PETER BEARD | 'Hunting Cheetahs on the Taru Desert'

a unique object, signed, titled, dated, and extensively annotated in ink and with other photographs collaged on and next to the image, framed, 1960, printed later; accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, signed and dated in ink by the photographer (End of the Game, pp. 130-1)

Acquired directly from the artist

While this photograph has not been examined out of is frame, it appears to be in generally excellent condition. As is common with Peter Beard's photographs as a result of his working process, there are a few creases and scuff, faint surface scratches, and minor edge-wear. There are some scattered deposits of original retouching. The annotations in ink on the image read: 'Lake Rudolph, Kenya, N. F. D. 19[..]'; and 'No one dreamed that the game could be depleted by a handful of immigrants with maps and gun powder, however immoderate they might be. And yet, within a matter of years, this paradise would become part of the modern world, a battlefield desert littered with carcasses beyond number... a treeless bleached-out dustbowl, something climactic and conclusive. As Fitzgerald wrote, of another paradise, "for a transitory enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder." from The End of the Game, Last word from Paradise, Peter Beard Box 4191 Nbi.' The following is written by the photographer in ink on the reverse: 'PTO [circled] Michael Hoppen extra cheetahs by request (Tichy days - exchange) 1998-99 1st show @ Jubilee Place Free-be for restaurant/exhibition space etc next door (Rue Mazarine) Done by Peter Bear in London (+ then over to [illegible] Gallery) Box 4191 Nairobbery (plus Peter Tunney "deals")'
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.