Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952)

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Edward S. Curtis - A Yakima - Gelatin Printing Out Print - 15 x 9 3/4 inches - Gelatin Printing out Prints <br> <br> Gelatin printing out prints (more commonly know as albumen prints) are Curtis’ earliest and scarcest master exhibition prints. This handful of exquisite prints was printed in or proximal to 1900, when Curtis made his watershed journey to the Montana Plains to witness one of the final Piegan Sundances. <br> <br>It is likely Curtis printed these images himself, in sunlight, while on that expedition. No other photographs are as close to Curtis’ own hands. It is believed there are less than 70 surviving examples of this process. Printing out Prints are the most coveted and important photographs Curtis produced. <br> <br>Following you will find noted a distinction to the albumen label. Curtis actually never printed on an albumen paper. We have termed them albumen because the medium has technically been mislabeled and we simply use "albumen" for simplicity and consistency. <br> <br>The early Curtis prints we call "albumen" are actually gelatin printing out prints. The process is exactly the same for either albumen or gelatin printing out prints. The sensitized paper was placed in direct contact with a glass negative and exposed in strong light--usually sunlight. Then, the image formed on the paper while in contact with the negative and during it's exposure to light. The final image was then toned with gold for color and permanence. <br> <br>The difference between albumen prints and gelatin printing out prints is in the papers. In both cases a thin layer of emulsion sits above the paper and contains the light-sensitive silver salts which react with light to form the image. In albumen prints, that emulsion is made from whisked egg whites, and therefore called albumen. In gelatin printing out prints, the emulsion is made from gelatin, which is a starch. Gelatin prints are more stable than albumen prints, because albumen decays very easily in the presence of moisture and light.
SOLD
A Yakima
1900
15 x 9 3/4 inches
Gelatin Printing Out Print
Edition: Vintage

Edward S. Curtis - An Oasis in the Badlands - Vintage Platinum Print - Image 9 1/4 x 12 1/4 inches
An Oasis in the Badlands
1905
Image 9 1/4 x 12 1/4 inches
Vintage Platinum Print

Edward S. Curtis - Geronimo - Apache - Vintage Silver Gelatin - 13 7/8 x 10 3/4 inches - Silver Prints <br> <br>Despite the fact that silver printing was the most popular photographic printing process of the past century, Curtis printed in it rarely. Nevertheless, his silver prints demonstrate the refinement of his other master exhibition prints. <br> <br>Curtis’ other master exhibition printing processes were contact printing processes—that is, a negative needed to be placed in direct contact with the photographic paper during printing. Curtis worked with glass-plate negatives, and the size of the finished pieces was directly limited by the size of the negative. However, in silver printing, the paper could be developed from a negative in an enlarger—a device through which the image was projected onto the paper. Curtis realized the potential of the process, and printed several immense pieces, some three feet in length. These monumental prints are extremely rare.
Geronimo - Apache
1905
13 7/8 x 10 3/4 inches
Vintage Silver Gelatin

Edward S. Curtis - Maid of Dreams - Vintage Gelatin Silver Print Photograph - 7 ½ x 5 ¾ inches
Maid of Dreams
1906
7 ½ x 5 ¾ inches
Vintage Gelatin Silver Print Photograph

Rendered in silver gelatin, this is a warm, sepia hue and is an excellent example, in both tonality and condition, of this image on matte surface paper
SOLD
President Theodore Roosevelt
1905
13 3/4 x 10 3/4 inches
Toned Silver Gelatin Photograph

Overall Excellent Condition with strong colors. Curtis Copyright L.L. Ink Signed on original mount (11 x 9 inches)
SOLD
Shores of Puget Sound
1898
7 3/4 x 6 inches
Vintage Silver Gelatin Print
Edition: Vintage

Edward S. Curtis - Smaller Unpublished Variation Lishhaiahit - Kittitas (Leschi) - Gold-toned Printing Out Print - 7 x 5 1/4 inches - The frame is a vintage period frame.
Smaller Unpublished Variation Lishhaiahit - Kittitas (Leschi)
7 x 5 1/4 inches
Gold-toned Printing Out Print

Edward S. Curtis - Unpublished Lishhaiahit - Kittitas (Leschi) - Gold-toned Printing-out print - 14 1/4 x 11 1/4 inches - This is very likely th only known example of this image.
Unpublished Lishhaiahit - Kittitas (Leschi)
1899
14 1/4 x 11 1/4 inches
Gold-toned Printing-out print

Original mount: 18 x 22 1/2 inches
SOLD
Unpublished Nampeyo - Hopi
Dated: 1900
12 1/2 x 16 1/4 inches
Vintage Platinum Photograph

Signed in crayon L.R. with Negative Number L.L. Excellent Condition with strong colors
Unpublished Northern Plains Group
1909
7 x 13 1/2 inches
Vintage Platinum Print
Edition: Vintage

Valley Fine Art acquired from the Estate of Edward Curtis
Unpublished Variation of Nespilim Girl
1904
17 1/2 x 13 inches
Vintage Toned Silver Photograph

Edward S. Curtis - Vanishing Race - Navajo - Vintage Platinum Print - 15 1/4 x 19 1/8 inches - Provenance: Purchased from the Southland Corporation
Vanishing Race - Navajo
1904
15 1/4 x 19 1/8 inches
Vintage Platinum Print