New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) is teaming up with Christie’s to auction around 400 photographs from its archives.
They’ll be offered in a series of online sales held between October 2017 and April 2018.
Man Ray's rayographs are created by placing objects on photographic paper and exposing it to light
Some of the biggest names in the history of photography are represented in the collection, including Walker Evans, Henri-Cartier Bresson and Edward Weston.
A rayograph by surrealist Man Ray looks poised to achieve the top result, with an estimate of up to $300,000.
That figure indicates the huge demand for Man Ray’s work.
This autumn Christie’s will offer the first known print of his celebrated Noir et Blanche with a valuation of $1.7m.
The institution is consigning the works to raise funds for its department of Photography acquisition program.
"In 1940, the Museum became the first in the country to form a Department of Photography”, explained Darius Himes, Christie’s international head of photography.
“Many of the artists represented in this series of live and online auctions will be deeply familiar to any student of photography, and are beloved on an international scale.
"These auctions represent a unique opportunity to support the Museum and own a piece of photographic history."
The collection is valued in excess of $3.6m.
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