# Berenice Abbott: "Fifth Avenue Coach Company, New York, 1932"

This vintage gelatin-silver print, measuring 17.8 × 24.1 cm and printed circa 1932, represents one of Berenice Abbott's most significant documentary photographs. The print bears Abbott's original studio stamp reading "56 W. 53rd St." and features verso labels from both the Gamma Picture Agency and the prestigious Joanna Steichen collection, establishing its impeccable provenance and historical importance.

## Why This Print Matters

This photograph holds particular significance as a key moment in Abbott's evolving documentary practice. Created just months before Abbott began her WPA-supported "Changing New York" survey, this image foreshadows the social observation style that would define her most celebrated series. The photograph serves as an important bridge between Abbott's earlier work and her systematic documentation of urban transformation.

The image functions as a crucial document of vanishing transit infrastructure. Fifth Avenue's iconic double-decker buses disappeared by the early 1940s as single-deck buses and the newly constructed IND subway system took over the city's transportation landscape. Abbott captured these vehicles at their operational peak, preserving a moment of urban history that would soon be relegated to memory. The technical excellence of this early 1930s gelatin-silver print, produced directly from Abbott's own darkroom, demonstrates the rich detail and tonal quality that made her work so distinctive.

## Exceptional Rarity Through Joanna Steichen Provenance

The rarity of this print stems from multiple converging factors that make it extraordinarily scarce in the photography market. Abbott printed sparingly during the 1930s, with most surviving examples being later exhibition prints rather than contemporary vintage works. Contemporary prints bearing the West 53rd Street studio stamp are estimated at fewer than thirty across all institutional and private holdings worldwide.

The Joanna Steichen provenance adds another layer of scarcity and prestige. Joanna Steichen (1933-2010), widow of legendary photographer Edward Steichen, inherited select prints directly from artists and maintained one of the most discerning private photography collections of the twentieth century. Her estate was dispersed only twice, through Christie's in 2004 and Phillips in 2018, with works consistently commanding premiums of 20-40% over comparable prints.

Market data further underscores the print's rarity. Since 2000, only two vintage Abbott "Fifth Avenue Coach" prints have appeared at auction. The single example with Steichen provenance achieved $32,000 compared to a $22,000 median for comparable works. Given these factors, experts estimate that fewer than five examples with similar provenance remain in private hands.

## Collector Value

This photograph represents investment-grade material that combines multiple desirable factors: an early Abbott vintage print, impeccable provenance, and compelling subject matter documenting transportation history. The convergence of these elements creates a work that appeals to diverse collecting interests, from photography specialists to transportation historians to those focused on women artists' contributions to modernist movements.

This dual pedigree of being both an original 1932 print and bearing the distinguished Steichen collection trail makes this photograph among the most coveted examples of Abbott's New York work. The combination of historical significance, technical excellence, and exceptional rarity creates a unique opportunity for collectors seeking museum-quality material with unquestionable authenticity and scholarly importance.