Two Signed Photos of the New York Dolls

ROBERTA BAYLEY (B. 1950)

New York Dolls Reunion, Gem Spa, 1977

signed, inscribed and dated 'New York Dolls Reunion Gem Spa NYC 1977 Roberta Bayley' (lower margin); signed by David Johansen 'David Johansen' (right margin); signed again and numbered 'ROBERTA BAYLEY A.P.' (on the reverse)

silver gelatin print

sheet: 14 x 11 inches (35.6 x 27.9 cm)

image: 12 3/4 x 8 1/2 inches (32.4 x 21.6 cm)

Executed in 1977. This work is an artist's proof.

ROBERTA BAYLEY (B. 1950)

David Johansen of the New York Dolls, 1979

signed, inscribed, numbered and dated 'David Johansen New York 1978 Roberta Bayley 2/25' (lower margin); signed by David Johansen 'David Johansen' (lower edge); signed again and numbered 'ROBERTA BAYLEY 3 of 25' (on the reverse)

silver gelatin print

sheet: 14 x 11 inches (35.6 x 27.9 cm)

image: 12 3/4 x 8 1/2 inches (32.4 x 21.6 cm)

Executed in 1978. Number 3 from an edition of 25.

The Gem Spa reunion photograph took weeks of coordination to arrange — gathering all five members of the New York Dolls in front of the East Village newsstand whose façade had appeared on the back cover of the band's self-titled 1973 Mercury debut. On Bayley's first attempt, Jerry Nolan didn't show; she succeeded on the second. Bob Gruen also joined for the session.

The Johansen subway photograph dates from his early solo period, when he was rehearsing with Staten Island musicians on Mercer Street. The image was subsequently used as the publicity still for Martin Scorsese's documentary Personality Crisis: One Night Only (2022), running in full-page New York Times advertisements and on city kiosks.

PROVENANCE:

From the personal archive of Roberta Bayley