Live Auction

2026 European Photography Auction

Name: 2026 European Photography Auction
Start: 2026-10-28 13:00:00 EDT
Location: Michael Lehr Antiques

Start: Oct 28, 2026 01:00PM EDT

View Catalog (319)

Our October auction focuses on historic European photography, we are offering a curated collection of fine and erotic daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, CDV, cabinet cards, stereoviews, and a range of curious and uncommon nineteenth-century European vernacular material. At the center of the sale is a collection of images from the Paris Commune of 1871 and the surrounding “année terrible,” the year of war, siege, insurrection, and reprisal that reshaped France. The focus is on the people who drove those events and lived through their aftermath, and on the city that bore the damage.

Add to Calendar 2026-10-28 13:00:00 2026-10-28 13:00:00 America/New_York Michael Lehr Michael Lehr : 2026 European Photography Auction https://auction.michaellehrantiques.com/auctions/michael-lehr-antiques/2026-european-photography-auction-24401 Our October auction focuses on historic European photography, we are offering a curated collection of fine and erotic daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, CDV, cabinet cards, stereoviews, and a range of curious and uncommon nineteenth-century European vernacular material. At the center of the sale is a collection of images from the Paris Commune of 1871 and the surrounding “année terrible,” the year of war, siege, insurrection, and reprisal that reshaped France. The focus is on the people who drove those events and lived through their aftermath, and on the city that bore the damage. Michael Lehr Antiques info@michaellehrantiques.com

Auction Description

Highlights include a carte de visite portrait of Louise Michel by the Paris photographer Lopez, and a rare group portrait of the Communardes Marie Ferré, Louise Michel, and Paule Minck, photographed together in the same 1880 sitting. The image places three of the Commune’s most prominent women in a single frame, taken in the year of the amnesty that allowed the exiled and deported Communards to return.

The physical toll of the period appears in a striking CDV of the Insurrection-era ruins of the Ministère de l’Intérieur, and in a devastated street view of Saint-Cloud attributed to Hippolyte Blancard.

Alongside the Commune material are fine hand-tinted stereoscopic nude daguerreotypes, one of the most refined and sought-after categories of early European photography, along with other unusual European images chosen for rarity, subject, and quality.

This is a focused sale for collectors of French history, early photographic processes, and the European vernacular image.

Buyer's Premium

Start	Premium(%)
$0	25.00

Bid Increments

Start	Increments ($)
$0	$5
$100	$10
$200	$25
$500	$50
$1,000	$100
$2,000	$250
$5,000	$500
$10,000	$1,000
$20,000	$2,000
$50,000	$5,000

Available payment options

Shipping

We ship for free on combined lot values of $500 or higher in the United States. We will be traveling to Paris November 8-14th and can deliver any of our items at Paris Photo or the show on Saturday.

Terms & Conditions

BID PRICE: Each buyer must have an assigned Buyer's Number prior to bidding. The highest bidder on a lot shall be the buyer of the lot. The purchase price shall be the sum of (1) the price at which the item is sold, plus (2) A BUYER'S PREMIUM OF 25% ON THE BID PRICE OF EACH LOT , plus (3) 3% transaction fee for credit cards and PayPal, plus (4) sales tax unless the purchaser is exempt by law from such taxes.

ACCEPTANCE OF BID: As each item is sold, the Auctioneer shall announce the winning bid and the Buyer's Number of the winning bid. Failure of the person assigned to the Buyer's Number to object at the time of announcement shall constitute an acknowledgment of the bid and purchase. The purchaser is legally liable to pay for the item or pay the difference if we must re-offer and sell the item for a lower price.

REGULATION OF BID: The Auctioneer shall regulate the bidding and shall be the sole arbiter of any disputes. We reserve the right to withdraw property at any time before the sale and reject a bid from any bidder.

PAYMENT AND PICKUP: The balance of the invoice must be paid in full and merchandise picked up within three days of the date of sale.

Internet purchases are not available for pickup until the following day.

ABSENTEE BIDS: Absentee bids are accepted until fifteen minutes prior to the start of the auction for all lots in the auction. Absentee bids for later lots may continue to be accepted according to announcements or signs posted on the office window. A deposit may be requested on absentee bids over $4000.00. The auctioneer will bid the absentee bid against floor bidders. In the event of a tie, the floor bidder shall prevail. Michael Lehr Antiques assumes no responsibility for failure to execute any bid for any reason and absentee bids are made subject to the Conditions of Sale. Absentee bidders are requested to call after 11am on the first weekday following the sale to find out if they were successful.

NO TRANSFERS: No lots shall be sold, transferred, or assigned to anyone other than the winning bidder prior to the removal of the lot from the Gallery and only the winning bidder shall remove the lot.

RISK OF LOSS: In the event delivery cannot be made because of loss due to fire, theft, or any other reason, Michael Lehr Antiques shall only be liable for the return of any deposits or payments made by the purchaser.

NO WARRANTY; ALL ITEMS SOLD 'AS IS AND WHERE IS' Michael Lehr Antiques, ITS AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES, AND THE CONSIGNOR DO NOT WARRANT ANY LOT TO BE MERCHANTABLE OR TO BE SUITED FOR ANY PURPOSE AND THEY DO NOT ASSUME ANY RISK, LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PERSON AS TO AUTHENTICITY, GENUINENESS, CULTURE, SOURCE, ORIGIN, ATTRIBUTION, PERIOD, PURPOSE OR MEASUREMENTS OF ANY LOT. THESE CONDITIONS MAY NOT BE ALTERED OR MODIFIED EXCEPT BY AN INSTRUMENT IN WRITING, SIGNED BY AUCTIONEER AND BUYER.

Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Michael Lehr Antiques shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

RIGHT OF RESCISSION: Notwithstanding the preceding conditions, if within 21 days of the date of sale of any lot, the original purchaser (a) gives notice in writing to us alleging that the identification of Authorship (as defined below) of such lot is not substantially correct based on a fair reading of the catalog (including the terms of glossary contained therein), and (b) with 10 days after such notice returns the lots to us in the same condition as at the time of sale and (c) establishes the allegation in the notice to our satisfaction then the sale of such lot will be rescinded and the original purchase price refunded. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as an admission by us of any representation of fact, express or implied, obligation or responsibility with respect to any lot. The purchaser's sole remedy in the physical condition and size, quality, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibition and literature of historical relevance.

PAYMENT: Cash, cashier's check, wire transfer, personal check (items may be held until the check clears), and ATM, MasterCard & VISA accepted. If any legal action is commenced to enforce these Conditions of Sale, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorney's fees and costs. Time is of the essence.