The Moon on Your Wall: Only Photo of Neil Armstrong Auctioned

It is perhaps the most famous moment in modern history, the first man on the moon. Yet only one photograph of Neil Armstrong himself exists from that historic moon walk. It will soon be auctioned.

It is perhaps the most famous moment in modern history – the first man on the moon. But surprisingly enough, only one photo of Neil Armstrong himself exists of that historic moon walk. And now it will soon be auctioned.

From April 14 to 28, Bonhams Paris is organizing an auction that can safely be called historic: For All Mankind: The Artistic Legacy of Early Space Exploration. A collection of 450 NASA photos. Collector Victor Martin-Malburet spent 25 years collecting these cosmic gems – and it’s now paying off. 

The eye-catcher? A rare photo of Neil Armstrong on the moon, taken by colleague Buzz Aldrin. In the background: the Lunar Module Eagle, with which the men of Apollo 11 arrived. Expected yield: between €18.200 and €24.600. For those who prefer something a little more exclusive than a poster from the NASA gift shop.

Other masterpieces are no less impressive. What about the very first Earthrise ever captured? A black-and-white photo taken by William Anders during Apollo 8, showing the Earth floating above the lunar surface. Estimated value: €11.800 to €17.300. Or the first selfie in space, taken by – who else – Buzz Aldrin during Gemini 12 (€7.900 to €11.800). 

Auctioneer Sabine Cornette de Saint Cyr sums it up succinctly: “These photographs symbolize the beginning of our expansion into the universe.”