Margaret Bourke-White

with black ink borders, mounted, signed in pencil on the mount, annotated 'No. 16' in pencil on the reverse, framed, 1931

Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

Irving Galleries, Palm Beach, 1999

This early, warm-toned print, on double-weight paper with an eggshell texture and slight surface sheen, is in generally very good condition. Silvering is visible in the dark areas of the image, primarily at the print's periphery. Upon close examination, a few opaque light-colored deposits, likely original retouching, are visible in the central portion of the image. In raking light, a 3/4-inch, soft handling crease is barely visible in the lower left quadrant. The print is mounted to thin, smooth, off-white board, and it is lifting slightly from the mount at the edges. The mount is darkened and soiled, and there are occasional stray graphite marks. There is a one-by-3/4-inch loss along the upper edge of the mount, which does not affect the print. The mount corners are bumped, creased, and abraded. The reverse of the mount is heavily soiled.
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.

In 1931, Bourke-White was sent on assignment by Fortune magazine to photograph the Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company in North Tonawanda, New York, at that time one of the country’s top manufacturers of organs.  Bourke-White’s images from this series exemplify her progressive attitude toward documentary photography, and show her talent at incorporating radical compositional ideas into her images without sacrificing the humanity of her subjects.