Christie’s Auction House has put the 2,400 extraordinary NASA images up for auction in a special online-only bidding due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The “artistic heritage of the golden age of space exploration when NASA, and its astronaut-photographers, captured the first forays into space and onto the surface of another world. The collection is the most comprehensive private collection of NASA photographs ever presented at auction, and spans every visual milestone of the space program,” the auction house said in a press release.
Christie's calls it the "most comprehensive private collection of NASA photographs ever presented at auction," including "every visual milestone of the space program, from the early days of Mercury, the technical advances of Gemini and Lunar Orbiter, to the triumphs of Apollo."
Martin-Malburet, 39, worked to build the collection for more than 15 years, even snagging some photos from the astronauts themselves, according to the Guardian.
Some of the images have never been shared publicly and could only be accessed by researchers visiting the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, according to CNN.
Photos: 2,400 Vintage Images From NASA’s Space Race Era Go Up For Auction
© Harrison Schmitt/Christie's
Among the rare images can be found the famous "Blue Marble" photo - the first fully illuminated image of Earth taken by a human, taken in 1972. It also includes the first selfie taken in space: a 1966 photo in which Buzz Aldrin's face appears to float above the curve of Earth.
Photos: 2,400 Vintage Images From NASA’s Space Race Era Go Up For Auction
© Buzz Aldrin/Christie's
Other photos are the first human-taken "Earthrise" photo showing the Earth rising over a barren moon in 1968, and the first-ever image of the far side of the moon, taken in 1959.
Photos: 2,400 Vintage Images From NASA’s Space Race Era Go Up For Auction
© Alfred Worden/Christie's
Arguably the cutest photo is that of Laika, the first dog to orbit Earth, while awaiting launch on the Soviet Union's Sputnik 2 in 1957.
Photos: 2,400 Vintage Images From NASA’s Space Race Era Go Up For Auction
The 2,400 images are spread across 700 lots on Christie's website, with bids starting at about $132. Christie’s estimates that some of the better-known images will reach in excess of $66,000 each.
Photos: 2,400 Vintage Images From NASA’s Space Race Era Go Up For Auction
© Christie's
The only photograph showing Neil Armstrong walking on the moon is anticipated to go to the highest bidder at an estimated $63,000, according to CNN. The "Blue Marble" photo is expected to sell for up to $31,500 and the "Earthrise" photo for up to $37,800. Bidding closes on either November 19 or 20, depending on the item.