NEW YORK.- On Thursday, December 7, Swann Galleries will conduct a two-session auction of Photographic Literature & Photographs featuring books and images by masters of the medium. The morning session of Photographic Literature offers a fine selection of books from the private library of Michael Mattis & Judith Hochberg, including a signed copy of The Art of Edward Weston, with an inscription by Brett Weston, New York, 1932 ($6,000 to $9,000); Brassaï's Paris de Nuit, Paris, 1933 ($2,500 to $3,500); Walker Evans's American Photographs, New York, 1938, signed and inscribed by Hugh Edwards ($4,000 to $6,000); and Berenice Abbott's Changing New York, New York, 1939 ($2,500 to $3,500).

Among other literature highlights are several editions of Camera Work, including the desirable Number 36, with 16 photogravures after photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, and one after a drawing by Picasso, New York, 1911 ($15,000 to $25,000); as well as Alvin Langdon Coburn's London, and New York, both London and New York, 1909 and 1910 ($14,000 to $18,000 and $20,000 to $30,000 respectively); F.T. Marinetti's manifesto, Il Futurismo, Rome, 1931 ($3,000 to $4,500); Doris Ulmann's masterpiece Roll, Jordon, Roll, signed by Ulmann and author Julia Peterkin, with an extra photogravure plate also signed by Ulmann, New York, 1933 ($25,000 to $35,000); two copies of Ed Ruscha's Twentysix Gasoline Stations, one a first edition in wrappers, Alhambra, California, 1962 ($7,000 to $10,000), and a third edition signed by Ruscha, Los Angeles, 1962 ($2,500 to $3,500); and a first American edition of Robert Frank's The Americans, Grove Press, 1959 ($4,000 to $6,000), and Frank's Flower Is . . ., Tokyo, 1987 ($5,000 to $7,500).

Japanese titles include Ken Domon and Shomei Tomatsu, Hiroshima-Nagasaki Document 1961, 1961 ($8,000 to $10,000); Eikoh Hosoe's Killed by Roses, signed by Hosoe and Yukio Mishima, Tokyo, 1963 ($3,500 to $4,500); and several works by Daido Moriyama, including his most well-known book, Sashin yo Sayonara [Goodbye Photography, Dear], Tokyo, 1972 ($4,000 to $6,000).

Part two of the auction begins at 2:30 p.m. with a selection of cased images and early photographic albums. From the early 20th century are several Native American portraits by Edward S. Curtis, including a glowing orotone entitled The Vanishing Race, 1904 ($4,000 to $6,000); Frederick Evans's 1900 image of George Bernard Shaw, with a copy of Shaw's book Translations and Tomfooleries ($2,500 to $3,500); and Eugène Atget's albumen photograph of the Bibliotheque Nationale sur la Rue Vivienne-Ancient Hotel Mazarin, 1902-03 ($4,000 to $6,000). Among the Modernist images are a short run of works by André Kertész including The Kiss, Budapest, silver print, 1920, printed 1963 ($5,000 to $7,500), and Chagall Family, Paris, silver print, 1933, printed 1970s ($3,500 to $4,500). There are also many desirable images by Berenice Abbott, such as New York at Night, silver print, 1932, printed 1970s, and Exchange Place, 1936, printed 1980s (each $6,000 to $9,000).

Other highlights include Ansel Adams's Moonrise, Hernandez, N.M., silver print, 1941, printed 1970s ($30,000 to $40,000); Gordon Parks's Self-Portrait, oversize silver print, 1941, printed early 1970s ($5,000 to $7,500); Harry Callahan's Eleanor, silver print, 1948 ($5,000 to $7,500); Arnold Newman's portrait of Picasso, silver print, 1956, printed late 1970s/early 1980s ($3,500 to $4,500); and Horst P. Horst's Untitled (male nude), silver print, 1960s, printed 1980s ($4,000 to $6,000).

From the late 20th century come Irving Penn's image of Woody Allen as Chaplin, platinum-palladium print, 1972, printed 1978 ($15,000 to $25,000); William Klein's Dead Bull, Nimes, mixed-media silver print with painted highlights, 1987 ($6,000 to $9,000); and Sandy Skoglund's A Breeze at Work, oversize cibachrome print, 1987 ($8,000 to $12,000).

The selection of portfolios includes Halsman/Marilyn, with 10 silver prints of Marilyn Monroe, New York, 1981 ($5,000 to $7,500); The First Apeiron Portfolio, one of 40 copies, with 18 silver prints by photographers including Danny Lyon, Aaron Siskind and Minor White ($7,000 to $10,000); and BAM [Brooklyn Academy of Music] Photography Portfolio, with 11 photographs by 11 contemporary artists such as Nan Goldin and Richard Prince, 2000 ($18,000 to $22,000).

The morning session of the auction, offering Photographic Literature, will start at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 7, and the afternoon session of Photographs will begin at 2:30 p.m. The items will be on public exhibition at Swann Galleries Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, December 4, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, December 5, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, December 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A two-volume illustrated catalogue, with information on bidding by mail or fax, is available for $35 from Swann Galleries, Inc., 104 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, or online at www.swanngalleries.com.