William Dassonville

warm-toned, on Dassonville Charcoal Black paper, numbered '354' in an unidentified hand in pencil in the margin, the photographer's estate stamp and credited, titled, dated, and numbered 'DV1725' and '4/5' in unidentified hands in pencil on the reverse, matted, circa 1925 (Dassonville, pl. 35; Hallmark, p. 196) 

This print on Dassonville Charcoal Black paper is in generally excellent condition.
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.

In the early 1920s, prompted by the war-time shortage of platinum, the photographer William Dassonville began experimenting with making his own photographic paper.  By 1924, he was selling his Dassonville Charcoal Black silver bromide paper commercially.  The warm-toned paper, which was nearly translucent and had a rough surface texture, was well-suited to the Pictorial work of the day.  Ansel Adams used it extensively in his early career, before opting for cooler-toned paper with a glossier finish.  The photograph by Dassonville offered here is perfectly rendered on his own paper.  While he was essentially a Pictorialist photographer, the dynamic composition shows a distinct Modernist influence.