The World Trade Center - now in Cologne Amongst the top lots of this auction are two works by the Japanese star-photographer Sugimoto, who is currently celebrated with an exhibition in Düsseldorf: "World Trade Center" and "Galvez House" (Estimates: 18.000 € each). The auction, featuring over 600 works and representing the most comprehensive offer ever concerning photography at VAN HAM, puts the main emphasis on four subjects: Contemporary photographs, classic photographs from the 1920/30s, historic photographs and last but not least a special section with photo books, a subject, which recently has enormously increased in interest. Amongst the works of the 19^th Century there is a major series of early daguerreotypes from the 1840/50s, which should be laid special stress on (Lots 107 – 123, estimate € 300 - € 1.600). Artists are amongst others Trudpert Schneider (Lot 111, estimate € 500), Carl Ferdinand Stelzner (Lot 112, estimate € 1.600) and the French Thiesson (Lot 113, estimate € 600), who is especially renowned for his portrait of Daguerre. Also remarkable is a series of twenty high-format original prints depicting early America of the 1880/90s, comprising sights from New York, San Francisco and New Orleans (Lot 128, estimate € 10.000). As always at VAN HAM photography sales, there are a considerable number of high-quality original prints of the 1920s – 1940s to be called. There are a number of fine prints from the years 1906 - 1924 (Lots 416 – 423, estimates € 3.000 - € 5.000) stemming from the estate of a family close friends with Heinrich Kühn. During the years 1930/31, Aenne Biermann made an impressive vintage print of the "Bahnhof Leipzig" (Lot 241, estimate € 4.000). Numerous original prints by the American photographer Margaret Bourke-White from the 1930s (Lots 256-258) are estimated € 3.000 to € 3.600. Ca. 1935 Man Ray made an outstanding self portrait, which will be called for € 9.000 (Lot 444). The photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch is represented by exceptional works: Special attention should be given to a photograph of the Ruhr, showing the track system near Oberhausen (Lot 485, estimate € 6.000). Excellent also a detail from the industrial plants Herrenwyk dating from 1928 (Lot 488, estimate € 6.000), which was included in the famous work "Die Welt ist schön" of the same year and a print from the years 1943/44 of the beautiful photograph depicting the landscape "Vogelbeeren an einer mitteldeutschen Landstraße", dating from the 1930s (Lot 493, estimate € 2.200). The work of the Cologne photographer August Sander is extensively represented by early original sights of Cologne (Lots 555-556, estimates € 1.800-2.800), portraits of Westerwald families (Lots 544-546, estimates € 600 - € 1.800) and later prints, made by his son Gunther Sander of artists from the group of the Cologne Progressives (Lots 549-552, estimates € 1.400 - € 2.400). From the 1950s – 1970s there are, amongst others, remarkable photographs by the group "fotoform": For example works by Peter Keetman (Lots 400 – 408, estimates € 2.200 - € 3.000), Toni Schneiders (Lots 578 – 583, estimates € 2.000 - € 2.800) and Ludwig Windstosser (Lots 639 – 644, estimates € 2.000 - € 2.200). The American photographer Richard Avedon contributes an impressive double portrait, depicting Virgil Thomson and Robert Lewis (Lot 210, estimate € 7.000). The abundant photographic œvre of Harry Callahan is represented by two beautiful works (Lots 270-271, estimates € 6.000 - € 8.000). Certainly unparalleled on the national and international auction market is also the exceptional series of early editions of the 1960/70s by the Düsseldorf photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher (Lots 216 – 227, estimates € 800 - € 2.200). The work of their Düsseldorf academy student Tata Ronkholz is represented by three "Trinkhallen" (Lots 522 – 524, estimated each € 1.200). Amongst the contemporary photograph works are two top lots by the Japanese star-photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, to whom recently was devoted a comprehensive exhibition in the K21 in Düsseldorf. The works "World Trade Center" (1997) and "Galvez House" (2002) are estimated € 18.000 each. A high-format portrait photograph by the Düsseldorf photo artist Thomas Ruff is appraised € 28.000 (Lot 530). Special attention should also be given to the high-format C-prints by Jörg Sasse (Lot 558, estimate € 8.000) and Beat Streuli (Lot 606, estimate € 10.000). Candida Höfer is represented by early works, amongst others a sight of the Anna-Amalia-Library at Weimar (Lot 381 – 386, estimates € 2.400 - € 4.500). A beautiful work-series comprising photographs of the Ruhr is contributed by Joachim Brohm (Lots 262 - 269, estimates € 1.000 - € 1.400). Works by Matthias Hoch are appraised between € 4.200 and € 5.000 (Lots 377 – 379), a large architecture photograph by Günther Förg is estimated € 18.000 (Lot 317). A C-print by Philip-Lorca diCorcia will be called for € 12.000 (Lot 293). For the first time VAN HAM Fine Art Auctions devotes photo books an own auction segment. Sensational are numerous early publications of the American artist Ed Ruscha, whose rare volumes are estimated between € 300 and € 8.000 (Lots 38 – 54). To this there might be no comparable offer on the German auction market so far. Especially sought after is the volume "Dutch Details" of 1971 (Lot 49, estimate € 8.000). Corresponding with the current comprehensive retrospective in the Museum Ludwig, Cologne, we are pleased to offer numerous rare publications of the Cologne photographer Chargesheimer (Lots 9 - 12, estimates € 200 - € 800). This comprehensive offer of sale 259 at VAN HAM Fine Art Auctions in Cologne, which is characterized by a number of excellent photographs, once more indicates the exceptional position the auction house reached on the national photography market so far.