Rick Norsigian, a Fresno painter, bought two boxes of glass negatives at a garage sale ten years ago for $45. He has since discovered that the 65 plates contained within the two cartons were created by famed nature photographer Ansel Adams between 1919 and the early 1930s.
Appraiser David W. Streets said: “It truly is a missing link of Ansel Adams and history and his career. This is going to show the world the evolution of his eye, of his talent, of his skill, his gift, but also his legacy. And it’s a portion that we thought had been destroyed in a studio fire.”
The garage sale discovery was originally purchased in the 1940s at a warehouse salvage in L.A. The plates, measuring 6.5 x 8.5 inches, were individually wrapped in newspaper inside deteriorating manila envelops. Notations appeared to have been made by Virginia Adams, Ansel’s wife.
Norsigian has spent the last decade trying to prove the worth of his discovery. An unveiling of the photographs is slated to take place at Street’s gallery in Beverly Hills today.
Check out a sampling of photos and a video report below: