Swann Galleries in New York proposes an auction online only of Performing Arts Memorabilia from January 10th to February 1th, 2011. Among programs and Playbills there is a large selection of autographed photographs featuring bold face names such as Edith Piaf by the Studio Harcourt, Caruso and Yul Brynner. While the name of the photographers remain often anonymous, hidden behind the studio they worked for, many famed photographers turned their lens to the performers in the past, Steichen portrayed them at length in the early days of Vanity Fair and Avedon in is youth collaborated to Theatre Arts magazine. Some of the photographs in the auction rise up to the quality of these masters and in any case turn the clock back in time for a nostalgic walk “du coté de chez Swann”.

Gilles Decamps

Swann Galleries was founded in 1941 as an auction house specializing in Rare Books. Today Swann has separate departments devoted to Photographs, Posters and Prints & Drawings, in addition to Books, Maps & Atlases and Autographs.

Sale # OL1
Until February 1, 2011
Catalogue is available online