- More
Vinson Court Photograph Signed...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Description
Rare signed Supreme Court candid photograph owned by Harold H. Burton, one of the justices depicted
Vinson Court Photograph Signed "Felix Frankfurter," "Hugo L. Black," "Fred M. Vinson," "Stanley Reed," "Wm O Douglas," "Tom C. Clark," "Robert H. Jackson," "Harold H Burton," and "Sherman Minton." Black and white image by Fabian Bachrach, 13.25" x 10.5", taken in October 1949 shortly after Truman's Attorney General Tom C. Clark was sworn as Associate Justice, signed on the mat. "October Term 1949" has been penned at the bottom center by Justice Burton. This photograph is not the usual, staid portrait of the nine members Supreme Court of the United States one expects to see. In the August 19, 1961 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, the article "The Flattering Camera - inside the Bachrach photographic-portrait studios" published this image for the first time, telling the following story: "When Tom C. Clark was appointed an associate justice, Bachrach went to Washington to photograph the new court. Fabian was behind the camera, and William V. Pennington, a man's photographer from New York, was acting as his assistant. Wanting the subjects more compactly grouped, Pennington said, 'Justice Clark, will you move to the left?' At this request Chief Justice Frederick M. Vinson threw up his hands in mock horror, rolled his eyes and intoned, 'Oh, God forbid!' The court burst into laughter, and Fabian caught their gleeful moment with high-speed flash." Ideologically, Chief Justice Vinson usually voted with conservative justices Frankfurter, Reed, Jackson, and Burton, against liberals Black, Douglas, Frank Murphy, and Wiley Rutledge. When Murphy and Rutledge died in 1949, they were replaced by conservatives Clark and Minton; that is why Pennington's request that Clark "move to the left" elicited a reaction of mock horror from the Chief Justice. Only ten prints were made of the resulting picture. Each justice received one, and the tenth hangs in Pennington's camera room in the Bachrach studio for men in New York City. It is not known if any of the other nine prints were signed. On the verso, Burton has penned: "1950/Supreme Court of the United States/(snapped between formal pictures of the Court)/(The plate, I understand, has been destroyed but/this 'candid shot' has been distributed by/the photographer to members of the Court)." Justice Burton has then listed the Court members depicted. A portion of the Post article has been stapled on verso, beneath Burton's notes. Double-framed under glass on both sides to 17.5" x 15". Overall in apparent fine condition.Auction Info
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
19.5% of the successful bid (minimum $9) per lot.
Calculate Standard Domestic Shipping Sales Tax information
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Floor auctions
Open for bidding: (View All)Comics & Comic Art
Ends on 04/16/2021
Sports Collectibles
Ends on 04/16/2021
US Coins
Ends on 04/16/2021
Decorative Art
Ends on 04/16/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 04/18/2021
Currency
Ends on 04/21/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 04/21/2021
US Coins
Ends on 04/22/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 04/22/2021
US Coins
Ends on 04/22/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 04/25/2021
Decorative Art
Ends on 04/27/2021
Decorative Art
Ends on 04/29/2021
Currency
Ends on 04/30/2021
Illustration Art
Ends on 04/30/2021
Entertainment
Ends on 05/01/2021
Luxury Accessories
Ends on 05/02/2021
Jewelry & Timepieces
Ends on 05/03/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 05/05/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Ends on 05/06/2021
Sports Collectibles
Ends on 05/06/2021
Fine Art
Ends on 05/07/2021
US Coins
Ends on 05/08/2021
US Coins
Ends on 05/15/2021
Currency
Ends on 05/16/2021
Photography
Opens about 04/21/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 04/22/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 04/23/2021
Historical
Opens about 04/26/2021
World & Ancient Coins
Opens about 04/18/2021
Manuscripts
Opens about 04/30/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 04/28/2021
Silver
Opens about 04/29/2021
Comics & Comic Art
Opens about 04/22/2021
Space
Opens about 05/03/2021
Western & Texas Art
Opens about 04/30/2021
Historical
Opens about 05/03/2021
US Coins
Opens about 04/22/2021
Currency
Opens about 04/23/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 05/04/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/05/2021
US Coins
Opens about 04/29/2021
US Coins
Opens about 04/29/2021
Jewelry & Timepieces
Opens about 05/03/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/12/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/14/2021
Entertainment
Opens about 05/14/2021
Jewelry & Timepieces
Opens about 05/21/2021
Arms & Armor
Opens about 05/18/2021
US Coins
Opens about 05/08/2021
Rare Books
Opens about 05/21/2021
Fine Art
Opens about 05/19/2021
Photography
Opens about 05/19/2021
Decorative Art
Opens about 05/20/2021
Heritage membership
- Past Auction Values (prices, photos, full descriptions, etc.)
- Bid online
- Free Collector newsletter
- Want List with instant e-mail notifications
- Reduced auction commissions when you resell your
winnings
- Cash Advances
- More Bidders
- Trusted Experts
- Over 200,000 Satisfied Consignors Since 1976
Learn about consigning with us
Thanks a million for getting approval to sell my Civil War Hospital Death Ledger! You made them AND ME , a nice profit. You are the best!View More Testimonials
HA.com receives more traffic than any other auction house website. (Source: Similarweb.com)
Video tutorial
Getting the most out of search