I think I need to get to more yard sales. A woman in Kentucky bought an old steamer trunk that contained letters and 210 vintage black & white photos that had been stored for many years by Wilma Wilcox, the long time companion of the photographer Weegee. Although there were no previously unknown prints among the collection, it is still a very important find of original prints and documents, and has been obtained by the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

I like the connection between this discovery and a similar discovery of Diane Arbus photos by Robert Langmuir of Philadelphia. I recently posted about the Lost Diane Arbus collection of photographs taken at Hubert's Dime Museum & Flea Circus. Weegee strongly influenced the work of Diane Arbus, and together they helped change the course of modern photography and what types of photography are considered art.

Both of these chance discoveries occurred in 2003. The Weegee discovery will help enhance the expanding contemporary photography collection of the Indianapolis Museum. Most of the previously known volume of Weegee's work is stored at the International Center of Photography in New York City
The Arbus discovery was recently previewed at Phillp's de Pury in New York City in anticipation of an auction. That auction never occurred due to a legal battle being waged over an ownership dispute.

More about Weegee

Indianapolis Museum of Art

New York Times Story