Lot 176

Amazing Astronaut Photo by Stephen F. Grohe, From Famous Photographer's School Archive

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Amazing Astronaut Photo by Stephen F. Grohe, From Famous Photographer's School Archive

Estimate: $300 - $400

Current Bid: $100

(1 Bid)

January 29, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Stephen F. Grohe
n.p., n.d.
Amazing Astronaut Photo by Stephen F. Grohe, From Famous Photographer's School Archive
Photograph
A superb photograph by technology photographer Stephen F. Grohe, showing an incredible close-up of an astronaut in helmet and included in the textbooks for the courses he, and other acclaimed photographers, taught at the Famous Photographers School in the 1960s. The photo measures 10" x 12.5" and is affixed to a 24" x 17" cardboard mount. Around it are red pen notations as well as one in pencil, erased. At bottom right, the stamp and note indicate that this image would be used as part of Lesson 16, pages 28-29 in the course textbook. On verso is a similar notation, as well as the red ownership stamp for the School. The photograph is housed within the original blue paper wrapper, also noted with the lesson and page numbers. Light soiling and wear to mount, else very good.

The page (not included) within the coursebook to which this photo corresponds reads: "Harsh, low-angle lighting and a close-up view dramatize this photograph of a spaceman by Stephen F. Grohe. It illustrated a trade ad for a manufacturing company manufacturing components used in manned space flights…".

This photograph comes directly from the archive of the Famous Photographers School, founded in 1961 and directed by renowned photographer Victor Keppler. It gathered as faculty the ten most famous American photographers of its time: Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Alfred Eisenstadt, Bert Stern, Richard Beattie, Philippe Halsman, Joseph Costa, Ezra Stoller, Harry Gardner and others. Margaret Bourke-White served as faculty advisor. Each photographer created works exclusively for the school textbooks, as well as illustrating the lessons with some of their most famous photographs. Most of the prints we offer here are stamped with page numbers corresponding to their placement in the books. Some even include detailed handwritten notations giving details on techniques. These prints were kept in file drawers following the dissolution of the school in the mid-seventies. The images we offer here come directly from the photographers' studios. These works are the actual prints used to create iconic images featured in issues of LIFE, Time, Vogue, and so many other publications, and created long before limited-edition portfolios with signed examples of the photographers' works were offered widely. The Famous Photographers School Archive was purchased by a Connecticut photography expert. While much of it was then acquired by the Yale University Art Gallery in 2016, the original purchaser retained a small collection, which are now offered by University Archives.

Stephen Foster Grohe (1935-2017) was a commercial photographer and illustrator who worked with clients in the tech industry such as Bose, Polaroid, and Raytheon.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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#SpaceAstronaut

    Dimensions:
  • 24" x 17"
  • Artist Name:
  • Stephen F. Grohe
  • Medium:
  • Photograph

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000