At Swann Galleries auction of “Important Photo Books and Photographs” on May 19, there will be many fine examples.
The skill sof some great photographers will be on display, with photos from around the world, as well as from closer to home here in New York City. There are photos of the moon and the Milky Way, as well as stars like Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Ernest Hemingway, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, Janis Joplin, and Michael Jordon.
The auction consists of 386 lots, including large and small photo prints, photo books, and portfolios.
“Photo-books are an art form that’s garnering a lot of attention among collectors and one that links diverse aspects of photographic expression,” noted Daile Kaplan, V.P., director of photographs, in an email.
There is a pair of photographs depicting the Hindenburg disaster in New Jersey, estimated to sell for $2,500 to $3,500. The German airship Hindenburg, hailed by the Nazi regime as a symbol of pride, exploded as it arrived, and 36 people died, according to the History.com website.
The disaster has since become iconic, especially because of the live radio broadcast: “It’s burst into flames! Get out of the way, please! … This is terrible! … It’s burning, bursting into flames and is falling. … It’s a terrific sight. … Oh! the humanity!” as recorded on the History.com website.
There are some candid photos taken in New York such as “Baseball in Central Park,” by Larry Fink, and a lovely photo of a family picnic titled “The Smiles of a Warm Summer’s Day in Brooklyn,” both estimated at $3,000 to $4,500. There are also some great shots of the legendary Babe Ruth.
There’s a time capsule of a shot from the LIFE gallery of the ship Queen Elizabeth in the New York harbor with the Chrysler building behind, from 1958 (17 x 12.5 inches).
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