Updated: 23 March this in from Phoebe Kornfeld: “I have learned something about the Black Star London office, but the specifics are still lacking. I have learned that during World War II, the three German BS founders could not operate the office in London, and it was taken over by an Australian named Seedorf, and then sold to Cosmos after the war. I do not have any other information yet on that, so let’s see if you have better luck.”
Updated 25 Dec 2017:
The agency’s stamp C1950’s
UPDATE 10 Oct: Thansk for all the info coming in –
– Matt Butson at the Hulton Getty archive: ‘I do remember seeing many Black Star London prints at Mansell back in the day – not sure if they acquired (Mansell much later acquired by Time Inc and then shipped to US and now in storage in New Jersey!).’
– Photographer David Levenson who forwarded us a contact to further contact also said: ‘I used to be Black Star’s photographer in London….but this is a bit before my time!
Black Star still exists in the States, and I am sure she must have spoken with them? (maybe)
I worked with Black Star from 1984 when their agent in London was Terry Le Goubin at Colorific.
– Graham Cross at eyevine agency writes: Hi Will, Re: Black Star London – its complex. We represent what’s left of Black Star New York at eyevine, I managed to save some of the NYC prints before they were thrown in a skip as Katz closed down, but these are not London content. If I recall correctly from my days at Colorific! whilst walking the picture desks with their images, I was told the London office was a separate entity and forced to close by the authorities during the war as it received uncensored propaganda images directly from the Germans before the US entered the war.
Original Article:
A Granddaughter of one of the founders of Black Star Publishing has written to the PPHP looking for help on her research on the agency. One area not well documented is the London office of Black Star – located in Cliffords Inn between 1936 – 39. She has Black Star letterhead with an address but ….nothing further – even through Companies House.
“I am writing to you, because I have been trying to determine when (between 1936 and 1938) Black Star opened its office in London.”
If you have anything on Black Star London please drop me an email or call – Thanks Will [email protected] – UK 07802437827.
