Monday 6 July 2009

Books & Albums

The new edition of Elaine Dundy's The Old Man and Me from NYRB (an excellent, uncomfortable book based on her affair with Cyril Connolly) makes use of a cover image which has also been an album cover.




(UPDATE: The photo is 'Edinburgh, 1960' by Jeanloup Sieff.)

That's nothing, though. Try this photo, by whom I cannot determine, which features on at least three book covers and four album covers. UPDATE: The hugely smart ijsbrand informs me that the image is "a woman floating in Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida, by Toni (Antoinette) Frissell, and it was published in Harper’s Bazaar in December 1947."










This is Frissell's self-portrait from 1935, 'I'd Rather Stalk with a Camera Than a Gun'.

9 comments:

ijsbrand said...

That last image, of a woman floating in Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida, is by Toni Frissell, and it was published in Harper’s Bazaar in December 1947.

JRSM said...

Magic! Thanks for the information--I'll add it to the post. You're on the list of deeply clever people.

Anonymous said...

Great post. What's the caption info (photographer, title, date) for the first image, from the Dundy book and Higgins album?

JRSM said...

I wish I knew! I've been trying to track it down, without any luck, but when I get a look at the NYRB book, I'll post the details here.

Anonymous said...

Thanks. It's quite a lovely photograph.

Marshall said...

I would like to note, that one reason it is probably a popular image is that it was given to the library of congress and is a free image, additionally Frissell, still being an under rated photographer probably accounts for the high level of duplicity.

Also, the Beauvilles album cover has no text on it for a reason, in an interview one of the members said, "...well yes we have found that this photo was used for a variety of things, but everyone else has ruined it by putting stupid text on it..."

At least they are from Florida, where the picture was taken.

JRSM said...

That's very useful to know, Marshall: thank you. I wondered about that Beauvilles album cover--I assume the text is on a sticker, then, as looking around most of the images of it do indeed not have any type (and a good thing too).

JRSM said...

And! Anonymous--sorry for the long delay: the photo is 'Edinburgh, 1960' by Jeanloup Sieff.

Unknown said...

The Beauvilles are from Tampa FL, very close to Weeki Wachee Springs. it's a great album too. :)