Edward Sheriff Curtis (American, 1868–1952)

LOT ID: 66815

Fish Shows - Apsaroke, ie. circa 1908

Photogravure

22 х 18 in. cm.

Plate signed, below image, center.

Foundry/Publisher John Andrew & Son / The North American Indian Inc.

Lot description

Portfolio IV, Plate 135
Paper Size: 22" x 18" (55.88cm x 45.72cm)
Image Size: 15.75" x 10.31" (40cm x 26.18cm)

The gallery retail for this photograph is $5000.
Auction Estimate: $2500-$3500

This vintage photogravure is in excellent condition. Very faint 1/4" x 1/2"(.64cm x 1.27cm) stain at upper middle margin edge. Excellent ink impression.

This original vintage photogravure is printed on Dutch Van Gelder. This is an expensive, heavyweight, hand-made etching stock selected by Curtis for this project.

This print has been professionally washed and de-acidified (a $300-$350 value) and will last for several hundred years, or more, if properly cared for.

I like a man who attempts the impossible.” – J.P. Morgan

In 1900, Edward S. Curtis set out to document the history, spirituality, and culture of all intact Native American tribal groups. Curtis understood the urgency of his mission, as the Native American culture and way of life was rapidly disappearing. Before his project was completed in 1930,
Curtis had lost his money, his family, and his health in his single-minded devotion to completing his study which today still stands as a landmark in American publishing history.

In the end, each set of Curtis’ magnum opus, The North American Indian, contained more than 2,200 photographs and over 4,000 pages of written text. The North American Indian cost a staggering $37,000,000 to publish (in today’s dollars) and the resulting body of work is unequalled in the history of photography, publishing or ethnography. Curtis also, produced and directed a full-length feature film, lectured and exhibited extensively and made 10,000 Edison wax cylinder recordings of native songs, languages, and tribal histories.

Although he was championed by President Theodore Roosevelt and supported by J.P. Morgan, Curtis was largely forgotten by the time he finished the project. Today he has become one of the most widely published, exhibited, and collected photographers in the history of the medium. In the last five years alone his work has been the subject of over one hundred one-person exhibitions in over forty-five countries and on every continent but Antarctica. Curtis prints can be found in over one thousand public and private collections, including The Getty, MOMA, and The Met. Important private collections include those of Oprah Winfrey and George Lucas. Individual Curtis prints have sold for over $100,000 both at auction and privately and many prints now sell in the $10,000-50,000 range. Complete sets of The North American Indian can now bring $2,000,000 and above.

Literature and Catalogue Raisoneé
Literature and Catalogue Raisoneé
Publication:

The North American Indian (Portfolio IV Plate #135)
Condition Report
Condition Report

The seller has recorded the following condition for this lot:

Description:	Staining
Date
Date
Location:	Other location
Location:
Area:	Margin
Degree:	Minor
Notes:	This vintage photogravure is in excellent condition. Very faint 1/4" x 1/2"(.64cm x 1.27cm) stain at upper middle margin edge. Excellent ink impression.


Date
Date
Location:
Location:
Area:
Degree:
Notes:
Further information details

Definition Key

History and Provenance
History and Provenance
Provenance:
Christopher Cardozo, St. Paul, Minnesota.

NB: Christopher Cardozo is widely acknowledged as the world’s pre-eminent Curtis expert and collector. In his collecting, Cardozo has always placed great importance on print quality, print condition, and rarity, and seldomly have artworks from his personal collection come on the market. Thus, this vintage Curtis photograph has superb provenance and can be purchased with great confidence about its authenticity, quality, and condition.

This photogravure print is from the original printing done by Curtis at the beginning of the last century. Most of Curtis’ vintage photogravures were incorporated into his magnum opus The North American Indian, complete sets of which now can sell for over two million dollars each. The purchaser will receive a formal Certificate of Authenticity with this print. This print is guaranteed to be original, vintage, and in excellent condition.
Shipping Information
Shipping Information
Shipping Carrier:
UPS

Shipping Weight: 5 lbs

Framing: No

Item Location: Minnesota, USA

Shipping Options:
Shipping weight is approximate, buyer is responsible for shipping, handling, insurance and VAT/import duties.
Payment and Return Policies
Payment and Return Policies
Accepted:
PayPal

Sales Tax: Minnesota

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Contact the Specialist

Christopher Sweet

(212) 497-9700 165

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Subject

Lot ID

66815

Artist

Edward Sheriff Curtis

Title

Fish Shows - Apsaroke

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Margin Area	Edge, border, or perimeter areas
Image Area	Central image, focal point of the item/image.

Minor	Existing condition generally does not involve risk of loss
Moderate	Noticeable, increasing in severity and/or size; not serious, but should be monitored or corrected by a conservator
Major	Distinct, recognizable damage; stability of the work is questionable; risk is a factor; requires the attention of a conservator
Extreme	Advanced and severe damage; work is insecure and at great risk

Edward Sheriff Curtis (American, 1868–1952) LOT ID: 66815 Fish Shows - Apsaroke, ie. circa 1908

CONFIRMATION

Christopher Sweet

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