Title supplied by cataloger.; In episode #10001 of "California's Gold," Huell Howser visits the Los Angeles Public Library to see this collection of Ansel Adams photographs. Around 1939, Ansel Adams was commissioned by Fortune magazine to photograph a series of images for an article covering the aviation history of the Los Angeles area. For the project, Adams took 217 photographs showing everyday life, businesses, street scenes, aerospace employees, and a variety of other subjects, but when the article, "City of Angels," appeared in the March 1941 issue, only a few of the images were included. In the early 1960s, approximately 20 years later, Adams rediscovered all of the photographs among papers at his home in Carmel, and sent a letter of inquiry to the Los Angeles Public Library, asking if the institution would be interested in receiving the collection as a donation. In his letter, Adams expressed that, "the weather was bad over a rather long period and none of the pictures were very good" and "if they have no value whatsoever, please dispose of them in the incenerator [sic]." He went on to write that "I would imagine that they represent about $100.00 minimum value." In response, the Los Angeles Public Library gladly accepted the gift of 135 contact prints and 217 negatives, and the staff concluded that a fair value for the collection would be $150.00. Intersection of Wilshire Boulevard (foreground) and Fairfax Avenue, facing the distinctive corner gold tower of the Streamline Moderne May Co. department store. Designed by Albert C. Martin and Samuel A. Marx, the store was built shortly before this photograph was taken.
Type
image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;26 x 21 cm. Photographic prints
May Company California Department stores--California--Los Angeles Art deco (Architecture)--California--Los Angeles Streets--California--Los Angeles Wilshire Boulevard (Los Angeles, Calif.) Ansel Adams Fortune Magazine Collection photographs Martin, Albert C.,1879-1960 Marx, Samuel A
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