Lot 46

Ben Wittick (1845-1903) Pueblo Indian Girl of Zuni

Estimate: $2,100 - $3,100

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
Featured in this lot is this albumen print called "Pueblo Indian Girl of Zuni, daughter of Governor," circa 1890 by Ben Wittick born in 1845 and died in 1903. The albumen print features a scene of a Pueblo girl in a trade shawl and standing next to two large olla pots and standing by a post while holding onto her squash necklace. The artwork comes complete with the original art tag from a prior sale. George Benjamin Wittick (1 January 1845 – 30 August 1903), usually known as Ben Wittick, was an American photographer. He is best known as the author of the only surviving photograph of Billy the Kid. In 1900, he established his final studio at Fort Wingate. He is also the author of a photograph of Geronimo. The albumen print, also called albumen silver print, was published in January 1847 by Louis Désiré Blanquart-Evrard, and was the first commercially exploitable method of producing a photographic print on a paper base from a negative. The condition of this albumen print is good with no obvious signs of damage and shows good overall condition. The measurements of this framed albumen print is 14 3/4" x 11 3/4" and the visible art measures 7 1/8" x 4 1/8". Provenance: From the renowned Sundog Fine Art Bozeman, Montana collection and collected by Bruce VanLandingham. Bruce VanLandingham was a pillar in the American Indian collecting community and a respected expert. Along with being an avid collector, Bruce also was the sole owner of Sundog Fine Art Gallery in Bozeman, which was both part museum and gallery.