Print of iconic Lennon-Ono photo heads to auction

By Susan Sliwicki

A limited-edition print showing a nude John Lennon embracing a clothed Yoko Ono that was taken hours before Lennon's death is one of the lots featured in Sotheby's upcoming Photographs auction.

The photograph, which was taken by Annie Leibovitz on Dec. 8, 1980, was meant to be used on the cover of an edition of Rolling Stone to promote the couple's "Double Fantasy" album. Instead, it appeared after his death, on the cover of the magazine's issue dated Jan. 22, 1981. The Cibachrome print is signed, titled, dated, and editioned '33/40' in ink in the margin. It is framed and measures 14-1/4-by-14-1/4 inches. The preauction estimate for Lot 230 is $10,000 to $15,000.

The auction will be held Oct. 2, 2013. A pre-auction exhibition will be held at Sotheby's New York auction house (all times Eastern) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28, 2013; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 29, 2013; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 30, 2013; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 1, 2013.

To view the lots, visit http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/2013/photographs-n09020.html#&i=48

Much of the auction features nature and urban images by artists including Berenice Abbott, Ansel Adams, Harry Callahan, Brett Weston, Alfred Eisenstaedt, but there are a few other images of other pop culture figures, including:

• An oversized Cibachrome print of Steve McCurry's photo "Afghan Girl," made famous on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic. Signed and editioned '22/30' in ink and with the photographer's studio stamp with print date and catalogue number in ink on the reverse, framed. Printed in 2006. Measures 37-by-24-1/2 inches. Lot 216.
Preauction estimate: $30,000 to $50,000.

• Philippe Halsman's 1959 photograph "Marilyn Monroe Jumping." Numbered '83.0' in pencil on the image, mounted, with red ink cropping notations and the Famous Photographers School lesson stamps, with numbers in pencil, on the mount, and the FPS stamp on the reverse, framed. Printed no later than 1964. Measures 13-3/4 by 10-3/4 inches. Lot 179.
Pre-auction estimate: $25,000 to $35,000.

• Robert Mapplethorpe's 1986 photo of Andy Warhol. Flush-mounted, the photographer's copyright stamp, signed and dated, and with title, date, edition '1/10,' and '[MAP] 1883' in ink on the reverse, framed. Lot 165.
Preauction estimate: $20,000 to $30,000.

• Robert Frank's 1956 photo "CBS Studio Hollywood." Signed, titled, and dated in ink in the margin, printed circa 1970. Measures 8-3/4 by 13-1/4 inches. Lot 149.
Preauction estimate: $15,000 to $25,000.

• A Cibachrome print of Leibovitz's 1986 photograph of the late Keith Haring titled "Keith Haring, New York," which shows the artist in full black and white body paint reminiscent of Haring's trademark style, appearing to be almost camoflauged in a background of the same motif. In addition to his other works, Haring also crafted picture sleeve and album art, including the image used on the album "A Very Special Christmas." The print is signed, titled, dated, editioned '26/40' in ink in the margin and framed, measures 9-1/2-by-11-1/2 inches. Lot 231. Preauction estimate: $12,000 to $18,000.

• An oversized digital pigment print of Mick Rock's 1973 photograph of David Bowie, titled "Saxophone Session." Signed and editioned '1/10' in pencil in the margin, framed, with a Govinda Gallery, Washington, D. C., label on the reverse. It measures 30-3/8-by-30 inches. Lot 229.
Preauction estimate: $10,000 to $15,000.

• Halsman's 1955 photograph "Audrey Hepburn With Doves," which appeared on the July 18, 1955, cover of Life Magazine. Mounted, extensive ink cropping notations, Famous Photographers School lesson stamp, with numbers in pencil and crayon, and notations in pencil and ink on the mount, the FPS lesson and other stamps, with numbers in crayon, on the reverse, and with blue paper overleaf with FPS lesson stamp and numbers in crayon. Measures 13-5/8 by 10-5/8 inches. Lot 183.
Preauction estimate: $7,000 to $10,000.

• Alfred Eisenstaedt's 1928 portrait of actress Marlene Dietrich titled "Marlene Dietrich at Berlin Press Ball. Titled and dated in ink and with the photographer's credit, "Life Photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt," date, and Famous Photographers School lesson stamps, with numbers in pencil, on the reverse, framed. Printed in 1952; accompanied by an extensively stamped mount remnant. Measures 13-3/8-by-10 1/2 inches. Lot 127.
Preauction estimate: $5,000 to $7,000.

• Bert Stern's photograph "Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer, Paris 1963, For Vogue." Mounted, red ink cropping notations, Famous Photographers School lesson stamp, with numbers in ink, and notations in pencil and crayon on the mount, the FPS lesson and other stamps, with numbers in ink, on the reverse, framed. Lot 182.
Preauction estimate: $5,000 to $7,000.

• An oversized plate of a 1957 image of Ernest Hemingway by photographer Yousuf Karsh's "Fifteen Photographs." Mounted, signed in ink and with edition '17/100' in pencil on the mount, framed. Printed in 1983. Measures 23-3/4-by-19-7/8 inches. Lot 87. Preauction estimate: $6,000 to $9,000.• A Cibachrome print of Leibovitz's 1992 portrait of actress Demi Moore, titled the same. Signed, titled, dated, annotated 'Los Angeles,' and editioned '5/40' in ink in the margin, it is framed and measures 14-5/8-by-11-7/8 inches. Lot 232.
Preauction estimate: $4,000 to $6,000.

• Stern's 1960 photo of Sue Lyon as the character Lolita, for Look. Mounted, stamped, with red-ink cropping notations in the margin, the Famous Photographers School lesson stamp with letters and numbers in red ink on the mount, the FPS lesson and other stamps, with numbers in ink, on the reverse, framed. Printed no later than 1964. Measures
16-3/8-by-11-3/8 inches. Lot 186.
Preauction estimate: $5,000 to $7,000.