Rare ‘Type 1’ Photos of Celebrities Up For Auction

Several type 1 photographs depicting significant moments and celebrities are up for auction, including a young Jeff Bezos and a candid Marilyn Monroe.

Type 1 photographs, which are prints developed within two years of the shot taken from the original negative, have been gaining popularity in recent years. That’s also driven the price of these rare images up quite a bit.

Now, auction house Goldin has several standouts up for auction.

One image of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 is even signed by Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins, the mission trio. Two others include Jeff Bezos, one is of his yearbook photo and another of him winning the blue ribbon at his high school science fair. A candid of Marilyn Monroe, taken by American photojournalist Allan Grant and which was published in Life two days before her death is also up for grabs. An image of the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain with his daughter Francis Bean Cobain will likely fetch a high price, too. Not only was the picture taken just five months before his death, it was captured by Alice Wheeler, known for her grunge and punk photography.

These images, along with other type 1 photographs, are available as part of Goldin’s Pop Culture Auction now through April 13.

Sports type 1 photographs have already proven successful for Goldin. The auction house notes it is “responsible for the most expensive Michael Jordan Type 1 photo ever sold at $225,000.” It further pointed out that a Joe Namath Type 1 image sold at Goldin for $197,640 in November, marking a record price for a type 1 football photograph.

Golin also wrapped its March Elite Auction just last month, which included several type 1 sports photographs. One image tells the story of Michael Jordan, his iconic number 23 jersey stolen by an Orlando Magic security staff member, wearing the number 12 instead and the only Chicago Bulls player on the floor without his name emblazoned on the back. The final bid reached $10,000. Another photo, this one from 1985, shows boxer Mike Tyson making his professional debut went for $6,500. The photograph shows Tyson’s mentor Cus D’Amato lacing his gloves in preparation. A 1996 photograph of sisters Venus and Serena Williams went for just over $6,000. Then there’s Jackie Robinson, the first black MLB player, the first time he wore his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform with the number 42. Bidding for this image climbed to $22,000.

Image credits: Courtesy of Goldin