Alvin Langdon Coburn

oversized platinum print, framed, 1911

Acquired from The Daguerreian Era, Pawlett, Vermont, 1974

This velvety print, on matte-surface paper with thick black margins, is in generally excellent condition. The margin corners are bumped or lightly creased, and the lower edge is rubbed. On the reverse of the print, credit, title, and '$350' are faintly visible, although mostly erased. There is light soiling on the reverse, as well as 2 small hinge remnants at the upper edge.
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.

Alvin Langdon Coburn returned from England to America in the fall of 1910, and crossed the Continent by train, arriving in California in the spring of 1911.  Before camping in Yosemite, he stopped in Los Angeles, where he ascended Mount Wilson on horseback, swam in the Pacific, and explored the countryside.  The suburb of Hollywood had not yet become a center of the film industry, and still retained much of its farmland and orange groves.

At the time of this writing, only two other prints of this image have been located: a gum platinum print in the collection of the George Eastman House, and a platinum print sold by Swann Galleries in 2001.