Sotheby’s Photographs Auction

Despite multiple auctions feature photographs the Photographs auction on 5th April is Sotheby’s first photography-specific auction of the year. Taking place in New York the auction brings together 189 lots from artists such as August Sander, Irving Penn, Robert Mapplethorpe, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Annie Leibovitz and Cindy Sherman. 

‘Sotheby’s Photographs department is delighted to invite participation in our 5 April 2019 Photographs auction. The sale is led by exceptional rare works by El Lissitzky, Margaret Bourke-White, Imogen Cunningham, August Sander, and Ansel Adams. This sale features a broad selection of photographs covering the full history of the medium, from early American daguerreotypes to largescale Contemporary works. Highlights include works by William Eggleston, Lorna Simpson, Hank Willis Thomas, Nobuyoshi Araki, Bernd and Hilla Becher, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Helen Levitt, and Helmut Newton, among many others.’

Estimates range from $1,500 to $500,000.

The highest estimate is for El Lissitzky’s Pelikan Tinte which has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. While the second highest estimate goes to Margaret Bourke-White’s Gargoyle, Chrysler Building, N.Y.C with an estimate of $250,000 to $350,000. Irving Penn’s Black and White Vogue Cover (Jean Patchett, New York) (featured) comes in third with an estimate of $150,000-$250,000.

Browse all the lots from this auction and register to bid live on Sotheby’s webpage here