Sotheby’s Most Memorable Photographs Sold in 2019

Early Photographs
Modernism
Classic Photographs
Color Photography
Fashion
Trailblazing Female Photographers
Contemporary Photographs

Sotheby’s Most Memorable Photographs Sold in 2019

Dec 4, 2019

Chapters

Early Photographs
Modernism
Classic Photographs
Color Photography
Fashion
Trailblazing Female Photographers
Contemporary Photographs

Take a look at the most exciting results from Sotheby’s global Photographs auctions this year in categories ranging from cutting-edge Contemporary works to historically important 19th-century images.

How to Sell Photography with Sotheby's

Early Photographs

ALBERT FRISCH | RÉSULTAT D’UNE EXPÉDITION PHOTOGRAPHIQUE SUR LE SOLIMÕES OU ALTO AMAZONAS ET RIO NEGRO

ALBERT FRISCH | RÉSULTAT D’UNE EXPÉDITION PHOTOGRAPHIQUE SUR LE SOLIMÕES OU ALTO AMAZONAS ET RIO NEGRO

Estimate: 70,000 – 100,000 USD

Classic Photographs

3 October 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

View 1 of Lot 126: CARLETON E. WATKINS | WASHINGTON COLUMN, 208 FEET, YOSEMITE

126

Lot

CARLETON E. WATKINS | WASHINGTON COLUMN, 208 FEET, YOSEMITE

CARLETON E. WATKINS | WASHINGTON COLUMN, 208 FEET, YOSEMITE

Estimate: 50,000 – 70,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

View 1 of Lot 127: ANONYMOUS AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER | CHARLES SHERWOOD STRATTON (GENERAL TOM THUMB)

127

Lot

ANONYMOUS AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER | CHARLES SHERWOOD STRATTON (GENERAL TOM THUMB)

ANONYMOUS AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER | CHARLES SHERWOOD STRATTON (GENERAL TOM THUMB)

Estimate: 8,000 – 12,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

JOHAN WILHELM BERGSTRÖM | PORTRAIT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WIFE AT THE SPINNING WHEEL, 1844-1852

JOHAN WILHELM BERGSTRÖM | PORTRAIT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS WIFE AT THE SPINNING WHEEL, 1844-1852

Estimate: 8,000 – 12,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

Modernism

View 1 of Lot 13: EL LISSITZKY | PELIKAN TINTE

13

Lot

EL LISSITZKY | PELIKAN TINTE

EL LISSITZKY | PELIKAN TINTE

Estimate: 300,000 – 500,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

View 1 of Lot 16: FRANCIS BRUGUIÈRE | STILL LIFE

16

Lot

FRANCIS BRUGUIÈRE | STILL LIFE

FRANCIS BRUGUIÈRE | STILL LIFE

Estimate: 10,000 – 15,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

LA RÉVERSIBILITÉ, 1937

Estimate: 8,000 – 12,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

KANSUKE YAMAMOTO | REMINISCENCE

KANSUKE YAMAMOTO | REMINISCENCE

Estimate: 20,000 – 30,000 USD

Classic Photographs

3 October 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

Classic Photographs

FLOYD BURROUGHS, A COTTON SHARECROPPER, HALE COUNTY, ALABAMA

Estimate: 80,000 – 120,000 USD

Classic Photographs

3 October 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

View 1 of Lot 70: ROY DECARAVA | 'COLTRANE + ELVIN'

70

Lot

ROY DECARAVA | 'COLTRANE + ELVIN'

ROY DECARAVA | 'COLTRANE + ELVIN'

Estimate: 8,000 – 12,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

View 1 of Lot 97: ANSEL ADAMS | 'PICKET FENCE'

97

Lot

Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams

'PICKET FENCE'

Estimate: 15,000 – 25,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

DEATH OF A LOYALIST MILITIAMAN, CORDOBA FRONT, SEPTEMBER 1936, KNOWN AS "THE FALLING SOLDIER"

Estimate: 60,000 – 80,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

ASPENS, DAWN, DOLORES RIVER CANYON, AUTUMN, COLORADO

Estimate: 25,000 – 35,000 USD

Classic Photographs

3 October 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

Color Photography

MOTHER, LOS ANGELES, DECEMBER 1982

Estimate: 10,000 – 15,000 GBP

Made in Britain

10 September 2019 | 10:30 AM BST | London

View 1 of Lot 113: HIRO | 'APOLLO - 11, 9:32 A. M. 7-16-69 MAIDEN VOYAGE TO THE MOON'

113

Lot

HIRO | 'APOLLO - 11, 9:32 A. M. 7-16-69 MAIDEN VOYAGE TO THE MOON'

HIRO | 'APOLLO - 11, 9:32 A. M. 7-16-69 MAIDEN VOYAGE TO THE MOON'

Estimate: 15,000 – 25,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

Estimate: 10,000 – 15,000 USD

Contemporary Photographs

27 September 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

'U.S. ROUTE 10, POST FALLS, IDAHO, AUGUST 25, 1974'

Estimate: 15,000 – 25,000 USD

Classic Photographs

3 October 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

Fashion

View 1 of Lot 22: IRVING PENN | 'BLACK AND WHITE VOGUE COVER' (JEAN PATCHETT, NEW YORK)

22

Lot

Irving Penn

Irving Penn

'BLACK AND WHITE VOGUE COVER' (JEAN PATCHETT, NEW YORK)

Estimate: 150,000 – 250,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

DOVIMA WITH ELEPHANTS, EVENING DRESS BY DIOR, CIRQUE D'HIVER', PARIS, 1955

Estimate: 30,000 – 50,000 GBP

16 May 2019 | 1:00 PM BST | London

'HELENA CHRISTENSEN II', 1993

Estimate: 12,000 – 18,000 GBP

16 May 2019 | 1:00 PM BST | London

Kate Moss, Descending, 2007

Estimate: 40,000 – 60,000 GBP

Made in Britain

20 March 2019 | 10:30 AM GMT | London

Trailblazing Female Photographers

Francesca Woodman

Francesca Woodman

Estimate: 50,000 – 70,000 USD

Classic Photographs

3 October 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

I'VE GOT IT ALL, 2000

Estimate: 40,000 – 60,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

UNTITLED FILM STILL #10

Estimate: 120,000 – 180,000 USD

Contemporary Photographs

27 September 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

UNTITLED #103, 1983

Estimate: 80,000 – 120,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

View 1 of Lot 25: ANA MENDIETA | VOLCÁN

25

Lot

Ana Mendieta

Ana Mendieta

VOLCÁN

Estimate: 5,000 – 7,000 USD

Photographs

5 April 2019 | 11:00 AM EDT | New York

Contemporary Photographs

23 WORKS FROM UNBEWUSSTE ORTE (UNCONSCIOUS PLACES), 1979-1989

Estimate: 100,000 – 150,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

Wolfgang Tillmans

Wolfgang Tillmans

Estimate: 50,000 – 70,000 USD

Contemporary Photographs

27 September 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

Wolfgang Tillmans

Wolfgang Tillmans

Estimate: 70,000 – 90,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

TOKYO COMPRESSION REVISITED, 2012

Estimate: 30,000 – 50,000 EUR

8 November 2019 | 4:00 PM CET | Paris

Hendrik Kerstens

Hendrik Kerstens

Estimate: 8,000 – 12,000 USD

Contemporary Photographs

27 September 2019 | 10:00 AM EDT | New York

Estimate: 30,000 – 50,000 GBP

Made in Britain

20 March 2018 | 10:30 AM GMT | London

'THE USUAL SUSPECTS', 2018

Estimate: 30,000 – 50,000 GBP

16 May 2019 | 1:00 PM BST | London

How to Sell Photography with Sotheby's

Photographs

About the Author

Aimee Pflieger

Aimee Pflieger is Sotheby's Photographs Specialist, Head of Sale.

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