Lot 318

Horace Bristol (1909-96) Gelatin Silver Photograph

Estimate: $1,500 - $3,500

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
This is an original Gelatin Silver Photograph of Torpedo Plains in Formation over a Carrier during the Invasion of North Africa circa 1942 from the An American View collection plate #81, being an original printed later. Horace Bristol (born 1909; passed 1997) was an esteemed American Photograph from the 20th Century who was a founding photographer with Life (magazine) in 1936, in 1938 documenting migrant farmers in California with John Steinbeck recording the Great Depression which would later be called his Grapes of Wrath collection. He was later recruited in 1941 to the U.S. Naval Aviation Photographic Unit as one of only six photographers documenting World War II (under the command of Captain Edward J. Steichen) in places such as Japan and such as this piece, Africa (documenting the invasion of North Africa and also Iwo Jima and Okinawa). His most collected works are the rare photographs documenting the WWII with his photograph “PBY Blister Gunner, Rescue at Rabaul, 1944 Gelatin Silver” selling at auction for $18,750 with Phillips New York in 2012 (shown with BP). Many of his works offered for sale are later or secondary prints with this being an original negative Silver Gelatin Photograph from the photographer himself, this piece being printed in 1996 a year before his death. This is a well-preserved original photograph in good condition being professionally framed and holds the Gallery of Contemporary Photography Bergamot Station Arts Center Santa Monica, CA gallery tag on the back which states the above information. This is one of largest original silver gelatin photographs offered by Bristol with the visible art area measuring 19” by 14 ¾” and the frame being 27 ¼” nu 22 ¾”. Most examples, including the several sold by our company in 2020 from the Grapes of Wrath series are of a slightly smaller size. Provenance: From the prominent ex-collection of Edward Bazinet, the founder of Department 56. The piece was displayed at his 5-Bar-6 Ranch in Paradise Valley Pray, Montana the exact ranch and location where the movie A River Runs Through It was filmed.