The collection belongs to Victor Martin-Malburet who developed a passion for the visual legacy of Mankind's Great Leap Forward at the age of 15, when he attended a space exploration auction with his father, a contemporary art collector.
Internationally acclaimed, his collection has been featured in major museum exhibitions. Alongside images that have become icons of pop culture, the auction reveals forgotten treasures: breathtaking photographs that represent masterpieces of humanity's artistic heritage. With estimates starting from 300 euros, this historic sale, which will be held online from 14 to 28 April 2025 in Paris, offers a rare opportunity for collectors and enthusiasts to acquire a piece of eternity. Highlights include the first photographs taken in space and on the surface of another world, the first extravehicular activities in space and on the Moon, the footprint on the lunar surface, the far side of the Moon, as well as the iconic Earthrise and Blue Marble, and many other incredible images. The auction honors Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders, who passed away in 2024. His unforgettable photographs of the first sunrise on Earth ever seen by humanity have profoundly transformed our perception of ourselves and our place in the universe. The three images he took – including two that have long remained unpublished – are offered in the sale.
NASA images originally intended for scientists
As astronauts ventured beyond Earth, every image they took was a first, pushing the boundaries of what was possible. In Houston, NASA operated the world’s most advanced photographic laboratory, and in close collaboration with Hasselblad, Zeiss (cameras and lenses), and Kodak (film and paper), they produced photographs of unprecedented aesthetic and symbolic significance. Primarily intended for the agency’s scientists to prepare for future missions, a selection of images were presented to the public, sparking a global awakening and awe. In addition to these photographs now etched in our collective memory, the auction features some of the most historic photographs ever taken, but not yet published by NASA. For more than 25 years, Victor Martin-Malburet has searched for these extraordinarily rare treasures, buried in scientific archives and the collections of former NASA engineers.
Some of the photographs up for auction
- The first ever photograph of Earth's sunrise captured by William Anders during Apollo 8 (estimate: 12.000 – 18.000 euros) – one of the most influential images in human history – was not immediately recognized as such after the mission and remained inaccessible in NASA archives for years. At the time of taking the shot, Anders exclaimed: “Oh, my God! Look at that image over there! There’s the Earth coming. Wow, that’s beautiful!” To capture its impact, the color photograph Anders took moments later was chosen to illustrate the cover of LIFE magazine, 100 Photographs That Changed the World.
- Neil Armstrong's first photograph taken on the lunar surface (estimate: 7.000 – 10.000 euros) was not released by NASA after Apollo 11. After taking the first step, overwhelmed by the wonder of this new world, Armstrong deviated from the mission plan – which initially called for the collection of an emergency lunar sample in case of reentry – declaring: “I’m going to go out and take some of my first pictures here.” Photography thus became the first human activity on another world.
- The only photograph of Neil Armstrong on the Moon, taken by Buzz Aldrin (estimate: 18.000 – 25.000 euros). After the Apollo 11 mission, NASA claimed that no photographs of the first man on the Moon existed. However, this unique image, showing the astronaut standing next to the Eagle lunar module, was rediscovered 17 years later. Under pressure to quickly release a selection of images to the scientific community and the media after the missions, NASA's Office of Public Affairs did not always recognize the historical and artistic significance of some photographs. Some were published out of context, while others remained unpublished in the archives. Even the now iconic first selfie in space (estimate: 8.000-10.000 euros), a seminal image in the history of exploration, has been in danger of being forgotten. NASA originally described the Gemini 12 photo rather banally: “Astronaut Aldrin is photographed with the spacecraft hatch open.” Much later, Buzz Aldrin himself claimed the image, captioning it: “BEST SELFIE EVER.”
- The first photograph captured by John Glenn during the first orbit of the spacecraft Friendship 7 in 1962, this historic image marks the beginning of humanity's visual legacy in space. At the time, photography was still experimental—Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, even bought his own camera for the shot.
Estimate: 4.000-6.000 euros. - Another iconic image, captured by James McDivitt during the first American spacewalk on Gemini 4, it is the first ever photograph of a human in space. As he floated above the Earth, Ed White famously remarked, “I feel like a million bucks.”
Estimate: €4.000 – €6.000 - Another one captured by Neil Armstrong in the first moments of the Apollo 11 moonwalk, as Buzz Aldrin deployed the Solar Wind Experiment, this historic image is the first photograph of a human on another world. For Buzz Aldrin, setting foot on the sunlit Moon was like entering another dimension.
Estimate: €4.000 – €6.000 - Image taken by James McDivitt during the Gemini 4 mission, This stunning photograph shows an elated Ed White upon his return to the Gemini capsule after America's first spacewalk. Estimate: 2.000 – 3.000 euros
- Image of William Anders during the first orbit of Apollo 8, revealed a landscape that had been hidden from human eyes since the dawn of time. Anders reflects: “It was a real thrill. I mean, suddenly seeing those mountains. Another world…”.
Estimate: 1.200-1.800 euros - Moon from a non-Earthly perspective. Captured by William Anders at the start of Apollo 8's return journey, reveals a Moon that Earth-based observers will never be able to see, since it always shows us the same face.
Estimate: 1.200 – 1.800 euros
