E-Photo
Issue #152  11/10/2008
 
Bassenge Holds Two Photography Sales On December 3rd in Berlin, Including Soviet War Photographs

Bassenge Photography Auctions is holding two sales on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 in Berlin at Erdenerstr. 5a, offering over 500 photographs and about 140 photography book lots. The previews will be held at Rankestr. 24, Berlin from Nov. 24-Dec. 2.

The first sale consists of a private collection of Soviet War Photography 1941-1945 and includes rare vintage prints that are often signed and annotated, as well as prints made in the 1960s by Dimitri Baltermants, Jewgeni Chaldej, Boris Kudojarow, Galina Sanko, Georgi Selma, Ivan Shagin, Victor Tjomin, Michail Trachman and other noted Russians. There are many large-format prints, and many were acquired directly from the photographers.

The regular photography sale offers a wide selection of quality 19th-century material. Especially of note is a fine selection of Berlin albumen views from the 1850s by Leopold Ahrendts, showing the main sites of 19th-century Berlin. Several large-format Alinari Italian views, both albumen and rare salt prints, from the 1850s are also being offered.

Other 19th-century items include: selected ethnographic studies of natives of Papua New Guinea by and attributed to Woodbury & Page; early images of New Orleans from the 1860s by Theodore Lilienthal (1800-2500 euro), showing steamboats in the port as well as architecture of the city; an early hand-colored salt print by Roger Fenton from 1854 showing participants of the Crimean War (3500 euro); several albumen prints by William Henry Jackson (each about 1000 euro); several groups of hand-colored Japanese albumen prints (between 500-2000 euro); and several very strong salt prints (some lightly albumenized) by James Robertson, circa 1854, of mosques and people in Constantinople.

Other 19th-century photographers include: Joseph Albert, Auguste Belloc, Samuel Bourne, Giacomo Caneva, Maxime Du Camp, Peter Henry Emerson, Wilhelm von Gloeden, Dimitrios Konstantinou, Hermann Krone, Eadweard Muybridge, Carlo Naya, Guglielmo Plüschow, August Sachtler, Anton Schranz, J. Pascal Sebah Giorgio Sommer, and Wiele & Klein.

Highlights of the 20th century section include: several Ilse Bing prints, including her important "Champ de Mars, vu de la tour Eiffel" (each 4000 euro); several vintage prints by Brassai from the 1930s "Secret Paris" series (each circa 5000 – 4000 Euro), two vintage prints by Peter Hujar: "Joe L.", 1978 (6000 euro) and "Paul's Leg", 1979 (9000 euro), which is one of the photographer's most iconic images; a 1950s print of Dorothea Lange's iconic "General Strike" (10,000 euro), as well as her "Homeless Family" (7000 euro); and a unique gelatin silver print by Dieter Appelt, worked over with ink and paint (4000 euro).

Other 20th-century photographers include: Richard Avedon, Eve Arnold, Wilfried Bauer, Sibylle Bergemann, Bill Brandt, Josef Breitenbach, Elliott Erwitt, Louis Faurer, Andreas Feininger, Franz Fiedler, Larry Fink, Leonard Freed, Horst P. Horst, George Hurrell, Graciela Iturbide, Peter Keetman, André Kertész, Herbert List, George Platt Lynes, Man Ray, Leonard Misonne, Inge Morath, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Leni Riefenstahl, August Sander,Toni Schneiders, Stephen Shore, Louis Stettner, Alex Stöcker, Sasha Stone, Wolf Strache, Antanus Sutkus, Karin Székessy, Herbert Tobias, Bruce Weber and Weegee.

Among the contemporary photographers in the auction are: Dieter Appelt, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Flor Garduño, Nan Goldin, Candida Höfer, Daniel Kane, Heinrich Riebesehl,Thomas Ruff, Heidi Schneekloth, Wim Wenders and Ulrich Wüst, Harf Zimmermann.

A large collection of photography books is also being offered, mostly consisting of grouped lots with various works, among them such famous books as William Eggleston's Guide by John Szarkowski, a signed copy of Larry Clark's "Tulsa" and Franz Roh and Jan Tschichold's "Foto auge, oeil et photo photo-eye"; as well as an attractive group of books on Josef Sudek.

The two auctions are being held on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008. "The Russian War Photography 1941-1945" auction begins at 2 p.m. and the "19th-Century to Contemporary Photographs and Photography Books" sale begins at 3 p.m. Both auctions will be held at Bassenge Photoauktionen, Erdenerstr. 5a, 14193 Berlin, tel.: +49 30 893 80 29 0. The auction Previews will be held at Bassenge Photoauktionen, Rankestr. 24, 10789 Berlin, tel.: +49 30 219 97 277 from Nov. 24-Dec. 1, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m, and on Dec. 2, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., as well as by appointment. Previewing of photography books by appointment only.

Jennifer Augustyniak is the Photographs Specialist. She can be reached at phone: +49 (0)30 21 99 72 77; mobile: +49 (0)173 625 39 33; and fax: +49 (0)30 21 99 71 05; or by email at jennifer@bassenge.com . You can view the online version of the catalogue at: http://www.bassenge.com/Bassenge/engl/Auktion.asp?SID=85740585 ; just scroll down to the two photograph auctions.