Nearly 700 “out of the world” photo were up for an auction by Bloomsbury Auctions in London in February this year.
The super rare vintage collection shows the golden age of space exploration and include a photo of the first photo taken in space, by Buzz Aldrin and a rare image of pioneering astronaut Neil Armstrong on the Moon.
The private rare collection called From the Earth to the Moon was appraised at approximately $1,000,000. The photos are beyond impressive, there is a plethora of fascinating photographs depicting the earth seen from space and one specific photo that shows a partial-solar-eclipse.
“It is very rare to find a vintage print of that because it wasn’t recognized by NASA at the time,” explained the Bloomsbury Auctions spokesman.
“They didn’t realize it was Neil Armstrong, so they didn’t release it to the press. It was found years later, and very few people have seen it, it hasn’t been widely published, so that one is of obvious historic significance.”
The spokesman of the auction said that previous sales of NASA photos had proven hugely successful.
“Four years ago in 2011 we sold a private collection of NASA photos and I was surprised by the range of people who did buy them — I’d say about half were interested in the aesthetics of the image, and the other half were looking for the significant moments in space history — the classic images: the first ‘earthrise’, the first picture of the whole earth and so on.”
“They represent a golden age in the history of photography, when a few men went to the unknown to bring back awe-inspiring pictures,”
The view from Apollo 7 during the Saturn Rocket’s third stage separation and transposition maneuvers in Oct. 1968. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
The launch of Explorer 1, which was America’s first artificial satellite in Jan. 1958 Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
The giant Saturn V rocket on the launch pad in Nov. 1967. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
The Floridian peninsula seen from Apollo 7 in 1968. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
The first color photograph of the Crescent Earth taken aboard Apollo 4 in Nov. 1967. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Harrison Schmitt carries the US flag during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Photo by Bloomsbury Auctions
Partial-solar-eclipse-seen-from-Gemini-12-in-Nov.-1966, Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Pete Conrad can be seen in astronaut Alan Bean’s reflective visor’ while on the Apollo 12 mission in 1969. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Rendezvous-with-the-Agena-over-Earth-seen-form-Gemini-12-in-Nov.-1966 Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
The earth seen from space in July 11, 1969. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Gemini 12 astronaut Buzz Aldrin snaps a picture of himself during a spacewalk in November 1966. Credit: NASA
Astronaut Walter Cunningham on Apollo 7 in 1968. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Astronaut John Glenn climbs into the Friendship 7 capsule in Jan. 1962. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Astronaut-Ed-White-in-the-pilot’s-seat-of-Gemini-4-in-June-1965 Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Astronaut Ed White during the first American spacewalk on Gemini 4 in 1965. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
A long exposure of the Gemini 10 launch in 1966. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Apollo 16 liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center in Fla. in April 1972. Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Astronaut Alan Shepard and the American flag during Apollo 14 in 1971 Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
Astronaut-David-Scott-looks-at-the-Earth-during-the-Apollo-9-Mission-in-March-1969 , Photo © Bloomsbury Auctions
h/t CNN
