Ansel Adams

mounted, signed in pencil and with a typed label, with title and 'Plate XIX,' on the mount, titled and annotated 'Plate XIX' by Virginia Adams in pencil on the reverse, 1933 (Making a Photograph, pl. 19; Lane Collection, pl. 22; The Early Years, pl. 13)

This early photograph, on paper with a slight surface sheen and mounted to slick, off-white board, is in generally excellent condition. Upon very close examination, the following are visible: a tiny indentation and deposit of original retouching in the lower left quadrant; and a very small loss of emulsion along the upper left edge of the image. The mount is lightly soiled and the corners are bumped. 'Pg 77' and 'XIX' are written in pencil in the upper and lower right corners of the mount. On the reverse of the mount are the following notations in pencil: 'VBA 022,' '540/ph' and 'x1024 7¾''D.' There is light graphite colored soiling on the reverse of the mount from handling.
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.

'At Sutro Gardens' was chosen by the photographer for inclusion in his acclaimed volume of 1935, Making a Photograph, where is appears, in the first edition, as plate 19.  The typed label and notations on the mount of the present print may indicate that the photograph offered here was used in the original sequencing of the book.

In Making a Photograph: An Introduction to Photography (London and New York, 1935), Adams reproduced this image to illustrate the correct way to overcome problems posed by weak sunlight and haze.  Sutro Gardens, where the photograph was taken, was part of the old Adolf Sutro estate, a palatial house and grounds spread over 22 acres on the edge of San Francisco, facing the Pacific Coast.  Now part of the city of San Francisco's Sutro Heights Park, the home was still occupied by Sutro's daughter when this photograph was made.  When the property was gifted to the city in 1938, the house was demolished and much of the statuary removed.

An early print of this photograph in the Lane Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, has annotations on the reverse to indicate that this image was included in the final Group f.64 exhibition, in 1933.