Description:

Fred Stein
1909-1967
Joie & Central Park Lake, Group of 2
Silver Gelatin Print
Joie
On Verso:
Print No. 34/350
Estate of Fred Stein
Authorised Estate Print c 1994 signed Peter Stein

Approximate Page size: 16" H x 20" W
Approximate Image size: 14" H x 18" W
Approximate Frame size: 21.25" H x 25" W

Central Park Lake
On Verso:
Print No. 34/350
Estate of Fred Stein
Authorised Estate Print c 1994 signed Peter Stein

Approximate Page size: 20" H x 16" W
Approximate Image size: 16.5" H x 14" W
Approximate Frame size: 25.25" H x 21.25" W

Provenance: Michael F Ingbar Gallery, New York
From the private collection of a New York City Financial Firm.
Frame in as is condition.

If you are viewing this lot on Live Auctioneers, please note there are additional images listed via our website LaBelleEpoque.com

  • Provenance: Fred Stein was born on July 3, 1909 in Dresden, Germany. As a teenager he was deeply interested in politics and became an early anti-Nazi activist. He was a brilliant student, and went to Leipzig University, full of humanist ideals, to study law. He obtained a law degree in an impressively short time, but was denied admission to the German bar by the Nazi government for "racial and political reasons." The threat of Fascism grew more and more dangerous and after the SS began making inquiries about him, Stein fled to Paris in 1933 with his new wife, Liselotte Salzburg, under the pretext of taking a honeymoon.

    In Paris they were in the center of a circle of expatriates, intellectuals and artists. In the midst of upheaval, gathering war, and personal penury, Stein began taking photographs. He was a pioneer of the small, hand-held camera, and with the Leica which he and his wife had purchased as a joint wedding present, he went into the streets to photograph scenes of life in Paris. He saw hope and beauty where most people would only see despair. He also became acquainted with and photographed some of the leading personalities of Europe.

    When Germany declared war on France in 1939, Stein was put in an internment camp for enemy aliens near Paris. He managed to escape, and after a hazardous clandestine journey through the countryside, met his wife and baby girl in Marseilles, where they obtained visas through the efforts of the International Rescue Committee. On May 7, 1941, the three boarded the S.S. Winnipeg, one of the last boats to leave France. They carried only the Leica and some negatives.

    New York was a vibrant center of culture, and Stein seized the opportunity. He met and photographed writers, artists, scientists, politicians, and philosophers whose work he knew through his extensive reading and study. This enabled him to engage them in conversation during portrait sessions. He continued his fascination with humanity, walking through the streets of New York, documenting life from Fifth Avenue to Harlem. He worked unobtrusively and quickly, valuing the freedom to capture the telling moment that reveals the subject in its own light, not as incidental material for photographic interpretation. He preferred natural or minimal lighting, and avoided elaborate setups as well as dramatic effects. He did not retouch or manipulate the negative. Having a deep commitment to social equality and a concern for his fellow man, he became a member of the Photo League. Though portraits were his main income-generating work and he photographed many people on commission, he generally worked without assignment, shooting people and scenes that interested him. He would then offer his work to publishers and photo editors of magazines, newspapers, and books.

    Stein died in 1967 at the age of 58. His portraits and reportage had appeared in newspapers, magazines, and books throughout the world. He had numerous one-man exhibitions, gave frequent lectures, and had several books published. His portrait of Albert Einstein is his most famous picture: an iconic image of a great soul.
  • Medium: Silver Gelatin Print

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

La Belle Epoque Auction House Does Not Offer In House Shipping. See below a list of shippers our bidders have used in the past. You may use any shipper of your choice.
We are closed for pick up the Monday directly proceeding the Auction.

Pick up is available Monday - Friday 11am - 5pm. Please email or call with your lot numbers prior to arrival so we can be sure your lots are accessible for pick up. Saturday pick up is available by appointment only.

Please note, all items not picked up or arranged for shipping by a third-party shipper within 3 business days will be charged $5.00 per day due to space restrictions. To ensure this is not charged, please communicate with us the intended plan for pick up/shipping.
All lots not collected or shipped by 60 days post Auction will be considered abandoned and will become the property of La Belle Epoque Auction House.

Please contact a shipper of your choice to coordinate shipping immediately after payment is processed. Please view a list of recommended shippers and truckers below:
The UPS Store #6052
For all items big and small.
45-12 46th Street
Sunnyside, NY 11104
Contact - Tony Tang
Phone Number - 718-433-9111
[email protected]
www.theupsstorelocal.com/6052\
Call or Email for a Quote

Manhattan Mail Room
For small items.
1562 1st Ave., New York, NY 10028
Phone Number - (212) 249-1756

The Packengers
[email protected]
(929) 339-2223
Monday to Friday
9am to 5pm
Sure Express Worldwide
207-797-3096 or 1-800-335-9996
[email protected]
www.sureexpress.com

Blue Diamond
Cristian: +1 (908) 249-8071
[email protected]
Tri-state Area.

Billy Mac Delivery Service
(California, Chicago, Wasington D.C., New England, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut & Pennsylvania)
Contact - William Mcnamara
[email protected]
Phone Number - 215-285-4840

Richard Santana (Art Handler/Mover/Driver)
Local Tri-State area
[email protected]
917-754-1809

Shupe Shipping
[email protected]
Matt 973-223-0290
Specialize in Fine Art & Glass Moving
From Miami to New Hampshire every other week
New York to California every 6 weeks

Viking Transport & Distribution
Kevin Higgins 205-790-3215
Contiguous U.S

FiveOh Transportation
Tony or Kyle 828-508-7158
[email protected]
Contiguous U.S

Annie Hauls
For furniture local delivery in tri-state area
Call - 609-557-5133
Email - [email protected]
www.anniehauls.com

MVXPRESS
Call - Pablo 347-306-8348
Email - [email protected]

Bolt Logistics & Transport
Email - [email protected]
Call - 678-662-8013

Nelson Fine Antiques Moving
Email - [email protected]
Call - Nelson 914-588-0265

May 31, 2025 11:00 AM EDT
New York, NY, US

La Belle Epoque Auction House

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 28% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $99 $10
$100 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000