New York Robert Franks: The Americans; Sotheby's till December 17th

[Calzone]

Heads up.

Sotheby's is auctioning off Robert Franks: The Americans this Thursday.

We have until the 17th to see these remarkable prints from a private collection before they grace some rich guy's attic.

Cal

 

[Vics]

There's only one set of prints?

 

[Calzone]

There's only one set of prints?

Not sure what's on view yet. I'll be checking out what's there later today. I work right around the corner. They are advertising on York Avenue so this collection I can assume is large. It is a short notice auction where viewing is running between the 12th of December till the 17th. I say more than just a few small prints.

Seems like these prints are being sold from a private collection, and likely going into another private collection. This is what I find interesting.

Cal

 

[ian_watts]

We have until the 12th to see these remarkable prints from a private collection before they grace some rich guy's attic.

A very worthwhile head's up – I wish I was a bit nearer. The auction is actually on the 17th so you don't need a time machine to see the prints.😀

Interesting piece by Ralph Gibson here.

 

[ian_watts]

More info on the auction here.

 

[taemo]

would love to buy a print then i saw the prices... i guess ill be happy just to see them in person

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2015/robert-frank-the-americans-n09249.html

 

[Calzone]

"Robert Frank: The Americans The Ruth and Jake Bloom Collection

On 17 December, Sotheby’s will offer at auction an outstanding collection of images from Robert Frank’s The Americans, one of the most influential books of photography ever published. Collectors Ruth and Jake Bloom assembled this extraordinary group of iconic photographs over more than two decades, collecting 77 of the 83 pictures reproduced in the 1959 book."

Some are listed at fairly low reserves (as low as 2000), most above 50K

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions...SortNum-asc&viewMode=list&lot=77&scroll=18000

Fred,

Thanks for the tease. I saw the 83 images at the MET. Really a great opportunity to see most of them again.

Cal

 

[Stefan Wood]

The National Gallery has a very large collection of Frank's photographs and contact sheets.

 

[Calzone]

I just viewed the prints, and I'm glad I did.

It seems that some prints were printed in the 60's but most were printed in the 70's. The sizes and possiblely cropping were different than at the show at the MET. Definitely a different look to the prints, not so soft and low contrast, and definately more modern look on most.

The show at the MET I believe were more unified because they were all older prints and framed all the same as I remember. This exhibit was less so with some prints borderless and others with. The shot of through the screen door has a lot more clarity and the interior less abstracted. Many of the shots seem to have more contrast than I remembered from the MET.

Anyways it was interesting to see and compare how printing evolved over the decades. I highly recommend seeing this exhibit, especially if you saw the show at the MET. Although much of the same show, a very different experience.

Cal

 

[stompyq]

I just viewed the prints, and I'm glad I did.

It seems that some prints were printed in the 60's but most were printed in the 70's. The sizes and possiblely cropping were different than at the show at the MET. Definitely a different look to the prints, not so soft and low contrast, and definately more modern look on most.

The show at the MET I believe were more unified because they were all older prints and framed all the same as I remember. This exhibit was less so with some prints borderless and others with. The shot of through the screen door has a lot more clarity and the interior less abstracted. Many of the shots seem to have more contrast than I remembered from the MET.

Anyways it was interesting to see and compare how printing evolved over the decades. I highly recommend seeing this exhibit, especially if you saw the show at the MET. Although much of the same show, a very different experience.

Cal

Cal can you just walk in and view them? How does it work? I've never been inside the place

 

[Calzone]

Cal can you just walk in and view them? How does it work? I've never been inside the place

Pro-Mone,

Just walk in and take the elevator to the 6th floor.

I simply walked in and asked where I had to go to view the Robert Frank prints.

No charge and no crowds.

Cal

 

[taemo]

^one of the many benefits of living in NYC 🙁

 

[Calzone]

^one of the many benefits of living in NYC 🙁

You are correct. A hard place to leave, but also a very hard place to retire. Leaving is like a death sentence.

Also a street shooter's paradise. I can't think of a safer large city.

Cal

 

[Stefan Wood]

Wow missed that on my last trip, are they often on display?

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/features/robert-frank.html

 

[stompyq]

Cal thanks!! Just went over to see it. Some good prints including the rodeo shot and the one from new orleans.

Pro-Mone,

Just walk in and take the elevator to the 6th floor.

I simply walked in and asked where I had to go to view the Robert Frank prints.

No charge and no crowds.

Cal

 

[nightfly]

I feel bad complaining that it's all the way over on York and a pain in the ass to get to...

Does anyone know when this panel Gibson keeps referring to in his interview is/was?

^one of the many benefits of living in NYC 🙁

 

[nightfly]

Well worth seeing. Lot of work and well printed with next to no one there. If I had a spare few hundred grand I'd pick up a couple...

(And Citibike has expanded north of 59th on the Upper East side so getting over to York wasn't as big a pain as I figured)

 

[Calzone]

Well worth seeing. Lot of work and well printed with next to no one there. If I had a spare few hundred grand I'd pick up a couple...

(And Citibike has expanded north of 59th on the Upper East side so getting over to York wasn't as big a pain as I figured)

I'm glad you got to see the exhibit. Interesting the later printing.

Awesome that the show was under the radar.

Cal

 

[Timmyjoe]

We have until the 17th to see these remarkable prints from a private collection before they grace some rich guy's attic.

😀 .

 

[semi-ambivalent]

There's only one image in the catalog I want, and I want it bad. I can make the estimates but those will be eclipsed with the first bid, like a tech start-up IPO in the flush days. Oh well...

The macabre art industry machinery smells death.

s-a