A Seattle Man Discovered a Trove of Long-Lost Weegee Photos From 1937 in His Kitchen Cabinet

artnet.com ^ | May 23, 2019 | Sarah Cascone

[lowbridge]

Back in the 1970s, David Young bought a box of 73 vintage news photographs at a Philadelphia second-hand store. This year, he pulled them out of the kitchen cabinet of his Seattle home, where they have been languishing for decades, and realized that they were all lost photos by the great crime photographer Weegee, New York magazine reports.

Young reached out to Christopher Bonanos, Weegee‘s biographer, who quickly confirmed that the “A. Fellig” stamp and the handwriting on the back of the prints matched the artist’s. (Weegee’s real name is Arthur Felig.)

Most of the photos were completely unknown before the discovery. None had been catalogued in the archives of Weegee’s estate, which were left to New York’s International Center of Photography. Only a few of the images were ever published in New York newspapers.

[OttawaFreeper]

“The artist’s gritty black-and-white images captured the seedy underbelly of New York City after dark. He often focused on the onlookers and their reactions to the scene as was unfolding.”

That makes me think of the crime scene photos shown in the midway transition scene of The Godfather (with Coppola’s father playing “This Lonliness”).

[Libloather]

A box of wedgies? That’s gotta hurt.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Weegee produced thousands of weird, disturbing "slice of life" pictures depicting New York City's seamier side.
 

[doorgunner69]

depicting New York City's seamier side.

Which is most of it to those of us not living there.

[right way right]

Creepy looking dude.
Looks like me.

[bigbob]

Hey, that’s the FR staff photographer!

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I was saw some of “Weegee’s” photos on the “Antiques Roadshow.”

They were worth a boatload of money, so this guy’s discovery is worth a fortune.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Weegee and his pictures look like they were lifted straight out of a film noir movie. But it's real, not a movie.
 

[Jane Long]

Well, go on....post the pics from your article....

Here's one...

[BenLurkin]

".....and what's this I hear about people taking wedgie photos? Who would want to see pictures of wdegies?"

[right way right]

Is he the one who snapped dead mobsters?
Who was the guy who got it in the barber chair?

[Phillyred]

[NonValueAdded]

Ping

[E. Pluribus Unum]

He was a nightcrawler before it was cool.

[Big Red Badger]

That’s Gritty,
all right.

[Jane Long]

LOL....what ever happened to that guy?

[Rusty0604]

Cool find.

[henbane]

Weegee had an inspired eye for the gritty noir character of New York City--especially the 30's, 40's and 50's

The Spot Bar & Grill, 1939

Lower Manhattan, 1942

Coney Island, 1940

[Steely Tom]

He looks like one of several victims shot at the scene. Looks like at least one other victim has already been removed, possibly on a gurney.

It appears he was hit in the side of the head, and that the bullet exited through his face.