Here’s your chance to grab a contact print from the famous Last Sitting by renowned fashion and commercial photographer Bert Stern.
Our latest vintage find may not be a camera or old school photography equipment. Yet, it’s the stuff that many collectors of all things vintage photography would pay a fortune to have. And a fortune is precisely what you’ll need if you want to grab this item: an original contact sheet from the so-called last sitting of Marilyn Monroe for renowned fashion and commercial photographer Bert Stern.
According to ebay seller rarepics914, the one-of-a-kind item listed as photo worksheet 62 was obtained from his artist friend who had a studio on 17th Street. It has some markings showing Stern’s choice on the shot to be published, some crop markings, and an X on the photo beside it (possibly a second choice). It measures 30 in x 39.25 in and was mounted on a board. The listing also says that the original worksheet has been kept flat in a smoke, dust, and UV light-free facility for more than 40 years, and is in excellent condition despite some folds and slight tears.
As Stern was the last photographer to shoot with Marilyn Monroe some weeks before her death in 1962, the collection of over 2,500 photos that he shot for Vogue was published as The Last Sitting in 1982. These included contact sheets that Monroe disliked and crossed out.
As the item is claimed to be an original worksheet (how it landed on the hands of the seller’s artist friend would be an interesting story), it comes with a hefty price tag of $195,000. If you’re interested in examining it yourself, the seller says you can arrange a private viewing.
Think you’re ready to part with a fortune to own a rare piece of photography and Hollywood history? Go ahead and check out the ebay listing to buy it now or make an offer.
Photo from the ebay listing by rarepics914