Cunningham, ‘Two Callas,’ which sold for $230,000 ($303,600 with buyer’s premium) at John Moran Auctioneers.
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Edward Weston, ‘Prologue to a Sad Spring,’ which sold for $170,000 ($224,400 with buyer’s premium) at John Moran Auctioneers.
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Imogen Cunningham, ‘Rubber Plant 3,’ which sold for $25,000 ($33,000 with buyer’s premium) at John Moran Auctioneers.
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Edward Weston, nine-image lot featuring Enrica (or Enrique) Jackson, which sold for $12,000 ($15,840 with buyer’s premium) at John Moran Auctioneers.
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Edward Weston, ‘Enrique,’ which sold for $5,500 ($7,260 with buyer’s premium) at John Moran Auctioneers.
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