Edward Weston

mounted, signed and annotated 'Carmel' by the photographer in pencil and title in ink by Mrs. Robinson Jeffers, on the mount, annotated 'Please return to Mrs. Robinson Jeffers,' by her, in ink on the reverse, framed, a Howard Greenberg Gallery label on the reverse, circa 1930

Acquired from Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York, circa 2000

This rich, dark print, on paper with a glossy surface, is in generally excellent condition. In raking light, silvering and minor scratches in the upper left and lower right quadrants are visible. The print is on a tan mount that is soiled and age-darkened. The edges are rubbed, and the corners are bumped. The lower right corner is cracked, but does not affect the print. There is a small paper tape remnant in the upper right corner of the mount. The upper paper-ply of the lower right corner tip of the mount has lifted. The reverse of the mount is soiled and age-darkened. There are creases in the corners, as well as some small rust-colored deposits of indeterminate nature in the center left. The following annotations are on the reverse: 'Please return to Mrs. Robinson Jeffers' in black ink; '9172' stamped in blue ink; reduction notations '45 1/2 x 57 1/2 or P4 p. 125' (circled) in pencil; 'p. 71' (circled) in ink; 'PF 41781JIV' in pencil; and '802' in the upper left corner in pencil.
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 1918, poet Robinson Jeffers began building a small stone cottage on land he had purchased on Carmel Point, using the granite boulders from the cove below.  In order to learn stonemasonry, Jeffers hired himself out as an apprentice to a local builder. He named the dwelling Tor House, from the term ‘tor’—or rocky outcrop.  In 1920, he alone began work on the four-story stone Hawk Tower.  Both structures, visible in the Weston photograph offered here, served as a home for Jeffers, his wife Una, and their twin sons Garth and Donnan.

In his poem, Tor House, he wrote,

‘Look for foundations of sea-worn granite, my fingers had the art

 To make love stone . . .’