Edward Steichen

mounted, the photographer's '139 East 69th Street, New York City' studio and Condé Nast copyright stamps and title and '#80' in red crayon and date in pencil on the reverse, 1934

The photographer's widow, Joanna Steichen

Howard Greenberg Gallery, as agent

Acquired from the above

This image is a cropped version of a photograph that appeared in the June 1934 issue of Vogue magazine.  The uncropped version of the image, 'Model in Knit Maillot,' was sold in these rooms in October 1999 (Sale 7348, Lot 103).

This early image, a striking print on matte-surface paper and mounted to light gray board, is a prime example of how Steichen could shift effortlessly from art to commerce in photographing the female body. The left and right edges of the photograph are somewhat rubbed, and there is tiny emulsion loss that is visible only under close examination. There appears to be very subtle edge-fading at the right edge of the image. When examined in raking light, the following are visible: a small deposit of original retouching in the upper right quadrant; and a very faint demarcation line at the top and sides of the image, on the surface of the print, indicating that a prior mat served to 'crop' the image much more closely to the figure. The front of the mount has been heavily marked with penciled publication reduction notations, and there are glue remains and abrasions at the top and bottom edges. The reverse of the mount also includes the annotation 'Perm Col' near the lower right corner.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.