Polaroid Collection

New York, 11 February 2010 –Sotheby’s is to offer Photographs from the on 21 and 22 June 2010 in New York. The collection of more than 1,200 works provides unique insight into the influence of Polaroid’s revolutionary technology – which all but eliminated the distance between inspiration and realization – on the history of photography. The collection was begun by Edwin Land, the inventor and founder of Polaroid, and is vast in its breadth and ambition. Works by many of the leading photographers of the second half of the 20th century will be offered, among them Peter Beard, Chuck Close, William Wegman, David Levinthal, Robert Frank, David Hockney, Robert Mapplethorpe and, perhaps most significantly, Ansel Adams, who is represented by over 400 photographs. The collection is estimated to fetch $7.5/11.5 million.

The story of Land’s inspiration for Polaroid has become part of photographic legend. Vacationing with his family in Santa Fe in 1943, Land took a picture of his young daughter Jennifer, who asked her father why she couldn’t see the photograph instantly. For the brilliant Edwin Land, this was not merely a child’s simple question, but a challenge to be overcome. Within an hour, Land had contacted his attorney to begin the patent application process for a device that would produce photographs within minutes of the shutter’s click. It took Land only an afternoon to effectively invent the concept of instant photography and his first Land camera and film, which sold out within hours, was introduced to the market in a Boston department store in 1948.

Whittier in 1923

Just in time for the 82nd anniversary of their conception, two panoramic black and white photos of the city of Whittier snapped for $275 and $300 in the space of Roger Genser at the recent Bustamante Show.Taken on January 1st, 1923, the images show several landmarks, including Fred Willis’ Grocery and Meats. They show the value of land in Southern California in the flapper age; a building could be purchased for $500 or leased for $10 per month.One can also see the Model T Fords cruising the downtown area of the city.It is slightly blurry, suggesting an aperture set at 22 and an eight-second shutter speed.The local photographer, who lived on Pico Boulevard, signed and dated both images.

Signed Lindberg photo lands in Roger Genser's space

Both of Roger Genser’s passions, art and science, collided in a rare autographed image of Charles Lindbergh that touched down in his Los Angeles Modernism Show space.The original, framed photograph from 1929 shows the famous aviator in the “Spirit of St. Louis.” Signed and dated by Lindbergh himself on August 27, 1929, the photograph features a blind stamp of Ralph R. Rugh, staff photographer for Universal Airline System.Universal Airline Systems was founded in 1928. Its subsidiary, Braniff, was acquired by AVCO in 1930. It became American Airlines in 1934. The 10″ x 13″ black and white image landed for $750.Genser graduated from Fairfax High where he became first interested in science, but later switched his major to art.Nicknamed “Lucky Lindy” and “The Lone Eagle,” Charles Lindberg was an American aviator, author, inventor, and explorer. On May 20-21, 1927, Lindbergh, then a 25-year-old U.S. Air Mail pilot, emerged from virtual obscurity to almost instantaneous world fame as the result of his Orteig Prize-winning solo non-stop flight from Roosevelt Field on Long Island to Le Bourget Field in Paris in his single-seat, single-engine monoplane, “Spirit of St. Louis.” Lindbergh, an army reserve officer, was also awarded the nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his historic exploit. In the late 1920s and ’30s, Lindbergh used his fame to relentlessly promote the rapid development of U.S. commercial aviation. However, when his infant son was kidnapped and murdered in 1932, he fled to United States to live in Europe.

Mrs. Earp disputes that famous photo

The famous sultry photograph of Josephine “Josie” Earp in a sheer black gown is really a sham, according to Mrs. Earp, who was spotted shopping at the Wild West Expo for mementos of her husband. She doesn’t know the floozy in the photo, but it’s not her.”They say that’s me, but it really isn’t,” she said. She made the groundbreaking announcement after the photograph had been so widely published that it was embarrassing.When Mrs. Earp is not shopping at the Del Mar Show, she often makes appearances at western events. They miss their gunfighting days in the Wild West, but now that they’re a little older, they are content with their quiet life in San Diego. Wyatt, now a minister, conducts wedding ceremonies.It costs about $200 for Wyatt Earp to marry a couple, and for his wife to bear witness.Mrs. Earp still goes by the name “Josie,” although she adopted the name “Josephine Earp” in 1882. Although there is no official record of her marriage to Wyatt, she claims they did have a full ceremony. Following what has been dubbed as the Earp vendetta ride, Josie and Wyatt traveled through various western states hunting for gold and silver. They also ran horse races in San Diego, as well as operated saloons in Idaho and Alaska.

stock exchange of the 1940s

With the wild fluctuations in the Stock Exchange these days, a photograph of the good old days on wall street, offered in the space of Ellen Winer, provided some much needed perspective on one of the most controversial of professions these days.Well dressed, calm businessmen in the large image indicate the huge differences in the way business was conducted before big digital screens, she said.Winer believes it was a more civilized atmosphere back then, which is evidenced by the peaceful demeanor of the Wall Streeters captured in the image.Others feel the 1930s-40s image in Winer’s space was a bit deceptive, claiming it was probably just as hectic back then as it is today, since trades were made by the constant passing of rustling slips of paper that said either “Buy” or “Sell.”

Riding the wave of Surfing popularity

“Black and whites are the big thing right now,” proclaimed photograph and poster dealer Pat Cullen at the last Santa Monica Airport Show.According to the ephemera enthusiast, he is riding the wave of surfing popularity, by offering framed vintage shots of the water sport. Especially appropriate for the show, he offered a shot of surfers caught in a storm in Santa Monica in 1938, $25. He also offered images of big surfers, including Dewey Weber. He also hoped to hit a homerun with a shot of baseball great Babe Ruth standing beside “The Duke,” Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing. Shots of hot surfing spots including the Old Pike on Ocean Avenue. Not quite a sexy enough shot for today’s Sports Illustrated, Cullen also offered a panoramic shot of around 50 Huntington Beach hotties in rather modest pre-bikini era swimsuits. Cullen’s black and white images ranged in price from $25-$75..