Photographer Ansel Adams' work uncovered at a yard sale

[HarveyDarkey]

Rick Norsigian made one of the best yard sale deals ever.

Ten years ago, the California painter bought two boxes of photographic plates for $45, after he bargained the owner down from $75. Today, they are worth an estimated $200 million.

So what was in those boxes? Sixty-five glass negatives made by Ansel Adams, the iconic American nature photographer, CNN reported.

Experts thought the negatives were lost in a 1937 darkroom fire that destroyed 5,000 plates.

"It is truly a missing link of Ansel Adams and history and his career,” David Streets told CNN. Streets, who is an appraiser and art dealer, is hosting a viewing of the photographs at his Beverly Hills gallery Tuesday.

http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/07/27/2010-07-27_what_a_deal_photographer_ansel_adams_work_uncovered_at_a_yard_sale.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. If I'd been the person who sold those, I think I might slit my wrists. Oy!

[ThomThom]

13. these negatives belong to the Adams family or who ever has the copy rights.

They should be returned to the collection, I imagine the family will sue for there return. The painter may have a big problem if it can be proved that he pulled a fast one and stole the negatives.

[Celebration]

2. Good thing Rick didn't hire a professional organizer

To get rid of his "clutter."

[Mira]

3. I saw the headline of this post and started to hold my breath

until I could calm down enough to click on it and see the details.
Now, black and blue and almost dead, I looked at it and sure enough, what you're telling about is simply phenomenal.

I love it when something like that happens.

About 35 years ago, in a local flea market paper, I saw an ad for "Kaethe Kollwitz, pencil signed lithographs in perfect condition" for $ 40 ea.

I went to my husband, the keeper of the money, and told him this needed to be investigated.
He had not heard of her, and was not particularly interested in listening to me telling him this was a BFD.

I went to see - about 15 of them were for sale by a student who knew they "had some value" but he needed money; they were authentic - and I got my husband to spring for one:

here is a link to a picture of it

http://windshoes.new21.org/hall-kollwitz.htm
scroll to bottom, second from right: "Storming of the Armory"

Had he allowed me to get all of them, they would have easily financed the separate abodes that became necessary after a few more years.

Really.

[elleng]

6. Real treasure, Mira!

'Really' I understand! Awaiting mine!

[alfredo]

4. $200 million? Damn!

[Mira]

5. Ansel Adams. Damn. nt

[alfredo]

8. Adams is my photographer/hero.

[NV Whino]

7. The $200 million

is estimated based on selling prints from the plates. I would be nice if he would give the original buyer a percentage.

[hippywife]

9. I heard an interview on NPR

on the way home tonight. The guy made that very point. He said those negatives wouldn't be worth that much unless it was 200 years from now.

The family of Ansel Adams is still disputing they are his.

[HarveyDarkey]

10. There have been several NPR stories recently

http://www.npr.org/search/index.php?searchinput=ansel+adams

[NV Whino]

11. The family is disputing the authenticity

But how many other people do you know who toted a large format camera to those sites?

[Celebration]

12. Exactly n/t

[PhillyGurl]

14. Oh wow. Did you all see the PBS special on Ansel about 5 years ago?

I bought the soundtrack. What a great film.