It’s October and a number of photography auctions are taking place across the country and around the world. Here is the first installment of some noteworthy results in our field of study.
Swann Auction Galleries – October 5, 2017
At the recent auction of African-American Fine Art at Swann Auction Galleries, nine photographs by artists such as Carrie Mae Weems, Lorna Simpson, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Louis Draper, P.H. Polk, Roy DeCarava, and James VanDerZee were offered for sale. The top three lots included:
- Four panels from Carrie Mae Weems’ Sea Island Series produced in 1992, Estimate: 30,000-50,000 USD, sold for 45,000 USD with buyer’s premium;
- Dancers (1956) by Roy DeCarava, silver gelatin photograph, printed in 1981, Estimate: 15,000 – 25,000 USD, sold for 23,750 USD with buyer’s premium; and
- C-Ration (1991) by Lorna Simpson, silver print (diptych), Estimate 3,000 – 5,000 USD, sold for 8,750 USD with buyer’s premium.
Sotheby’s – October 5, 2017
Noteworthy at the Sotheby’s Photographs auction is Charleston, S.C. by Robert Frank. Estimated to sell between 300,000 – 500,000 USD, the oversized print, signed, titled and dated in 1955, printed in 1967-68, sold for 348,500 USD including buyer’s premium.
Sotheby’s – September 28, 2017
PostWar and Contemporary Photographs featured works by Kudzanai Chiurai and Yinka Shonibare MBE.
African Diaspora Photography 