Alfred Stieglitz

carbon print, flush-mounted, in the original George Of frame, a brass plate lettered with the photographer’s credit and title, inscribed by William B. Post and titled, credited, and annotated ‘Loaned by W. B. Post, Fryeberg, Me.’ presumably by Post, in pencil, and with a printed numerical exhibition label and a ‘Geo. F. Of, Framer’ label on the reverse, 1894  

Collection of photographer William B. Post

By descent to his family

John A. Staszyn, New York

Deborah Bell, New York, 2004

Greenough 208

Charles H. Caffin, Photography as a Fine Art (New York, 1901), p. 25

Camera Work No. 12, October 1905, pl. 9

Dorothy Norman, Alfred Stieglitz: An American Seer (New York, 1960), p. 41

This carbon print has rich chocolate-brown tones. Its surface is very faintly glossy. In raking light, several areas of a slightly higher gloss can be seen, and this is likely the result of the print's having been framed directly against glass. This is not disfiguring in any way. There are two very small circular losses of emulsion adjacent to the right lower edge. There is a straight horizontal line at the top and rght edges of the image which are slightly lighter than the rest of the image, and this is likely due to contact with the frame. The whole of the image is otherwise unaffected. There is very minor wear on the edges. The print is mounted to thick, stiff paper board. The original Gerorge Of frame is in near excellent condition, as is the neatly-lettered brass title plate. Of's label is present on the top edge of the reverse of the frame. Remnants of the original brown paper backing are still present. Post's loan information is written on a separate piece of brown appear affixed to the reverse, and this is somewhat tattered.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Gossip—Katwyck was one of Alfred Stieglitz’s most frequently exhibited photographs in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  From 1896 to 1934, it appeared in no fewer than 18 exhibitions, including the seminal 1910 International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography in Buffalo.  It was also one of Stieglitz’s most reproduced images, appearing in numerous periodicals and books, among them Charles Caffin’s 1901 Photography as a Fine Art and Camera Work No. 12 of 1905.  In Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set, Sarah Greenough locates only one print of this image, another carbon print in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. 

This print is offered here in its original exhibition frame created by Stieglitz’s favored framemaker, George Of, whose label is affixed to the reverse.  Of’s frames are characterized by a high degree of craftsmanship, and Of worked with Stieglitz, Georgia O’Keeffe, and other artists in the Stieglitz circle from the 1910s through the 1940s.

This print is further distinguished by its provenance: it was owned originally by the stockbroker William B. Post, an accomplished amateur photographer who contributed to Stieglitz’s Camera Notes and Camera Work.  A founding member of the Camera Club of New York, Post was known especially for his poetic images of snow-covered New England landscapes and is credited with introducing Stieglitz to the hand-held camera.  In 1898, under Stieglitz’s guidance, Post began to build a fine collection of both American and European Pictorial photography, a pursuit characterized by Photo-Secession authority Christian Peterson as ‘nearly unique’ at that time.  In January 1899, Camera Notes featured ‘The Post Collection of Pictorial Photographs,’ an article on his acquisitions.