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The Curtis Studio

Important Photographs and Ephemera from a Distinguished Private Collection
30 June – 1 July 2021 | starting at 16:00 PDT
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Los Angeles
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Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Vanishing Race;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Vanishing Race;. Sold for US$100,312.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Scout Apache;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Scout Apache;. Sold for US$94,062.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Cañon de Chelley;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Cañon de Chelley;. Sold for US$62,812.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Geronimo, Apache;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Geronimo, Apache;. Sold for US$40,312.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Chief of Crater Lake;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Chief of Crater Lake;. Sold for US$37,812.50 inc. premium
A GROUP OF CURTIS CYANOTYPES FROM VOLUME VI OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN. CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1872-1954. 26 cyanotypes, featuring images of Cheyenne tribes from Volume VI, including portraits, still lifes, and photographs made en plein air, many of which are related to or variants of published images, the images measuring approximately 8 x 6 inches (203 x 152 mm), all numbered in grease pencil on the reverse and a few additionally titled and annotated, c.1907.A GROUP OF CURTIS CYANOTYPES FROM VOLUME VI OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN. CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1872-1954. 26 cyanotypes, featuring images of Cheyenne tribes from Volume VI, including portraits, still lifes, and photographs made en plein air, many of which are related to or variants of published images, the images measuring approximately 8 x 6 inches (203 x 152 mm), all numbered in grease pencil on the reverse and a few additionally titled and annotated, c.1907.. Sold for US$25,312.50 inc. premium
A ONE SHEET POSTER OF IN THE LAND OF THE HEAD HUNTERS. World Film Corporation, 1914. One sheet poster, 41 x 27 inches, folded.A ONE SHEET POSTER OF IN THE LAND OF THE HEAD HUNTERS. World Film Corporation, 1914. One sheet poster, 41 x 27 inches, folded.. Sold for US$21,562.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Out of the Darkness, Navajo;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Out of the Darkness, Navajo;. Sold for US$20,312.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Signal Fire to the Mountain Gods;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); Signal Fire to the Mountain Gods;. Sold for US$17,812.50 inc. premium
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Women of the Desert, Navaho;Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952); The Women of the Desert, Navaho;. Sold for US$15,300 inc. premium

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165 lots available

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A PAIR OF PLACARDS FOR THE PREMIERE OF IN THE LAND OF THE HEAD HUNTERS. Casino Theater / B'way and 39th St. / Commencing Monday Afternoon, Dec. 7 / Two Performances Daily. [New York: 1914.]
A HANDBILL FOR IN THE LAND OF THE HEAD HUNTERS. World Film Corporation Presents In the Land of the Head Hunters / Edward S. Curtis' Indian Epic Drama of the Northern Sea / Entire Drama Enacted by Primitive Indians. New York: World Film Corporation, February 9, 1915.
A CURTIS STUDIO ALBUM OF 149 PRINTS TAKEN FOR THE NAI PROJECT. Album of 149 gelatin silver prints, most 6 x 9 inches (a few 3.5 x 8 inches or 5 x 6 inches), nearly all titled and numbered in the negatives, all laid down to sheets and additionally titled at the lower margin, 1898-1917.
THE CURTIS STUDIO, SEATTLE: AN ALBUM OF EPHEMERA. An album of manuscripts, photographs and ephemera relating to the Curtis Studio of Seattle, including:
A Navajo Germantown woman's wearing blanket
CURTIS STUDIO, SEATTLE: A SCRAPBOOK OF EPHEMERA. An album of manuscripts and printed ephemera related to the Curtis Studios in Seattle, collected by Beth Curtis and including:
A CURTIS STUDIOS ART DECO CARVED OAK BUSINESS SIGN. Carved oak letters mounted on pedestal, 9 x 28 3/4 x 4 inches, minor wear.
A CAST IRON MORTAR AND PESTLE FROM THE CURTIS STUDIOS. A footed cast iron mortar and pestle featuring a butterfly design,
A CURTIS STUDIOS LOS ANGELES SAMPLE BOOK. CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1868-1952. 102 gelatin silver print photographs from the Curtis North American Indian series, most 6 x 8 inches, c.1924,
CURTIS STUDIO LOS ANGELES: PHOTOGRAPHS AND EPHEMERA. A collection of photographs and ephemera from the Curtis Studio in Los Angeles, as follows:
A GROUP OF UNFRAMED CURTIS PRINTS FROM THE LOS ANGELES STUDIO. A collection of loose prints, various sizes and finishes, showing the breadth of the Curtis Studio offerings:
VINTAGE CURTIS NUDES. 12 gelatin silver prints, each 6 3/4 x 4 3/4 inches, featuring nude models in exotic poses,
CURTIS POSTCARDS. 2 complete sets of 20 Curtis Studio NAI postcards, each 3 1/2 x 5 inches, c.1906, the first with 2 postmarked and 2 annotated, the 2nd with 6 postmarked, and with 14 additional cards from the same series, 7 of which are postmarked.
A GROUP OF THREE EDWARD S. CURTIS SPEECHES. 1. "The Indian and His Religious Freedom." Typed Manuscript Signed ("Edward S. Curtis") in pencil, 13 pp, 4to, n.p., n.d., leaves stapled at upper margin, possibly missing the last page, stains to right margin of p 1, toning, explaining his attitude toward religious freedom for native peoples.
A PAIR OF HELEN KELLER PORTRAITS BY CURTIS. KELLER, HELEN. 1880-1968. Photograph Signed ("Helen Keller"), gelatin silver print portrait, 13.5 x 10.5 inches, seated portrait of Keller by Curtis, signed in the plate,
A CHARLES RUSSELL HOLIDAY CARD. RUSSELL, CHARLES. 1864-1926. Printed holiday card, 8 x 11 inches, featuring two men on horseback and a holiday message, signed in the image ("CM Russell / 1926"),
LOGS AND JOURNALS OF CURTIS'S 1927 ALASKA EXPEDITION. 1. "Original Log—1927—Alaska." Autograph Manuscript Signed in block print ("Edward S. Curtis") to upper cover, in pencil,
A GROUP OF 3 CURTIS LETTERS TO HIS DAUGHTER, BETH. CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1868-1952. 3 Autograph Letters Signed twice ("Edward S. Curtis" integrally, and "Father"), 5 pp each for a total of 15 pp, 8vo, Kotzebue, Alaska, August 18 to 28, 1927 (one undated but listed as "Thursday"), to Beth Curtis, describing his work after she left the expedition,
UNPUBLISHED EDWARD S. CURTIS MANUSCRIPT OF A NOVEL. What Would You Do? Typed Carbon with penciled annotations throughout, 292 pp, 4to, n.p., n.d.,
CURTIS ON GOLD MINING. CURTIS, EDWARD S. 1868-1952. The Lure of Gold. Typed Manuscript with Annotations, 28 pp, 4to, [Los Angeles, c.1950],
THE GRAYBILL PROJECT: COPY PRINTS AND COPY NEGATIVES FROM THE ORIGINAL CURTIS NEGATIVES. A collection of approximately 500 8 x 10 inch copy negatives made from both original glass negatives and cellulose negatives, together with approximately 2,232 8 x 10 inch copy prints,
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