mounted, signed and dated in pencil on the mount, titled and numbered 'LA-MGM-7G' in pencil on the reverse, framed, 1939 (Conger 1440; California and the West, p. 175; Maddow, p. 220; Edward Weston's Gifts to His Sister, p. 52; Huntington, pl. 109; Taschen, p. 179)

Sotheby's New York, 6 April 1993, Sale 6407, Lot 166

In addition to the print of this image in the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson, Conger locates prints in the following institutional collections: Huntington Library, San Marino; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Indiana University Art Museum, Bloomington; and Special Collections, University of California, Santa Cruz (a Project Print). This impressive print, on paper with a surface sheen and mounted to dark cream-colored board, is in generally excellent condition. When examined very closely in high raking light, the following are visible: 2 tiny deposits of original retouching near the upper image edge; a few very small, matte deposits of indeterminate nature overall; a thin, 2-inch horizontal scuff and a few hairline scratches in the lower central portion; and a tiny impression, not breaking the emulsion, in the lower left quadrant. Along the left image edge are 3 miniscule chips to the emulsion. None of these issues detracts in any way from the overall fine appearance of this print. The lower mount corners are bumped and creased. Graphite-colored soiling from handling is visible at the mount's periphery and on the reverse. Along the lower right mount edge, there is a one-and-1/2-inch isolated area that was previously exposed to moisture. Along the upper mount edge, there is a 4-inch-long strip of linen tape.
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.

In January of 1939 Edward Weston was given access, by friends Warren Newcombe and Cedric Gibbons, to photograph the storage lot of MGM Studios.  He made a number of photographs on this visit (cf. Conger 1428-1440), but the image offered here is perhaps the best known and most enigmatic.  In California and the West, Charis Weston recounts that they came upon the dummies, resting on a wooden shelf, at the end of the day.  She pulled out one dummy, which Weston photographed. 😼; It was when she pulled down a second dummy, with a 'fractured leg,' that Weston made the image offered here.  Conger locates 5 prints of this image in institutional collections: at the Huntington Library; the Indiana University Museum of Art; The L. A. County Museum of Art; and a project print at the University of California, Santa Cruz.