10 (of 12) photographs from Portfolio One (San Francisco: self-published, 1948), each mounted, signed in pencil on the mount, the portfolio stamp, sequential numbers and '72' in red ink, and annotation in ink 'Acquired June 1957' on the reverse, 1938-48, printed in 1948; together with the letterpress title/colophon/plate list and introduction by Adams, number '72' in red ink, and a copy of a 2 June 1948 letter from Land to Adams. Folio, white lettered cloth portfolio with flaps and ties, no. 72 in a total edition of 75 (10)

Acquired from the photographer🍸 in June 1957 for the Library Collection

On June 2, 1948, Edwin Land wrote a letter, on Polaroid Corporation stationary, to Adams thanking him for his impending shipment of Portfolio One. It has not been determined if this letter, a copy of which is included in this lot, applies to the present portfolio or another from this edition. The letter reads as follows: 'Dear Mr. Adams: Thank you for the opportunity of obtaining your PORTFOLIO NUMBER ONE, which I am looking forward to receiving with much interest. I shall present it to Mrs. Land as a gift. Incidentally, I am keeping your letters on top of my pile of unanswered correspondence, with the hope that I shall eventually get around to answering them. Perhaps the surest way would be for you to visit us again, and I hope this will be at an early date. With kind regards, I am Sincerely yours Edwin H. Land' These prints are in generally very good condition. In the lower left corner of the mount, most prints are numbered sequentially in an unknown hand in pencil. The missing plates are 'Mount McKinley, Alaska' and 'Oak Tree, Snow Storm, Yosemite.' 2. Saguaro Cactus, Sunrise, Arizona - In raking light, various small surface scratches and deposits of retouching are visible. The right edge and lower corner of the print are lightly bumped. On the mount, there are stray graphite-colored marks. On the reverse of the mount, there are fingerprints and the portfolio stamp is outlined and annotated in an unknown hand in pencil 'Copy on Back.' The annotation 'AS 33,' in an unidentified hand, is also on the reverse. 3. Rapids Below Vernal Fall, Yosemite Valley - Visible in raking light are 2 faint small surface impressions near the left and upper print edges. There is small emulsion loss along the lower print edge. On the mount, there is a ½-inch transparent rust-colored droplet of indeterminate nature. The edges are lightly darkened from handling. On the reverse of the mount, 'Rapids below Vernal Fall Yosemite Valley (1948)' is written in an unidentified hand in pencil. 4. Mormon Temple, Manti, Utah - Pervasive warm-toned droplet spots are visible on the front of the mount. The print itself shows only the scantest evidence of these droplets, which are not warm-toned and are only visible upon close examination in raking light. Also visible in raking light is a tiny crease in the upper right quadrant of the image. There is a small loss of emulsion in the lower left corner of the print. The lower right corner of the print is creased or bent. This appears to have broken the emulsion. 5. Vine and Rock, Island of Hawaii, T.H. - The mount corners are bumped. On the reverse, there are small abrasions to the top ply in the corners. 6. Refugio Beach, California - The lower right corner of the print is bumped and there is a tiny emulsion loss. The mount is appropriately age-darkened, the corners are bumped, and there are fingerprints on the reverse. 7. The White Church, Hornitos, California - In raking light, there are 3 tiny linear impressions that do not break the emulsion in the lower portion of the image and extending from the middle right edge of the print. The mount is appropriately age-darkened and on the reverse there are fingerprints. The corners of the mount are slightly bent. 8. Roots, Foster Gardens, Honolulu, T.H. - In raking light, various small deposits of original retouching are visible. The mount edges are lightly darkened from handling. On the reverse of the mount, there are fingerprints and small abrasions to the top ply. 10. Trailside, Near Juneau, Alaska - In high raking light, extending slightly from the upper edge of the image, is a small slightly raised area. On the reverse of the mount, there are very minor abrasions to the top ply in the corners. 11. Alfred Stieglitz, An American Place, New York - Upon close examination, small surface scratches are visible. In the center of the image, there is a pin-point-sized loss of emulsion. The mount is appropriately age-darkened and there are fingerprints at its periphery. On the reverse of the mount, Adams numbered this print '10'; an unknown hand has written in pencil a '1' over the zero. The title is in an unknown hand in pencil. There are fingerprints and small abrasions to the top ply. 12. Clouds Above Golden Canyon, Death Valley, California - In the lower left quadrant, there is a small raised area, likely particles trapped between the print and mount. On the mount, there are fingerprints at the edges and a stray light green-colored mark. The lower left mount corner is slightly bent. The plate list has numerical notations in an unknown hand in pencil. The folio is extensively soiled and waterstained overall. 'Ansel Adams Portfolio I' is in an unknown hand in ink on the spine. Another unknown hand has also written the following numbers on the spine: '#2' (crossed out in red pencil), '#9,' 'missing,' and '2-3-72.'
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.