This is the most famous Capablanca-Lasker photo and it is for sale on eBay. Special thanks to Mr. L. Totaro of http://www.ultimatechesscollecting.com/ for pointing this out.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Incredibly rare and famous Capablanca – Lasker photo
I do hope that you are aware that there are genuine concerns that the photo you have featured is a fake.
http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/fake.html
is one source that raises valid questions as to its authenticity.
The article does not raise any questions about this picture. It says the Capablanca in a phony picture was borrowed from the real picture of a game with Lasker that is being sold on e-Bay.
Bidding for this photo will begin around $11, tho nobody has yet bid.
This photo was “created” in 1950. I take that to mean the negative was used to create this print in 1950. This is doubtless not the first print created from that negative.
Date of Creation: 1950-Now
Original/Reprint: Original Print
Is this photo an “original”? Terminology can be gray. To me original means it was created from the negative, not from a print. I do not know if that is how others interpret “original” in this context.
Also, this photo was taken in 1925, not during the 1921 title match between L & C.
Unless I am mistaken, it Capa and Lasker did not sign this particular print, nor did either ever see this particular print.
I am no collector, but given all the above, but I am unsure why the copy for sale would have any more value than would the image copy on the web?
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Meanwhile, the Capa-Alekhine chess timer is being repeatedly pursued by “Bidder 12”, and is currently at $11,600.
Bidding ends tonight at 22:00 New York time.
Jon Crumiller bought one of the three Capa – Alekhine 1927 chess clocks a couple years ago. See ChessAntique.com for a photo.
GeneM
We can say the same of autographs: why own the original when we can own a pre-print or a stamp signature.
Original photographs such as the Capablanca and Pillsbury (previously sold on eBay), retain much their value. Whether it is a print of the negative or a print of a print…is not important to historians but for collectors it means much.
Take for instance rare photos of Jaqueline Kennedy when JFK was assassinated. Auction houses have sold several original unpublished photos that have reached into the thousands. Collectors desire originals but historians just need the prints for research.