Michael Joseph (1941-) - Proud radio owner, sixties advert, brown-toned test print
03
days
06
hours
23
minutes
53
seconds
Current bid
€ 12
No reserve price
Expert
Selected by Elena Vaninetti
Has over ten years of experience in art, specialising in post-war photography and contemporary art.
Estimate € 750 - € 900
 | €12 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €10 | |
| €7 | |
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Michael Joseph’s Proud radio owner, sixties advert, brown-toned test print is a vintage 1969 gelatin-silver photograph in a recycled frame, in original state, measuring 46 cm by 36 cm.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Michael Joseph - Me and My Radios, London, 1970s
Original vintage black-and-white photograph • Rare archival print
A brilliantly eccentric Michael Joseph photograph in which something as mundane as a collection of portable radios becomes a piece of visual theatre.
A sharply dressed man sits surrounded by the technology of the period - transistor radios and portable sets arranged almost like treasured possessions - while he presents them to the camera with an expression somewhere between pride, bewilderment and absolute seriousness.
That deadpan quality is precisely what makes the photograph so funny.
The image is quintessential Joseph: an apparently simple idea made memorable through casting, expression, props, lighting and meticulous composition. The radios are not merely scattered around him; each has been positioned so that its distinctive shape remains visible, while the sitter’s pale hands punctuate the dark composition and lead the eye directly towards the objects.
Creating this kind of image in the analogue era demanded considerably more ingenuity than the finished photograph suggests. Everything visible had to be physically assembled, positioned and lit in front of the camera. Reflective surfaces, deep blacks, pale skin and the different textures of clothing and plastic all had to remain readable within a single exposure - with no digital manipulation available afterwards to rescue the composition.
And then there is the expression. Joseph understood that the success of a staged photograph often depended upon a fraction of a second: the exact glance, gesture or raised eyebrow that turns an advertising photograph into something unforgettable.
Today, the image has acquired an additional charm. These once-modern radios have become wonderfully nostalgic design objects in their own right, making the photograph an evocative record of the technological optimism and visual culture of its era.
An original vintage photographic object from the Michael Joseph archive - witty, beautifully constructed and gloriously of its time.
#MichaelJoseph #MeAndMyRadios #VintagePhotography #BritishPhotography #1970sPhotography #AdvertisingPhotography #AnalogPhotography #VintageTechnology #TransistorRadio #OriginalPhotograph #VintagePrint #BlackAndWhitePhotography #PhotographyCollector #PhotographicArt #BritishHumour
Seller's Story
My father, Michael Joseph, was a London-based advertising photographer from the 1960s to the early 1990s, perhaps best known for his iconic photographs for the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet album.
Such was Michael’s extraordinary talent for orchestrating elaborate group scenes, often bringing together large numbers of people and animals in seemingly effortless harmony, that these wonderfully theatrical compositions became known within the advertising industry simply as “a Michael Joseph” - a style so distinctive that his name became a description in its own right.
Our continuing mission is to share what we affectionately call “the other photographs”: lesser-known treasures from his remarkable archive, including original vintage darkroom prints, experimental test prints, alternative images from major shoots, celebrated group compositions and more intimate, personal photographs.
Among our most exciting discoveries is Michael’s extraordinary 1964 Vietnam archive, photographed when he was just 23. Many of these powerful images have never previously been exhibited or offered for sale, revealing a fascinating, lesser-known side of his career.
There is also a wonderfully poetic quality to much of his work: unexpected encounters, fleeting moments and what we like to call “immortalised instants” - those unrepeatable fragments of everyday life that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
All beautifully summed up in Michael’s favourite adage:
“Always keep a camera handy, every minute of your living day.”
A philosophy he certainly lived by, leaving us an extraordinary collection that we are still discovering today.
Alongside Michael’s authentic vintage prints, we are introducing new interpretations of his work: striking photographic prints on aluminium and handmade cyanotypes, created from his original negatives and transparencies using the Dordogne sunshine. Some are produced on vintage papers from Michael’s own photographic library, giving these historic materials a wonderful new lease of life.
Together, these works celebrate photographic history and contemporary creativity - from unique prints made by Michael himself to imaginative new interpretations of his archive.
We hope you enjoy discovering these photographs as much as we enjoy bringing them to light!
A Small Note About the Presentation Photographs
Some of our in situ illustrations showing artworks displayed in interiors have been created using artificial intelligence (AI).
These are intended simply to help you imagine how a piece might look in a home, office or gallery. Although we aim for faithful representations, proportions and scale may occasionally vary.
Please refer to the actual artwork photographs and stated dimensions for an accurate representation of your purchase.
A Personal Note About Packaging
We prepare and pack every artwork ourselves, taking great care to protect each piece with several layers of suitable materials.
To keep costs down and minimise waste, we reuse and upcycle packaging wherever possible. Your parcel may therefore contain recycled cardboard, protective sleeves, old photographic boxes or envelopes - occasionally even materials from Michael’s own photographic library!
And please don't be surprised if the outside looks rather plain, or even a little unattractive. This is often deliberate! We prefer valuable or irreplaceable artworks to travel as inconspicuously as possible.
One small favour: please unwrap your parcel slowly and carefully.
We sometimes use several layers of cardboard, paper and protective wrapping, secured with tape. Please take particular care when using scissors or a blade, as tape can occasionally catch on adjoining layers or items inside.
We would rather spend a little extra time protecting your purchase than risk damage in transit, and hope you will forgive our occasionally unconventional packaging!
After all, it's what's inside that matters, not the wrapping!
Every purchase helps us preserve, explore and share Michael’s remarkable photographic archive, while giving these images a new home and another chapter in their history.
For US Buyers
Customs duties and applicable import charges are paid at source and included in the shipping cost. No additional charges should normally be payable upon delivery, subject to changes in customs regulations.
Michael Joseph - Me and My Radios, London, 1970s
Original vintage black-and-white photograph • Rare archival print
A brilliantly eccentric Michael Joseph photograph in which something as mundane as a collection of portable radios becomes a piece of visual theatre.
A sharply dressed man sits surrounded by the technology of the period - transistor radios and portable sets arranged almost like treasured possessions - while he presents them to the camera with an expression somewhere between pride, bewilderment and absolute seriousness.
That deadpan quality is precisely what makes the photograph so funny.
The image is quintessential Joseph: an apparently simple idea made memorable through casting, expression, props, lighting and meticulous composition. The radios are not merely scattered around him; each has been positioned so that its distinctive shape remains visible, while the sitter’s pale hands punctuate the dark composition and lead the eye directly towards the objects.
Creating this kind of image in the analogue era demanded considerably more ingenuity than the finished photograph suggests. Everything visible had to be physically assembled, positioned and lit in front of the camera. Reflective surfaces, deep blacks, pale skin and the different textures of clothing and plastic all had to remain readable within a single exposure - with no digital manipulation available afterwards to rescue the composition.
And then there is the expression. Joseph understood that the success of a staged photograph often depended upon a fraction of a second: the exact glance, gesture or raised eyebrow that turns an advertising photograph into something unforgettable.
Today, the image has acquired an additional charm. These once-modern radios have become wonderfully nostalgic design objects in their own right, making the photograph an evocative record of the technological optimism and visual culture of its era.
An original vintage photographic object from the Michael Joseph archive - witty, beautifully constructed and gloriously of its time.
#MichaelJoseph #MeAndMyRadios #VintagePhotography #BritishPhotography #1970sPhotography #AdvertisingPhotography #AnalogPhotography #VintageTechnology #TransistorRadio #OriginalPhotograph #VintagePrint #BlackAndWhitePhotography #PhotographyCollector #PhotographicArt #BritishHumour
Seller's Story
My father, Michael Joseph, was a London-based advertising photographer from the 1960s to the early 1990s, perhaps best known for his iconic photographs for the Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet album.
Such was Michael’s extraordinary talent for orchestrating elaborate group scenes, often bringing together large numbers of people and animals in seemingly effortless harmony, that these wonderfully theatrical compositions became known within the advertising industry simply as “a Michael Joseph” - a style so distinctive that his name became a description in its own right.
Our continuing mission is to share what we affectionately call “the other photographs”: lesser-known treasures from his remarkable archive, including original vintage darkroom prints, experimental test prints, alternative images from major shoots, celebrated group compositions and more intimate, personal photographs.
Among our most exciting discoveries is Michael’s extraordinary 1964 Vietnam archive, photographed when he was just 23. Many of these powerful images have never previously been exhibited or offered for sale, revealing a fascinating, lesser-known side of his career.
There is also a wonderfully poetic quality to much of his work: unexpected encounters, fleeting moments and what we like to call “immortalised instants” - those unrepeatable fragments of everyday life that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
All beautifully summed up in Michael’s favourite adage:
“Always keep a camera handy, every minute of your living day.”
A philosophy he certainly lived by, leaving us an extraordinary collection that we are still discovering today.
Alongside Michael’s authentic vintage prints, we are introducing new interpretations of his work: striking photographic prints on aluminium and handmade cyanotypes, created from his original negatives and transparencies using the Dordogne sunshine. Some are produced on vintage papers from Michael’s own photographic library, giving these historic materials a wonderful new lease of life.
Together, these works celebrate photographic history and contemporary creativity - from unique prints made by Michael himself to imaginative new interpretations of his archive.
We hope you enjoy discovering these photographs as much as we enjoy bringing them to light!
A Small Note About the Presentation Photographs
Some of our in situ illustrations showing artworks displayed in interiors have been created using artificial intelligence (AI).
These are intended simply to help you imagine how a piece might look in a home, office or gallery. Although we aim for faithful representations, proportions and scale may occasionally vary.
Please refer to the actual artwork photographs and stated dimensions for an accurate representation of your purchase.
A Personal Note About Packaging
We prepare and pack every artwork ourselves, taking great care to protect each piece with several layers of suitable materials.
To keep costs down and minimise waste, we reuse and upcycle packaging wherever possible. Your parcel may therefore contain recycled cardboard, protective sleeves, old photographic boxes or envelopes - occasionally even materials from Michael’s own photographic library!
And please don't be surprised if the outside looks rather plain, or even a little unattractive. This is often deliberate! We prefer valuable or irreplaceable artworks to travel as inconspicuously as possible.
One small favour: please unwrap your parcel slowly and carefully.
We sometimes use several layers of cardboard, paper and protective wrapping, secured with tape. Please take particular care when using scissors or a blade, as tape can occasionally catch on adjoining layers or items inside.
We would rather spend a little extra time protecting your purchase than risk damage in transit, and hope you will forgive our occasionally unconventional packaging!
After all, it's what's inside that matters, not the wrapping!
Every purchase helps us preserve, explore and share Michael’s remarkable photographic archive, while giving these images a new home and another chapter in their history.
For US Buyers
Customs duties and applicable import charges are paid at source and included in the shipping cost. No additional charges should normally be payable upon delivery, subject to changes in customs regulations.
Details
Date of print
1969
Artist
Michael Joseph (1941-)
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Title of artwork
Proud radio owner, sixties advert, brown-toned test print
Condition
Original State
Technique
Gelatin-silver print
Height
46 cm
Edition
Vintage edition in a recycled frame
Width
36 cm
Signature
Hand signed
Genre
Fine art photography
Sold by
