Coney island Photograph by Arthur Weegee Fellig - 1940s

1940 photograph of a densely packed Coney Island beach by the legendary Arthur “Weegee” Fellig 1970s
Seems like an original print on "art fine" Baryta paper
Height 70
Width 50 cm

It’s a common misconception that the iconic photo of the beach full of people was taken on July 4th weekend, when in fact the photo was taken a few weeks later, on a hot weekend at the end of July.

The photo ran in the short-lived newspaper, PM, on Monday, July 22, 1940, under the headline “Yesterday at Coney Island...Temperature 89…They came early, stayed late”. In the article, Weegee talks about knowing the beach was going to be busy when he arrived and couldn’t find a legal or illegal parking spot, and he was bitter that parking lots were price gouging up to $1 from the typical 25 cents. To close out the article, Weegee details everything he consumed that day.

“While I was at Coney I had two kosher frankfurters and two beers at a Jewish delicatessen on the Boardwalk. Later on for a chaser I had five more beers, a malted milk, two root beers, three Coca Colas and two glasses of buttermilk. And five cigars, costing 19 cents.”

Over 80 years later, not much has changed…except the prices have gone up a little. Coney Island is still the best place to beat the summer heat.

Weegee did take a photograph of the crowd on a 4th of July weekend, in 1942. This photo has the more expected Weegee flair for the strange mixed with a splash of humor. The photo includes a man standing on the shoulders of sailors, wearing a heavy, dark mask. An odd choice for a hot beach day. According to Weegee, the man would only be photographed “incognito” and enjoyed the hobby of frightening people. The man’s other life was as a laundry man.

Price at request