Rare early 20th century first edition of London photographs up for sale

1909 views by American dubbed ‘the greatest photographer in the world’ by George Bernard Shaw go to auction

HIGH RES IMAGES HERE: https://we.tl/t-JaD8mqR7jK

Taken by an American photographer who became celebrated as a young man in London, these 1909 views of the capital appear in a rare first edition work coming up for sale at Swann Auction Galleries on April 18.

George Bernard Shaw dubbed Alvin Langdon Coburn “the greatest photographer in the world”, having sat for him posing as Rodin’s The Thinker – an image that was to become famous across the world.

Still only 24 at the time, Coburn (1882-1966) was to take photographic portraits of a vast swathe of the great and good of society, from poets, authors and artists to politicians and statesmen, including H.G. Wells, Henry James, G.K. Chesterton, W.B. Yeats, Henri Matisse, Auguste Rodin, Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt, a number of them appearing in his most famous book, Men of Mark, in 1913.

A key figure in the development of American photography, Coburn first exhibited at the Royal Photographic Society in London aged just 17, later enjoying solo shows there and in leading galleries while still in his early twenties.

In 1909 he published a book of his own photographs called London, a work clearly influenced by the artist Whistler and a first edition of which is on offer here. The poet and writer Hilaire Belloc wrote the introduction and the book included hand-pulled photogravures. Coburn produced it on his own printing press in Hammersmith.

The views included landmarks such as St Paul’s, Tower Bridge, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square, as well as atmospheric images of the Thames, London’s canals and Kensington Gardens.

Returning to the United States the following year, Coburn travelled extensively, photographing the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park, among other subjects, before returning to New York in 1912 and publishing a new series of photos in his book New York, with an introduction by H.G. Wells.

He was to cross the Atlantic many times again before finally making his home in Wales, where he was made an honorary member of the Royal Photographic Society in 1931.

The estimate is $6,000 to $9,000.

The book will be offered as part of Swann Galleries’ Classic & Contemporary Photographs auction, whose other highlights include images by Robert Mapplethorpe (estimate $50,000 to $75,000), Ansel Adams ($40,000 to $60,000), Man Ray ($20,000 to $30,000) and Irving Penn ($18,000 to $22,000).

The catalogue is available for view online at www.swanngalleries.com and bidders will be able to buy via live online bidding.

Coburn Caption:

Alvin Langdon Coburn, London, first edition, London & New York, 1909. The estimate is $6,000 to $9,000.

Auction title: Classic & Contemporary Photographs

Auction date: Thursday, April 18, at 1:30pm (EDT)

Preview dates: April 13, 12-5; April 15-17, 12-5; April 18, 10-12

Specialist: Daile Kaplan • dkaplan@swanngalleries.com • 212-254-4710 x 21

Press: Alexandra Nelson • alexandra@swanngalleries.com • 212-254-4710 x 19

Social media: @swanngalleries

PRINTED CATALOGUE & ADDITIONAL DIGITAL IMAGES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST