Although he made his name in the 1960s, Haskins had set off on his career in photography in the late 1940s, arriving in London to study the artform in 1949. “The post-war city (food rationing was still in place) represented an explosion of inspiration for him, enhanced by the contemporary visual and cultural excitement around the Festival of Britain,” wrote Norman Hall. “He returned permanently in 1968 with his wife and their two sons, opening a studio in Glebe Place, Chelsea, a studio which itself became part of the cultural landscape of the city through the 70s.”
Creating icons
While Sam did work with celebrity models at the end of his career, he initially became famous for turning the girl next door into those considered icons of their decade. He was a huge influence on the fashion world, but deliberately kept the glossies at arm’s length for most of his career.
“As can be seen from the highlights on offer in this auction, the images he created helped shape the zeitgeist of both the Swinging Sixties and the early Hippy era that followed,” says Sloane Street Auctions’ owner Daniel Hunt. “We are very grateful to his son, Ludwig Haskins, for entrusting us with these works.
“Wonderful works like this are often to be found in our auctions, especially since the demise of Christie’s South Kensington, whose catalogues they might previously have graced. We’ve been delighted to pick up the baton where they left off as the premier source of such lots, and it’s also a happy coincidence that our auctioneer, Hugh Edmeades, was Christie’s South Kensington’s former chairman.”
Live online bidding is available via Sloane Street Auctions’ website at www.sloanestreetauctions.com
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