William Helburn

William Helburn: Seventh and Madison, New York, 2014, cover

This vibrant mural-sized archival pigment print is in generally excellent condition. Its colors are saturated and robust. Upon very close examination, minuscule chipping along the upper left and right edges is visible. This photograph is framed.
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.

The photograph offered here is accompanied by the recently-published monograph William Helburn: Seventh and Madison, which chronicles William Helburn's storied career in fashion and advertising photography in the 1950s and 1960s.  Helburn made the present image for Douglas D. Simon’s advertising campaign for ‘SuPima, World’s Finest Cotton.’  The effervescent Barbara Mullen, a favorite face of the 1950s, models an ‘Atmosheer’ Supima cotton chambray dress designed by John Moore for Talmack. 

Helburn’s early work was influenced by contemporaries Richard Avedon and Irving Penn, whom he met in the late 1940s while studying at Alexey Brodovitch’s Design Laboratory.  His first professional assignment was for Harper’s Bazaar and featured Helburn’s work in a 10-page spread in the magazine’s ‘Junior Bazaar’ section.  Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Helburn’s photographs of iconic fashion models Dovima, Carmen Dell’Orefice, and Jean Shrimpton, among others, appeared frequently in LIFE, Town & Country, Ladies’ Home Journal, and McCall’s, and he worked extensively with the Madison Avenue advertising agencies of the ‘Mad Men’ era.

This photograph was taken in front of 19 Gramercy Park South.  Once referred to as ‘the greatest private house remaining in private hands in New York,' this elegant 18,000 square foot home boasts 37 rooms, including a grand ballroom on the top floor.