Artnet’s Cardozo Collection Sale
New York, NY
From September 2 through 17, the New York-based Artnet will be offering rare and exceptional Edward S. Curtis platinum prints from the Christopher Cardozo Collection. Prints being offered in the online sale include iconic and important works that came directly from Curtis’ studio.
“This is a wonderful survey of Curtis’ platinum prints, and they are in unusually great condition. The prints range in dates from 1897 to 1908,” says Christopher Cardozo, owner of Cardozo Fine Art. “This is the only time an auction has offered an allplatinum collection of Curtis prints, so we’re very excited. They are incredibly rare. Something around one out of every 500 prints were done in platinum. Platinum prints are the highest form of expression for a Curtis photo due their rarity and beauty.”
Cardozo, who has been collecting Curtis works for decades and has announced his retirement, is regarded as one of the leading authorities on Curtis. In addition to collecting some of the finest Curtis prints in existence, Cardozo has also honored the famous researcher and photographer by republishing his magnum opus, The North American Indian, which was originally published as 20 text volumes and 20 portfolios. Original sets of Curtis’ publication frequently sell for more than $2 million at auction.
The Artnet sale will feature around 20 platinum prints, including two of the most iconic Curtis images: The Three Chiefs Piegan from 1900 and The Vanishing Race – Navaho from 1904. The Three Chiefs – Piegan, estimated at $15,000 to $25,000, shows three riders on horseback in a vast open plain with a small reflective pool at their feet. The Vanishing Race, estimated at $12,000 to $18,000, might be one of Curtis’ most famous photographs. It was taken in Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly and shows a group of riders riding into the dust within the canyon.
“The Vanishing Race is the signature piece of Curtis’ whole 30-year North American Indian project. Of course, we know today it was not a vanishing race, but a vanishing culture. Curtis knew he had to capture this and this photograph represents that idea,” Cardozo says, adding that the photo was taken on a camera that produced an image on a 6-by-8-inch glass plate. “The story I’ve heard about this photograph is Curtis was out with the riders trying to find interesting places to photograph. As they were riding back to camp late in the afternoon, Curtis was riding behind and saw this group in front of him and he knew he had to capture it.”
Other lots include the portrait Bread – Apsaroke (est. $15/25,000) and another horse scene, Before the Storm – Apache (est. $10/15,000). Two pieces, Untitled/ Unpublished (Hopi Man) (est. $8/12,000) and Untitled Portrait (Northern Plains Brave) (est. $15/25,000), are noteworthy because they were not included The North American
Indian, which makes them rarer and new to many Curtis collectors.
“Curtis prints are always exceptional, but platinum prints are something very special. They are the most permanent form of black-and-white photography. These are more than 100 years old and they look spectacular,” Cardozo says. “And they’re also beautiful images.”