Today, Thursday, April 17, Swann Galleries will hold their first ever auction of vernacular photography, titled The Vernacular Eye: Photographic Albums, Snapshots & Objects.
Daile Kaplan, Swann Vice President and Director of Photographs & Photobooks, gave The Eye of Photography an exclusive tour of the preview of the sale. In our film she presents some of the highlights of the lots offered and discusses the bridge between the vernacular and the fine art photographs which are offered in the second part of the sale.
Vernacular photography often encompasses pictures by lesser-known or amateur makers, including itinerant photographers, studio practitioners and press photographers—many of whom worked outside the scope of fine art practice.
There are evocative snapshots by hobbyists, accomplished commercial portraiture and product imagery, iconic news pictures, intimate occupational photographs (including tintypes), humorous travel or souvenir images (as well as albums), and fun family photo albums. In addition, three-dimensional decorative or functional photo objects, sometimes described as “pop photographica,” make an appearance.
This sale comes on the heels of several strong auction results for photographic travel albums, crime photos, including mugshots, spiritualism images and occupational tintypes. Indeed, an album of 27 spiritualist photographs taken during séances at Dr. Thomas Glendenning Hamilton’s Psychic Room in Winnipeg, Canada, 1920-22 sold at Swann last December for $93,750.
Daile Kaplan, Swann Vice President and Director of Photographs & Photobooks, likens the items in the April auction to snowflakes—each one unique and ineffable—and she credits the pioneering private and contemporary collectors who have positioned this material as an exciting and expansive approach to the field of photography.
AUCTION
Thursday, April 17 2014
1:30 p.m.
Swann Galleries, Inc.
104 East 25th Street
New York, NY 10010
Live online bidding is also available via http://www.invaluable.com
www.swanngalleries.com
