Mapplethorpe’s Calla Lily sparks fierce bidding, bringing $131,450, to lead Heritage Photography auction

Penn, Ritts, Avedon, Newton all see strong prices in Vintage & Contemporary Art Photography Auction in Dallas

DALLAS, TX – More than 20 years after his death, Robert Mapplethorpe continues to be a force to be reckoned with in modern photography, and prime examples of his work bring serious prices at auction, as evidenced by the $131,450 price realized on June 9 for Mapplethorpe’s 1984 gelatin silver Calla Lily, commanding the top slot in Heritage Auctions’ Signature® Vintage & Contemporary Art Photography auction. All prices include 19.5% Buyer’s Premium.

“There was a tremendous amount of pre-auction activity on Calla Lily,” said Ed Jaster, Vice President of Heritage Auctions. “As soon as it opened bidders drove the price well past its initial $30,000+ estimate before it finally finished at more than four times that amount, and was well worth it.”

As with several of the top lots in the auction, the Mapplethorpe photograph originated in the Collection of a Fortune 500 Company, as did the auction’s number two earner, Irving Penn’s 1987 dye-transfer, Three Tulips: Red Shine, Black Parrot, Gudoshnik, New York, 1967, more than doubling its pre-auction estimate of $25,000+ to realize $50,788.

Herb Ritts is another mid-20^th Century American photographer who was taken far too soon, dying at the age of 50 in 2002. His legacy, however, continues undiminished and his photographs remain widely in demand. His 1989 gelatin silver Stephanie, Cindy, Christy, Tatjana, Naomi, Hollywood, 1989, featuring the six top supermodels of the late 1980s, brought $44,813 from a determined buyer.

By far one of the most delightful and intriguing photographs in the entire auction was Richard Avedon’s 1985 gelatin silver John Harrison, Lumber Salesman and His Daughter Melissa, Lewisville, TX, from In the American West, November 11, 1981, which brought $26,290. This piece also came to auction from the Collection of a Fortune 500 Company.

Helmut Newton was one of the 20^th Century’s most prolific and widely recognized photographers, especially known for his photographs of leggy, tall and heavily made-up models placed in anachronistic settings and poses. His 1976 gelatin silver print, Saddle II, Paris, brought $22,705 to round out the top five offerings of the day.

Further highlights include, but are not limited to:

Alfred Eisenstaedt, V.J. Day, Times Square, New York City, 1945: Gelatin silver, 1991, 17-1/2 x 11-3/4 inches (44.5 x 29.8 cm). Realized: $15,535.

Ansel Easton Adams, Storm, Surf, and Rocks - Timber Cover California, circa 1960: Gelatin silver, 1974, 15-3/8 x 18-1/8 inches (39.1 x 46 cm). Realized: $14,605.

Irving Penn, Still Life (with mouse), New York, 1947: Gelatin silver, vintage print, 10 x 8 inches (25.4 x 20.3 cm). This photograph was originally taken for a magazine illustration. Realized: $10,755.

Alfred Eisenstaedt, Farewell to Servicemen, Pennsylvania Station, New York City, 1943: Gelatin silver, 1991, 17-1/4 x 13-1/2 inches (43.8 x 34.3 cm). Realized: $5,975.

Harry Callahan, Eleanor, Chicago, 1953: Gelatin silver, 7-5/8 x 9-5/8 inches (19.4 x 24.4 cm). Realized: $5,079.

Heritage Auctions, founded by Steve Ivy and Jim Halperin, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $600 million, and 500,000+ registered online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.

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