Sotheby's is auctioning over 1,200 works from the Polaroid Collection of Photography, a collection that started by Edwin Land (man in photo to the left, taken by Ansel Adams), the inventor and founder of Polaroid. The collection includes famous polaroids and prints by photographer legends, including the likes of Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Imogen Cunningham, Edward Weston, Margaret Bourke-White, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Eliot Parker, Andy Warhol and more. Some of the works on sale will also include leading photographers that are still alive and making prints today, including William Wegman, David Levinthal, Lucas Samaras, Peter Beard and Chuck Close. A large number of the photographs (over 400) are creations by Ansel Adams, of whom had a close personal relationship with Land. The photographs in this exhibition were exquisite and seeing them close-up was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Its just unfortunate that these photos were once hanging on the walls of the Polaroid Corporation's headquarters and will soon be hanging in galleries or homes around the world -- and could potentially be unseen for a long time.
Polaroid was able to amass many of these prints through the Artist Support Program, in which cameras and film were exchanged for the photographs taken, - which if you think about it, this was such smart business "sense" to allow the end-users to play with the cameras and provide feedback to Polaroid that would eventually lead to the development of instant cameras and films, aka Polaroid Technology. It is also said that Edwin Land asked Ansel Adams to assemble a collection of non-Polaroid photographs in 1956. Adams bought works from tops names such as Edward Weston, Harry Callahan, Margaret Bouke-White and my favorite, Dorothea Lange.
Its just too bad that with the recent invention of digital technology, it eventually crippled Polaroid's existence and led to its demise as it filed for bankruptcy protection. And, thus by the Order of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota these photographs are now being viewed and auctioned for the first time. The collection was open for public viewing from June 16 to June 21, and is currently on auction until the end of today. The collection is estimated to raise $7.2 million to $11.1 million, of which, by the look of the prints already sold during yesterday's first session -- could easily be surpassed.
Below are a few of the images that were sold and the information associated with the prints. For more information, check out Sotheby's Polaroid Collection website or to see what some of these works were sold for you can check the Sold Lot Archive, where the photos and information found below are derived from.
Polaroid was able to amass many of these prints through the Artist Support Program, in which cameras and film were exchanged for the photographs taken, - which if you think about it, this was such smart business "sense" to allow the end-users to play with the cameras and provide feedback to Polaroid that would eventually lead to the development of instant cameras and films, aka Polaroid Technology. It is also said that Edwin Land asked Ansel Adams to assemble a collection of non-Polaroid photographs in 1956. Adams bought works from tops names such as Edward Weston, Harry Callahan, Margaret Bouke-White and my favorite, Dorothea Lange.
Its just too bad that with the recent invention of digital technology, it eventually crippled Polaroid's existence and led to its demise as it filed for bankruptcy protection. And, thus by the Order of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota these photographs are now being viewed and auctioned for the first time. The collection was open for public viewing from June 16 to June 21, and is currently on auction until the end of today. The collection is estimated to raise $7.2 million to $11.1 million, of which, by the look of the prints already sold during yesterday's first session -- could easily be surpassed.
Below are a few of the images that were sold and the information associated with the prints. For more information, check out Sotheby's Polaroid Collection website or to see what some of these works were sold for you can check the Sold Lot Archive, where the photos and information found below are derived from.
ANSEL ADAMS 1902-1984 MOONRISE, HERNANDEZ, NEW MEXICO 
300,000—500,000 USD
300,000—500,000 USD Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 518,500 USD
39¼ by 56 in. (99.7 by 142.2 cm.
mural-sized, flush-mounted, framed, 1941, probably printed in the 1950s or 1960s
**I found an interesting excerpt to the "behind the scenes" creation of this photo, which you can read about at Ansel Adams Website here.**
'PEAPICKERS FAMILY' (MIGRANT MOTHER, NIPOMO)
60,000—80,000 USD Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 218,500 USD12 7/8 by 10 in. (32.7 by 25.4 cm.)
mounted, signed and dated in pencil on the mount, the photographer's 'Dorothea Lange, 1163 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley, 8, California' studio label and a 'Photography Collection of the Polaroid Corporation' label, with typed credit, title, and process and accession information in ink, on the reverse, 1936, printed no later than 1958
** this photograph along with White Angel Breadline are by far among my favorite photographs ever taken. A set of her photos are available for viewing at MoMa: Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography until March 21, 2011.**
ANDY WARHOL
1928-1987
SELF-PORTRAIT (EYES CLOSED) 10,000—15,000 USD Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 254,500 US
10,000—15,000 USD Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 254,500 US24 by 20½ in. (61 by 52.1 cm.)
unique large-format Polaroid Polacolor print, 1979
** I was shocked by the value placed on this polaroid; i think it should be every photographers dream to be like Andy Warhol... not for his photographs per se, but for his vision of building himself as a brand and being able to charge so much for his work... one day... ! one day, I will become a brand like Andy and when I am gone, my photographs will be worth just as much! but hopefully it'll also be when i'm alive!**
MINOR WHITE
1908-1976
10,000—15,000 USD
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 53,125 USD
7 3/8 by 9 1/2 in. (18.7 by 24.1 cm.)
mounted, signed and dated in pencil on the mount, a 'Photography Collection of the Polaroid Corporation' label, with typed title, credit, and process and accession information in ink, on the reverse, 1954, printed no later than 1957 (The Eye That Shapes, p. 144; Image, Vol. 19, No. 3, September 1976, p. 32)
IMOGEN CUNNINGHAM
1883-1976
15,000—25,000 USD
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 146,500 USD
7½ by 9 5/8 in. (19.1 by 24.2 cm.)
mounted, signed and dated in pencil on the mount, the photographer's '1331 Green Street, San Francisco' studio label, with typed title and date, and a 'Photography Collection of the Polaroid Corporation' label, with typed title and date and accession information in ink, on the reverse, 1957, printed no later than 1960
** don't know much about her, but very interesting; some of her works are currently at MoMa -- Pictures by Women: A History of Modern Photography **
ROBERT FRANK B. 192410,000—15,000 USD Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 46,875 USD19 7/8 by 15 in. (50.5 by 38.1 cm.)
From a Polaroid Type 665 negative, signed and dated in ink in the margin, signed 'Frank' in ink on the reverse, 1972
** Known for The Americans **
Polaroids and photographs from PHOTOGRAPHERS that are still living and how much do you think they fetched? Not nearly as much as the photographers mentioned above, but one day...
LUCAS SAMARAS B. 1936
6,000—9,000 USD
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 31,250 USD
3 by 3 in. (7.6 by 7.6 cm.)
unique manipulated Polaroid SX-70 print, dated in ink on the reverse, framed, a Polaroid Collection stamp andInnovation/Imagination andUnrepentant Ego exhibition labels on the reverse, 1973
** very interesting concept **
And these following images from David Levinthal, which to some may be "too much", but be open minded as this is an interesting way to approach art and photography -- through plastic figurines. Some of David's work has been quite interesting, especially his Wild West photographs or my favorite, the American Beauties. For more of his work, see David Levinthal's website
B. 1949
15,000—25,000 USD
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 16,250 USD
each approximately 24¼ by 20¾ in. (61.6 by 52.7 cm.)
WILLIAM WEGMAN
B. 1943
4,000—6,000 USD
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 15,000 USD
24¼ by 20¾ in. (61.6 by 52.7 cm.)
unique large-format Polaroid Polacolor print, signed, titled, and dated in ink in the margin, mounted, framed, 1990
** has an assortment of photos of dogs doing interesting things - dressed in human clothes answering phones, being the all-American family, wearing roller skates, being doused in flour, etc. **
B. 1937
3
0,000—50,000 USD
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium: 194,500 USD
30 by 22½ in. (76.2 by 57.2 cm.)
a composition of 63 unique Polaroid SX-70 prints, initialed, titled, and dated in ink across the lower margins, mounted, framed, exhibition labels and Polaroid Collection stamps on the reverse, 1982
** this was one of my favorite collection of polaroids at the auction; wonderful use of the polaroids! you must check out his website, there is an incredible set of polaroid collages**
No comments:
Post a Comment