Don't leave just yet!

Sign up to be the first to know about special offers and events.

Bunny and Bettie

Bunny Yeager: “Bunny Yeager and Her Circle: Miami’s Golden Age”

Bunny Yeager (1929-2014) was one of the most influential photographers of the modern era. Her self-portraits alone establish her as an innovative and important artist, demonstrating an ability to transform herself for the camera, via clothes, make-up, hair and setting. She would spend hours in front of a mirror trying out different expressions. Her book “How I Photograph Myself” (1964) was a watershed moment in photography, that landed her a spot on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Those images were featured in an exhibition at the Andy Warhol Museum in 2010, curated by Eric Shiner.

Born in Wilkensburg, PA and raised in nearby Pitcairn, a small town built around the railroad and the coal industry, she dreamed early about Hollywood, movie stars and beauty queens. Upon her arrival in Miami in 1946, she re-invented herself as a self-assured model and beauty pageant winner. She was featured prominently in the Tourism Board of Miami Beach promotions. At the same time she was designing her own bikinis, before they were widely available.

After taking a course in photography in 1953, she discovered another talent, and her photos of Bettie Page have become iconic. In addition to a Playboy photographer she was also a Girl Scout leader, actress, singer, filmmaker and fashion designer. Her and her husband partnered with Irving Klaw to make several Nudie Cutie films, as well as “Bunny Yeager’s Nude Camera”. Diane Arbus was a fan and called her “The World’s Greatest Pin-Up Photographer”. She was the only with photographer in Miami shooting black models in the 1950’s in Miami. She also taught Sammy Davis Jr. how to shoot models.
She travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, and produced books like “Camera on Mexico” and “Camera on Jamaica”. Self-educated, she was very knowledgable about the Mayan culture and archeology. After shooting for men’s magazines until the early 1970’s, she refused to shoot more graphic work, and started an entertainment and film newspaper called “Stage & Screen”. She continued to shoot photography, but had many other interests.

After leaving the spotlight for many years, the Warhol exhibition marked the beginning of a resurgence of interest in her work, and another museum show at NSU/ Ft. Lauderdale Museum in 2013, curated by Peter Boswell. She produced two landmark books with Rizzoli: “Bunny Yeager’s Darkroom” in 2012 and “Bettie Page: Queen of the Pin-Ups” in 2013. Her work is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, and many of her important papers are housed at the Richter Library/Special Collections at the U. Of Miami. A documentary about her life, directed by Dennis Scholl and Kareem Tabsch, will be released in 2022.

If you’re interested in purchasing a piece please see the concierge, call 305-531-6100 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.

Bunny

Bettie Page Standing with Cheetah at Africa USA Park

Boca Raton, FL (1954)

Unframed Size: 16x20 - For pricing and detailed description please inquire at concierge desk    
Framed Size: 23x27 - For pricing and detailed description please inquire at concierge desk 
Vintage Hand-painted, silver gelatin print mounted to foam core (one of a lot of 3 prints)

Bunny

Bunny Yeager Self-Portrait with Bettie Page and Two Cheetahs

1954

Unframed Size: 16x20 - For pricing and detailed description please inquire at concierge desk    
Framed Size: 23x27 - For pricing and detailed description please inquire at concierge desk 
Vintage Hand-painted, silver gelatin print mounted to foam core (one of a lot of 3 prints)

Bunny

Bettie Page Nude with Christmas Tree 1954

This is the original print used for Playboy magazine for the January 1955 issue.

Unframed Size: 16x20 - For pricing and detailed description please inquire at concierge desk    
Framed Size: 23x27 - For pricing and detailed description please inquire at concierge desk 
Vintage Hand-painted, silver gelatin print mounted to foam core (one of a lot of 3 prints)

Bunny

Bunny Yeager Self-Portrait with her 8 x 10 Camera

Miami, FL 1966 (Un-signed, from the archive of photographer Eric Kroll)

Unframed Size: 16x20 - $2,000
Framed Size: 23x27 - $2,200

Bunny

Bunny Yeager Self-Portrait w/ Bettie Page at Africa USA Park

Boca Raton, FL 1954 (From Bunny Yeager’s personal collection/Grapefruit Moon Gallery)

Unframed Size: 20x24 - $3,000
Framed Size: 25x25 - $3,300
Artist Proof, No Edition Number

Bunny

Bettie Page on Sofa/Cropped to her Legs

Coral Gables, FL 1954 (From Bunny Yeager’s personal collection/Grapefruit Moon Gallery)

Unframed Size: 20x24 - $4,000
Framed Size: 20x20- $4,300
Artist proof #2 of 2, from an edition of 10 prints

Bunny

Elena Lekas with Nero, her Leopard

Miami, FL 1965/2013(From Bunny Yeager’s personal collection/Grapefruit Moon Gallery)

Unframed Size: 16x20 - $3,000
Framed Size: 23x27 - $3,200
# 7 from a limited edition of 10 prints

Bunny

Sammy Davis Jr. with Camera

Miami Beach at 45th St (from the Collection of Ed Christin) 1955/2013

Unframed Size: 11x14 - $2,500
Framed Size: 25x25 - $2,650
# 6 from a limited edition of 10

Bunny

Gail Austin in Sand Dunes

Padre Island, Texas

Unframed Size: 11x14 - $2,500
Framed Size: 42x72 - $2,650
Artist Proof from a limited edition of 10

Bunny

Bunny Yeager & Bettie Page with Cheetahs at Africa USA Park

Boca Raton, FL, Self Portrait 1954/2013 (From Bunny Yeager’s personal collection/Grapefruit Moon Gallery)

Unframed Size: 16x20 - $1,200
Framed Size: 13x15 - $1,400    
UN-SIGNED artist proof

Bunny

Bunny Yeager Self-Portrait in Black Negligee

Miami Beach, FL 1965/2013 (From Bunny Yeager’s personal collection/Grapefruit Moon Gallery)

Unframed Size: 120x24 - $4,000
Framed Size: 26x32 - $4,250 

Bunny

Bunny in a Bunny Suit c. 1950

(From the Collection of Sophie Gill)

Framed Size: 13x15 - $1,000

Bunny

Bunny Yeager Portrait with Roses

Framed Size: 26x32 - $3,500
Artist Proof #1 of 2 from an edition of 5

Bunny

Matthew Couper "Societé"

Framed Size: 11x14 - $10,000

Bunny

Bettie Page Standing with Cheetah at Africa USA Park

Boca Raton, FL 1954/ (From Bunny Yeager’s personal collection/Grapefruit Moon Gallery)

Unramed Size: 16x20 - $4,000    
Framed Size: 23x27 - $4,200
# 4 from a limited edition of 10 prints

Bettie

“Bettie Page Clutching Her Hair”

Key Biscayne FL (1954/2013)

Unframed Size: 16x20 - $4,000    
Framed Size: 22x27 - $4,200    
#4 of 10

Bettie

Bettie Page Straddling Cheetah at Africa USA/ Boca Raton FL 1954

Unframed: 40x40 - $3,500 each

Framed: 44x44 - $3,950

2 artist proofs and an edition of 5

 

Unframed: 20x20 - $1,200

Framed: 26x26 - $1,450

2 artist proofs and an edition of 10

 

Unframed: 16x16 - $900

Framed: 21x21 - $1,100

2 artist proofs and an edition of 10 @ $900 each

Reveals

Bettie Page Reveals All

Framed Print:  $5,000