Earlier this month, a collection of photographs by Alfred Stieglitz sold for nearly $1m at auction in North Carolina, in spite of just a $98,000 high estimate.

The collection of photographs had been individually chosen by Alfred Stieglitz himself and given to his friend Katherine N Rhoades. The photographs were consigned to the auction by Barbara Rhoades, grandniece of Katherine.

The collection consisted of seven photographs and a copy of issue 47 of Camera Work: A Photographic Quarterly, edited and published by Alfred Stieglitz.

The highlight of the collection was a 1915 photograph, From the Back Window-291-Snow-Covered Tree, Back Yard, which brought $519,200, almost 26 times its $20,000 high estimate. The black and white photograph depicts a tree with its branches covered in snow.

Alfred Stieglitz' From the Back Window-291-Snow-Covered Tree, Back Yard

291 - Picasso-Braque Exhibition, which represents a temporary installation of two Picasso drawings, a wasp nest and an African reliquary mask, realised $200,600 against a $20,000 high estimate. The image is intended to challenge the audience to reflect upon the relationship between emerging modern art, "primitive art", and nature.

The Hand of Men, which shows a steam train against a backdrop of pylons and industrial buildings, and The Flat Iron, which depicts a tall building with trees and benches in the foreground, both achieved $60,000, considerably up on their pre-sale estimates of $12,000 and $10,000, respectively.

Stieglitz photographs are among some of the most valuable in the world; his Georgia O'Keeffe (Hands) work sold for $1.47m at Sotheby's in 2006.