Berenice Abbott 1898-1991

warm-toned, matted, framed, 1929

This warm-toned print, on double-weight slightly matte paper, is in generally very good to excellent condition. The corners are lightly bumped, and there are some very small chips along the edges. There is a one-inch handling crease at the center of the bottom edge that breaks the emulsion. In raking light, small deposits of the photographer's original retouching, and silvering in the darkest areas of the print, are visible. The top edge of the print has very minor surface soiling that is only visible in the lightest areas of the print. The back of the print has yellowed adhesive residue, paper remnants, and losses to the top ply of the photographic paper, all of which appear to have come from a previous mounting. None of the issues on the reverse affect the image.
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.

According to Abbott scholar Bonnie Yochelson, the image offered here is one of the early photographs taken by Abbott upon her return from Paris to New York in 1929.  Influenced by Man Ray and Atget while in Paris, Abbott came back to New York after her eight-year sojourn with a fresh perspective.  Her first photographs, made with a handheld camera that Abbott used only for a short period of time before transitioning to a larger 8 by 10-inch view camera, show the vitality of daily life in New York (cf. O'Neal, p. 76-77).  An album of contact prints of these early studies is in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 

In the early 1930s, Abbott made enlargements of many of these images for publication or exhibition.  The enlarged prints were often mounted by Abbott and signed on the mount.  This photograph, which has been removed from a mount, may well have been made during that time.