Tribune Co. to auction Sun collection of 7,000+ Bodine prints

A Baltimore Sun photographer for nearly 50 years, A. Aubrey Bodine documented life in Baltimore and around Maryland from the 1920s until his death in 1970. Decades before Photoshop and desktop publishing, Bodine perfected his technique in the darkroom. His photography was exhibited the world over, winning many regional, national and even international competitions; he was, in fact, the first American photographer to have a solo exhibition in the former Soviet Union. Today, his name, for many, is as synonymous with the city as the Orioles and Old Bay.

This Saturday, November 17, The Baltimore Sun (or rather the Sun's parent entity, the Chicago-based Tribune Company) will auction off the paper's collection of more than 7,000 original Bodine prints at Alex Cooper Auctioneers in Towson, Maryland. Jennifer Bodine, the photographer's daughter and curator of the website AAubreyBodine.com, would like nothing more than to see this collection remain intact and properly cared for so that future generations might continue to appreciate this fantastic window into mid-20th century Baltimore. Nevertheless, there's a very good chance that Saturday's auction will effectively scatter the collection to the winds of time. [Read more here.]


Thanks to Jennifer's generosity and support, her father's work has repeatedly graced the pages (and even a few covers) of Smile, Hon, You're in Baltimore! over the last several years. She will appear on Midday with Dan Rodricks (88.1 WYPR-FM) beginning at 1:00 p.m. this Thursday, November 17, to discuss the upcoming auction and its implications, as well as her new book, Bodine's City: The Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine.

If you like (dare I say even love) this city, please take a moment to peruse Aubrey Bodine's work...