Submitted by aarAdmin on Wed, 08/28/2019 - 00:00
Not surprisingly, it was the photographs of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquering Mount Everest that sent collectors into a frenzy when the lifetime works of English climber, explorer and photographer Alfred Gregory (1913-2010) went under the hammer at Gibson’s Auctions Melbourne sale on August 26.
The year was 1953 and the pair were creating history – for the climb had never before been successfully completed.
Gregory, who with his wife Sue spent his last 15 years in Australia, was the official still photographer for the expedition and his records of the climb are now the subject of folklore.
His work has been exhibited throughout Britain, Europe, America, Africa and Australia – and his photographs are held in both galleries and private collections.
A record price for the photographer of $14,640 (including buyer’s premium) was achieved with lot 122, a black and white photograph featuring expedition member Noyce and porters in western CWM.
A unique coloured photograph of Tenzing Norgay on the Mount Everest summit taken by Sir Edmund Hillary (lot 363) was another popular item, bringing $7320, while a black and white photograph of the two expeditioners approaching 8500 metres (lot 131) sold for $5856.
The base camp photo (lot 136) also was keenly sought, changing hands for $5368, and lot 326 – featuring Hillary and Tenzing on the South East ridge – brought $4392.
Other photographs among the top 10 items include lot 137, Hillary and Tenzing at 8500 metres ($3904), Hillary and Tenzing back from the summit (lot 84 - $3416), lot 172 featuring a porter on the icefall ($3294), lot 109, big crevasse ($3172) and lot 328, a vintage ice axe signed by Hillary ($2928).
