September 17, 2012

Major Single-owner Collection of Daguerreotypes At Auction

Join us on October 3rd and 4th for two important evening sales of historic daguerreotypes and modern photography starting at 6:00pm each night, at their auction gallery at 117 Elliott Street, Beverly, Massachusetts. Over 200 daguerreotypes and thermoplastic cases are from a single 30 year collection from Rochester, New York.

Dan Silverman, Kaminski Auctions photography specialist has also put together a wonderful assortment of occupational, and political themed, albumens and gelatin silver prints for the sale, including images of a period copy daguerreotype of Abraham Lincoln, a rare copy plate of Henry Clay, and a full plate of possibly Henry Fox Talbot inventor of the British Calotype process.
There is also several important mid century baseball photographs including images of Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers, a circa 1900 photo of the Boston Reds, and New York Yankees team photos, among many baseball themed photographs.

A Walker Evans(1902-1975) portfolio of eleven vintage photographs, including a cityscape, desert landscape and nine other “dust bowl“ images is the top lot of the sale with a pre-auction estimate of $10,000-$15,000

Evans, one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century, is famous for his work with the Farm Security Administration. He documented the effect of “The Great Depression on Americas’ people in urban, farm and small town settings."

A rare period copy ¼ plate daguerreotype of Abraham Lincoln “beardless” is the second highest value lot in the sale. The image of Lincoln is reversed, from the original taken by Alexander Hesler on June 3, 1860, at the Capitol Building in Springfield Illinois, two weeks after his nomination by the Republican National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. It measures 4 3/4"h x 3 3/4"w and is estimated at $7000-$9000. There is also a very rare outdoor view of President Abraham Lincoln, by T. S. Hacker. Abraham Lincoln is shown before the State House, at the Flag Raising, dated February 22, 1861, identified as 1029 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. It is valued at $5500-$7500.

Other important daguerreotypes include a pair of rare and important daguerreotypes, 1/6 plates, self portraits of the early American daguerreotypist John Bear, the lot includes a daguerreotype of his wife, split leather case, and a copy of Bear's autobiography Life and Travels of John W. Bear, the Buckeye Blacksmith, 1873, and is valued at $2000-$2500.

There is an occupational of a young photographer, a bearded gentleman with giant hands holding a telescope and an occupational lot consisting of an exceptional 1/4 plate daguerreotype of the Reverend Daniel Parker Noyes of Ipswich MA in a split leather case, along with a 1/6 plate Daguerreotype of him with his ID and date of birth June 3, 1888, and date of death June 4, 1920. The lot also includes a cabinet card by Hastings of Boston, with identification on back, and also includes many handwritten tuition, room and board receipts from Yale University dated 1837 and 1838.

Highlights of the vintage photography also includes a large albumen photograph of N. W. Starr's Commercial and Collegiate Institute, Yonkers New York, by Stacy 691 Broadway New York City, circa 1860's Civil War Academy, valued at $1000-$1500, a group of three Matthew Brady (American 1823-1896), Views in the Navy Ordnance Yard, Washington DC, June, 1866, albumen print estimated at $800-$1200, and a wonderful tintype of a gentleman holding a political campaign flag and torch for the Hayes-Wheeler 1876 Presidential Campaign, wearing a three corner hat valued at $600-$800.

A gelatin silver print titled Melancholic Tulips, by Andre Kertesz (Hungarian 1894 - 1985) tops the modern photography entries on the first evening, signed on back, the image is valued at $6000-$8000. There is also a second Kertesz, Melancholic Tulips gelatin silver print of a different size in the sale.

Another interesting lot is comprised of twelve panoramic photographs of the building of the Panama Canal, circa 1912-1913, by the Lock Gates Manufacturing Company, and erected by Mc Clintic-Marshall Construction Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is estimated at $2500-$3500.
There is also a group of four Lewis Hine (American 1874 - 1940), vintage gelatin silver prints, circa 1900 - 1916. The photographs are from the Child Labor Series and valued at $1500-$2500.

The second evening of the sale, Wednesday, October 3rd includes almost fifty lots of books, records and photographs from the estate of Walker Hancock, 20th century American sculptor and teacher. 

The offerings include his library, records, and correspondence documenting his involvement in returning stolen works of art after WWII and his distinguished career as a sculptor, including a third scale model of his James Madison statue.

The 19th century portion of the auction features a daguerreotype of Allen Kramer, pioneer banker (Kramer & Nash) of Pittsburgh, Penn and previously owned by Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Also in the second evening is a daguerreotype of Thaddeus Hyatt, abolitionist and a mammoth albumen of Yosemite National Park by Carlton Watkins, as well as several other Watkins.
Modern photographers include New York scenes by Bernice Abbott, and vintage Clarence John Laughlin photos of New Orleans.

Preview for this sale is Sunday, September 30th from noon-5:00pm, Monday and Tuesday October 1st and 2nd from 10:00am-5:00pm and day of sale from 10:00am-6:00pm.

To request a color catalog, please call 978 927 2223.