André Kertész

ferrotyped, the photographer's '67 W. 44th Street' studio stamp (Phillips, New York Stamp #2) on the reverse, framed, 1936

André Kertész, Day of Paris (New York, 1945), cover

Pierre Borhan, André Kertész, His Life and Work (Boston, 1994), p. 194

This early ferrotyped print exhibits remarkable detail and nuanced tonality. As is typical of ferrotyped prints, superficial surface scratches, pitting, signs of handling, and a slight unevenness of the generally glossy surface are visible. There are several minor linear creases that appear to break the emulsion extending from the left edge. This does not in any way detract from the overall fine appearance of this early print. The photograph is trimmed to the image, with some rubbing and resultant edge chipping. The reverse of the print is lightly soiled and there are 4 small yellowed adhesive remnants in the corners. The following is written in an unidentified hand in red pencil on the reverse: '45' (circled) and 'another one.' In 'André Kertész, Of Paris and New York,' Sandra Phillips publishes the most comprehensive list to date of the studio stamps that Kertész used throughout his career. Her assessment of the use dates of New York Stamp #2 on the reverse of this photograph is 1938-39.
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This image was used in 1945 as the dust jacket illustration for André Kertész’s Day of Paris, his first American publication.  By this time, Kertész had lived in New York for close to a decade, and Day of Paris is a nostalgic view of the City of Light as it was before the German Occupation.  The book’s designer was Alexey Brodovitch. 

At the time of this writing, it is believed that only one other print of this image has been offered at auction: a ferrotyped print sold in these rooms on 6 October 1999 (Sale 7348, Lot 249).