Robert Frank

signed and dated '1955' in ink in the margin, the archive and copyright stamps, with credit, date, and annotations in pencil or ink, and numerical notations in pencil on the reverse, framed, a Bloom Collection label on the reverse, 1955, printed in the 1970s

Hamburg Kennedy Photographs, New York, 2007

The Americans, no. 45

Sarah Greenough, Looking In: Robert Frank’s The Americans, pp. 264 and 473, and Contact no. 45

LIFE Library of Photography: Great Photographers, p. 213

Jonathan Green, American Photography: A Critical History, 1945 to the Present, p. 92

Robert Frank, Robert Frank, pl. 44

Robert Frank, The Lines of My Hand (Parkett/Der Alltag), unpaginated

Sarah Greenough and Philip Brookman, Robert Frank: Moving Out, p. 194

Lisa Phillips, The American Century: Art & Culture, 1950-2000, pl. 109

Michel Frizot, ed., A New History of Photography, p. 646

Robert Frank: Story Lines, p. 207

This somewhat warm-toned print, on double-weight paper with a semi-glossy surface, is in generally very good condition. In raking light, the following are visible upon close examination: a sharp, one-inch crease that may break the emulsion in the lower left quadrant; and scattered deposits of indeterminate nature overall, possibly original retouching. The margins are unevenly sunned and age-darkened. Frank's signature and date have faded somewhat, but are still visible. There is minimal wear to the margin edges, and the tips of the margin corners are lightly bumped and creased. On the reverse, in the upper left quadrant, is a 5-1/2-inch area of faint discoloration. The copyright stamp is annotated 'Robert Frank 1980' in an unidentified hand in ink, and the Robert Frank Archive stamp is annotated 'THE AMERICANS 45,' 'RESTAURANT - U. S. 1 LEAVING COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA,' and '826' in an unidentified hand in pencil. Other notations in pencil are as follows: 'RFr.180.7,' 'RFr.0240.Y,' and '79' (circled). It is believed that only 2 other prints of this image have previously been offered at auction.
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.

“Or the picture of a chair in some cafe with the sun coming in the window and setting on the chair in a holy halo I never thought could be caught on film much less described in its beautiful visual entirety in words”  Jack Kerouac