Spanning More than Four Decades, Collection Comes to Auction as US Prepares for 50th Anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s Historic First Moon Walk

Image: Astronaut Ed White floats over the Gulf of Mexico in 1965, from a NASA archive of 350 silver and chromogenic prints chronicling missions in space, 1960-2002. Estimate $6,000 to $9,000.  Сourtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

Swann Auction Galleries will offer the ultimate prize to mark this year’s 50^th anniversary of when Man first walked on the Moon: an archive of 350 NASA photographs chronicling the Space missions and lunar explorations of over four decades.

The archive is one of the highlights of Swann Galleries’ February 21 Photographs: Art & Visual Culture auction in New York and features innumerable iconic images depicting icons of the space race, such as Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Bruce McCandless II and Mae Carol Jemison, photographed during the various Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions.

Astronaut Ed White floats over the Gulf of Mexico in 1965, from a NASA archive of 350 silver and chromogenic prints chronicling missions in space, 1960-2002. Estimate $6,000 to $9,000.  Сourtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

Some of the most dramatic images are of space walks, with the Earth brightly lit in the background, as well as Earthrise, the celebrated view of the Earth as it rises over the Moon’s horizon.

Lunar landscapes, astronauts in flight and other active mission shots add to the drama of the archive, which also includes images taken on Earth (mostly at the Lyndon B. Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers). These images show astronauts in training, during press conferences, and preparing for lift-off, alongside photographs of fiery launches, and returning touchdowns.

“This important archive, which spans the remarkable period of 1960 through 2002, depicts the extraordinary dedication of exceptional Americans in their quest for knowledge of the last frontier–-Outer Space," said Swann Galleries’ specialist Daile Kaplan.

An artist's concept illustration of an extravehicular activity in 1975, from a NASA archive of 350 silver and chromogenic prints chronicling missions in space, 1960-2002. Estimate $6,000 to $9,000. Сourtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

“All of the photographs contain a NASA credit and inventory number, and the majority are captioned. The archive features both color and black-and-white prints that are a direct record of the NASA programs’ achievements and contextualize a remarkable era of exploration. With the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong’s first Moonwalk on July 20, this is a unique opportunity to acquire stunning prints of the decades-long space program.”

 Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr. with the Lunar Roving Vehicle in 1972, from a NASA archive of 350 silver and chromogenic prints chronicling missions in space, 1960-2002. Estimate $6,000 to $9,000. Сourtesy of Swann Auction Galleries

Most of the images measure approximately 8 x 10 inches, with some slightly larger.

The estimate is $6,000 to $9,000.