“TRADITION AND TRANSITION AND TOMORROW”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Sound Baffles. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his strikingly abstract image of sound baffles in the testing room at Hitachi Corporation’s Yokohama Works. Taken circa 1961 and chosen for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image, this print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4800.

“COMPANY AND COUNTRY—WHEREVER I WAS, THERE WERE MY SUBJECTS”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Two Women on Street. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his image of women on a street that reflects his stated aim of “linking photographically the two sides of Japan.” Taken circa 1961 and chosen for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image, this print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4200.

“THE WEAVING OF DISPARATE ELEMENTS”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Kaigan Works. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his formally elegant view of Japanese workers at Hitachi’s Kaigan Works, with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso, this print featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit of his photographs. $4200.

“THE RACE FOR TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Large Steel Parts. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, a dynamic image of contrasts as a worker mans the controls of a massive steel turbine and a woman quietly sweeps the floor alongside. Taken circa 1961 and chosen for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image, this print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4200.

“AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE WORLD AND A SPIRIT THAT WILL ENDURE”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Man and Horse. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, the image of a man and horse on a beach that echoes his profound legacy—a “vision that left such an indelible mark on the world and a spirit that will endure” (Hughes, ix). Taken circa 1961 and chosen for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image, this print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4200.

“THE HUNGERS OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Violinist. No place, 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his image of a young symphony violinist and Hitachi worker, affirming that “it is the people in front of his lens who most strongly attract his attention” (New York Times). Taken circa 1961 and chosen for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image, this print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4200.

“ONE OF THE SEMINAL FIGURES OF 20TH-CENTURY PHOTOGRAPHY”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Three Children. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, a dramatic image of three Japanese children lit within a frame of imposing machines, taken circa 1961 and chosen by Smith for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image. This print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4200.

“GREAT EVENTS AND EVERYDAY HAPPENINGS WITH EQUAL SYMPATHY”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Hitachi City Children. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his evocative image of Japanese children at play in Hitachi City, taken circa 1961 and chosen by Smith for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image. This print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $4200.

“A ‘ROULETTE’ OF THE PUBLIC ROAD”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Man Washing Moped. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his tribute to Japan’s newly vigorous postwar culture in which cars and mopeds such as that seen here are “ritually washed, polished and polished,” taken circa 1961 and chosen by Smith for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image. This print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $3200.

“BEAUTIFULLY COMPOSED, LIKE REMBRANDT OR GOYA”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Painting, Nude. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his evocative image of the painting of a nude taken in Japan circa 1961. This print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $3200.

“RESTRAINT IS QUICK TO THE SWORD”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph. Two Men Reading Newspaper. No place, circa 1961.

Vintage gelatin silver print from the estate of W. Eugene Smith, his expressive image of two workers reading the sports pages—evoking a complex contrast of old and new. Taken circa 1961 and chosen for his 1963 photobook Japan… A Chapter of Image, this print with Smith’s estate inkstamp on the verso was featured in a highly praised 1996 New York gallery exhibit. $3200.

SIGNED BY W. EUGENE SMITH

SMITH, W. Eugene. Let Truth Be the Prejudice. Tokyo, 1971.

Important 1971 Japanese edition of this folio portfolio of 16 striking exhibition-size photogravures, loose as issued, boldly signed by W. Eugene Smith on the cover, a work that richly commemorates the opening of his Tokyo exhibit titled “Let Truth Be the Prejudice,” with iconic images such as his portait of a “Spinner” from Spanish Village—“long considered a classic.” $2200.

INSCRIBED BY W. EUGENE SMITH

SMITH, W. Eugene. W. Eugene Smith: His Photographs and Notes. New York, 1969.

True first edition, in softcover, of this retrospective monograph on W. Eugene Smith’s storied career, warmly inscribed by him on the title page to brothers Peter and David Turnley, both award-winning photojournalists, with 120 finely printed duotones from Smith’s career. $1850.

“IN MEMORY OF THINGS OBSCENE”

SMITH, W. Eugene and SMITH, Aileen M. Minamata. New York, 1975.

First trade edition in wrappers of W. Eugene Smith’s last major photobook, presentation/association copy inscribed on the half title within days of publication to a respected Depression-era photographer of the FSA, “To Charlie Rotkin, in memory of things obscene. W. Eugene Smith, April 10, 1975,” additionally signed by Smith’s wife and co-author Aileen M. Smith. Featuring 150 finely screened photogravures documenting the tragedy of Minamata. $1850.

LARGE ORIGINAL W. EUGENE SMITH PHOTOGRAPH OF TRUMAN CASTING HIS VOTE

(TRUMAN, Harry) SMITH, W. Eugene. Original photograph. Independence, Missouri, November 15, 1948.

Large vintage photograph by W. Eugene Smith of Harry Truman for Life’s photo-essay on the President, dated and captioned on the verso in a contemporary hand. $1800.

ORIGINAL EUGENE SMITH PHOTOGRAPH OF TRUMAN

(TRUMAN, Harry) SMITH, W. Eugene. Original photograph. St. Louis, 1948.

Vintage photograph by W. Eugene Smith of Harry Truman taken for Life’s photo-essay on the President, with Life ownership stamp on the verso. $1800.

“IN HOMAGE TO THE ARTISTRY AND MEMORY OF… W. EUGENE SMITH”

(SMITH, W. Eugene) KARSH, Yousuf. Faces of Destiny. Chicago and New York, 1946.

First edition, second issue, of Karsh’s scarce first photobook, featuring 75 full-page photogravures including his iconic image of Churchill, this rare presentation/association copy with a tipped-in autograph letter to Margery Smith, longtime partner of famed photographer W. Eugene Smith. Karsh’s letter of November 7, 1981 reads, “This volume is inscribed for Mrs. Smith, In homage to the artistry and memory of her husband and my friend, W. Eugene Smith, and with the affectionate wishes of Yousuf Karsh.” $1800.

“HIS WORK CHANGED, AS WELL AS DOCUMENTED, HISTORY”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Photograph of delegates at the Chicago Democratic Convention. Chicago, 1944.

Vintage photographic print by W. Eugene Smith of Democratic delegates, with Life magazine accession number on the verso. $750.

W. EUGENE SMITH’S “CAMERA, ANCHORED IN THE HEART, MOVES ME BY ITS INTEGRITY” (HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON)

(SMITH, W. Eugene) MADDOW, Ben. Let Truth Be the Prejudice. New York, 1985.

First edition of this definitive posthumous retrospective on the life and work of W. Eugene Smith, a association copy signed by photographer Margery Lewis Smith, whose relationship with the photographer began in 1951 and continued “for the remainder of his life” (Ben Maddow). Lewis Smith’s own work was featured in Steichen’s landmark 1955 Family of Man exhibit. $650.

“HIS WORK CHANGED, AS WELL AS DOCUMENTED, HISTORY”

(TRUMAN, Harry) SMITH, W. Eugene. Copy-print of Harry Truman listening to National Anthem. No place, 1948.

Contemporary copy-print by Life magazine staff photographer Thomas Styles of W. Eugene Smith’s photograph of Harry Truman for Life’s “photo essay” on the President, with stamps on verso identifying Smith as the photographer and the date. $485.

“NEVER HAVE I FOUND THE LIMITS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC POTENTIAL”

SMITH, W. Eugene. W. Eugene Smith. His Photographs and Notes. (New York), 1993.

Second edition of this handsome monograph, issued posthumously, featuring 120 striking duotones, association copy from the library of photographer Margery Lewis Smith, Eugene Smith’s longtime partner and frequent collaborator. $350.

“PHOTOGRAPHY IS A SMALL VOICE… I BELIEVE IN IT”

SMITH, W. Eugene. Early Work. Tucson, 1980.

First edition of one of the earliest posthumous collections of Smith’s work, with 99 photogravures and numerous in-text images of his work from 1938-51, including many of his finest from WWII, as well as those from Country Doctor (1948) and Spanish Village (1951). $125.

EXHIBITION CATALOGUE OF 12 MODERN PHOTOGRAPHERS INFLUENCED BY W. EUGENE SMITH

(SMITH, W. Eugene) CAMERA INTERNATIONAL. Legacy of W. Eugene Smith. Paris, 1991.

First edition, American issue, of this special publication of Camera International, serving as a catalogue of the 1991-92 exhibition of 12 contemporary photographers working in the tradition of W. Eugene Smith. From the collection of acclaimed photojournalist Peter Turnley, signed by him. $125.