The 10 Most Collectible Photography Books of All Time
Frank’s best known work is The Americans – a remarkable photographic insight into US culture of the 1950s. Initially criticised as an assault on America, the book is now celebrated as one of the most influential works of 20th century photography. Gleaned from 28,000 photos taken over two years, Frank juxtaposes 1950s optimism with America’s poverty and racial issues. The true first edition was published in Paris as Les Américains – no US publisher would touch it. A 50th anniversary edition was released in 2008.
Is Robert Frank's 'The Americans' the Best photobook? Photography
2. Paris de Nuit
Brassaï (aka Gyula Halász)
Brassaï (aka Gyula Halász)
Brassaï was thepseudonym of Gyula Halász - a Hungarian photographer, sculptor, and filmmaker who is best known in France. While working as a journalist, he took countless photos of Paris after dark - Paris de Nuit was his first published book of photographs. First editions of this 1933 book are spiral bound and are very rare. Paris de Nuit created a sensation when first published – many images were considered too risqué for public viewing.
1933 first editions
1933 first editions
Henri Cartier-Bresson
A pioneer of photojournalism and the reportage style of photography, Cartier-Bresson published Images à la sauvette (The Decisive Moment) in 1952.The book's memorable cover was drawn by Henri Matisse, who died in 1954. A lengthy essay prefaces the book with Cartier-Bresson’s thoughts on why everything has a decisive moment. The most expensive copy of The Decisive Moment sold by AbeBooks went for $5,000.
Like the title suggests, the book features photos of 26 gas stations along Route 66 and contains no text except the station’s brand and location. This book, Ruscha’s first, eventually achieved cult status and launched his career in Pop Art. Originally published in 1963, Gasoline Stations was limited to 400 copies. Two subsequent editions of the book were published, of 500 copies in 1967 and of 3,000 copies in 1969.
1963 first editions
Later editions
Later editions
Ed Ruscha Dutch Details Sonsbeek '71 Artist Book Graphic Arts Photography
Mandel and Sultan sifted though thousands of photos that had been used by various corporations and government institutions as objective instruments (ie the evidence) and placed them together in a single volume stripping them of their original context. The book introduced readers to the multiple meanings an image could take on when devoid of its original context. Originally published in 1977, this landmark book was reprinted in 2003. The most expensive copy sold by AbeBooks went for $2,200.
The first book from legendary fashion photographer Irving Penn, published in 1960 with a print run of 20,000 (divided between French, Italian, German and English editions). Penn spent his early career with Vogue magazine and was among the first to pose subjects against simple grey or white backdrops. Moments Preserved is an overview of these early years in his career which started in 1943. Penn died in October 2009. The most expensive copy sold by AbeBooks went for $1,600.
James Agee and Walker Evans were sent to rural Alabama in 1936 to document the plight of sharecroppers for a magazine article, however it ballooned into a 500-page documentary. Evans’ remarkable black and white photo’s combined with Agee’s sympathetic text made this a defining essay on tenant farmers in the dustbowl. The most expensive copy sold by AbeBooks went for $2,500.
1941 first editions
Later editions
Later editions
Photograph albums for Let us now praise famous men / photographs by Walker Evans
Adams’ first book of photographs, published in 1938 with a limited run of only 500 copies. Sierra Nevada was commissioned by a Sierra Club president as a tribute to his son who died in a climbing accident. Adams’ striking images set a new standard for photo books and provided him with a launching pad for his amazing career where he captured the American West and most famously Yosemite National Park.
Part travelogue, part art, I Want to Take Picture follows Burke though Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia as he explores South East Asia and the Khmer Rouge. The project is credited with having dealt a fatal blow to the preconceived notion that documentary photography was a vehicle for absolute truth. First published in 1987 with a limited edition of 1,000 hard-bound copies. Much cheaper reprints are available. The most expensive copy sold by AbeBooks went for $2,250.
1987 first editions
2007 reprints
1987 first editions
2007 reprints
Bill Burke I Want To Take Picture Photography
A stunning set of photographs capturing the natural beauty of the last unsettled continent on Earth, featuring photos of panoramic snow fields and majestic emperor penguins. Published in 2007, this mammoth collection weighs in at 27 pounds and was limited to 950 leather-bound copies. It was part of an effort to raise money and awareness to prevent the extinction of the albatross. The most expensive copy sold by AbeBooks went for $4,000.
Find Antarctica
Find Antarctica
And Five Books That Didn't Make the Top Ten
Jeff Koons
Greatest Of All Time is the pinnacle of collectible sports books with 3,000 images of memorabilia, art and photographs about Muhammad Ali. It was published by Taschen in 2004 with a print run of 9,000 copies, all of which were signed by Koons and Ali. This monster book weighs over 75 pounds – a true heavyweight champion of photography books.
GOAT - A Tribute to Muhammad Ali
Helmut Newton
The biggest and most expensive book production of the 20th century, Sumo had a limited edition print run of 10,000 copies worldwide - each signed and numbered by Helmut Newton. Measuring 20 x 27.5 inches (50 x 70 cm), the book contains over 400 photos, mostly published for the first time, including many of his renowned nudes and celebrity photos.
Helmut Newton's SUMO The Making of the Most Expensive Book. A film by Julian Benedikt (2000).
Another amazing compilation by Ruscha. This book contains continuous photographs of a two-and-a-half mile stretch, of the 22-mile boulevard that is Sunset Strip. It is presented as an accordion-fold page with the north side of the street on the top of the page and the south street inverted on the bottom. Published in 1966, the first edition had a pressing of a thousand copies.
1966 self-published editions
1970 second printing
1966 self-published editions
1970 second printing
12 years before Ed Ruscha’s Every Building on the Sunset Strip : Ginza Kaiwai/Ginza Haccho Yoshikazu Suzuki Parr/Badger III Photography
Self-published in 1967 Ruscha continues to transform the mundane and this time takes aerial views of (mostly) empty parking lots around the city of Los Angeles including those of the Hollywood Bowl and Dodger Stadium.
In Theaters, Hiroshi Sugimoto captures views of the interiors of cinemas by taking images from the projection room and setting exposures to the duration of the films. Because the projector provides the sole lighting and the seats and building details are the only subjects the photographs have a very surreal feel. AbeBooks has sold several copies at $1,800.