SALOMON, Erich (1886-1944)

[Photobook] Berühmte Zeitgenossen in unbewachten Augenblicken [Celebrated Contemporaries in Unguarded Moments]

Stuttgart: J. Engelhorns Nachf, 1931. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. First Printing of this pioneering photobook by one of the originators of photojournalism. Tall 8vo (250 x 185 mm): 46,[1]pp, with 116 full- and half-page plates with picture legends in German, English, French, and Italian on versos. Original French blue cloth, upper cover and spine stamped in gilt, without the photo-illustrated dust jacket. Edges very lightly spotted, else a Fine firmly bound copy, clean and bright throughout. Roth (101), pp. 74-75. Roth (Open Book), pp. 104-105. Parr & Badger I, p. 131. Auer, p. 166. Fotografia Publica 519. Fine. Item #BB1978

Candid black-and-white photographs of statesmen, scientists, painters, writers, and conductors (William Randolph Hearst playing solitaire at San Simeon, Albert Einstein listening to a Reichstag speech, Benito Mussolini conferring with German statesmen in Rome), caught in unguarded moments, yawning, dozing, slouching. In 1928, Salomon "began to use the miraculous new Ermanox camera with its very fast f2.0 (later f1.8) lens to photograph celebrities unawares. These unposed, available-light photographs (dubbed 'candid photography' by the London Graphic) caused a sensation when they appeared in the Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung. Politicians were wary at first, but quickly realized the potential of such images, and Salomon was granted unprecedented access to high-level meetings." During the war, Solomon was sent to Auschwitz, where, with his wife and son, he died in 1944. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).

Price: $401.00