Edward S. Curtis Photogravures: How to Tell an Original From a Later Print

Some Edward S. Curtis pictures are original photogravures or orotones worth thousands of dollars. Many more are later prints or posters. A Curtis orotone of The Rush Gatherer that we estimated at $8,000 to $10,000 sold for $11,000. Here is how to tell what you have before you sell.

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Edward S. Curtis photographs hang in a lot of homes. Some are original photogravures worth thousands of dollars. Many more are later prints worth a fraction of that, and some are posters. You can tell a lot about which one you have before you ever call an appraiser.

What Curtis made

Curtis spent three decades photographing Native American communities for The North American Indian, published from 1907 to 1930. The finished work ran to twenty volumes of text, each illustrated with smaller photogravures, plus twenty portfolios of large photogravure plates. Together they hold more than 2,200 images.

Curtis planned 500 sets. Researchers now believe no more than about 300 complete or partial sets were actually produced. That limited run is why original plates are scarce and why collectors pay serious money for the best images.

Curtis's work is also debated today. He staged many scenes and sometimes removed modern objects from his pictures to show a past he believed was disappearing. Collectors and museums value the plates as photographs and as historical documents, with that context in mind.

Original photogravure, restrike or reproduction

Original photogravures

A photogravure is printed in ink from a copper plate that carries the photograph. The originals were printed for the subscription sets between 1907 and 1930. Look for a soft, rich image with deep blacks and a fine, random grain under a magnifying glass. Original plates usually carry a printed title, plate number and copyright line in the margin below the image.

Restrikes

Some of Curtis's original copper plates were rediscovered, and limited restrikes have been printed from them since the late 1970s. Restrikes are real photogravures, but they are not vintage. They sell for much less than an original plate from the subscription run.

Reproductions

Books, calendars, posters and modern prints reproduce Curtis images by the millions. Under a magnifier, most of these show a regular dot pattern or tiny colored dots instead of a random grain. A reproduction has decorative value, but little or no collector value.

Orotones

Curtis also made orotones, sometimes called goldtones or Curt tones. These are photographs printed on glass and backed with a gold colored coating, usually in their original frames. They are a separate category with their own collectors. Treat any gold toned Curtis on glass with care, and never take one out of its frame.

What drives value

• The image. Famous plates such as The Vanishing Race, Canyon de Chelly and The Rush Gatherer bring the most.
• Portfolio or volume plate. The large portfolio plates are worth more than the smaller plates bound into the text volumes.
• Paper. Curtis used three papers: Dutch Van Gelder, Japanese vellum and Japanese tissue. Tissue is the rarest, printed for only about 40 sets.
• Condition. Foxing, water stains, fading, tears and trimmed margins all lower the price. Old acidic mats and backing boards cause a lot of this damage.

At SebastianCharles, a Curtis orotone of The Rush Gatherer, Kutenai from 1910 sold for $11,000 against an estimate of $8,000 to $10,000.

Before you sell

• Do not take the print out of its frame yourself. Old tape and backing can tear the paper.
• Never trim the margins. The margin text helps identify the plate.
• Photograph the whole piece, a close view of the text below the image, and the back of the frame.
• Keep any loose volumes, portfolio covers or family history together with the prints.

How we can help

SebastianCharles Auctions offers Curtis photogravures and other fine photographs to a national and international bidder base. Send photos through our free estimate form. You can browse our prints department, see recent auction highlights, and read about Native American jewelry and art we have sold.