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Marilyn Monroe - real or not

I am going to an auction tomorrow and there is a lot of autographed photos including this signed photo. Now I am no expect on Miss Monroe and have scanned the web to see if I can find this photo. I have been unsuccessful so....Has anyone seen this signed photo before and if so, do you think this is a pre-print. Any help would be appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 16, 2023 at 1:23pm

Very hard to see from that small angled image. I have messaged a member named Pauline, sent a link and asked her to comment on this - she is the one to ask.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 16, 2023 at 1:51pm

It does look like a preprint as there is so much ink and no dedication but a generic inscription.

Here is another:

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Permalink Reply by Martin Slack on November 16, 2023 at 2:02pm

Hi Eric,

I will go to the auction and take some better photos and look to see if I can see the ink.

I want to see what other photos are in the lot.

The estimate is £3000-£5000

If I am not sure about the Monroe photo, There may not be enough other material to interest me at that price.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 16, 2023 at 2:13pm

"£3000-£5000"

For the lot? Signed MM photos are bringing a LOT. That seems very low to me.

The photographer was Frank Powolny, 1953. A matte finish 8x10 of this image, the one I showed " To Wilson" with that lovely inscription, sold at RR for $23K in April, 2022.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Slack on November 16, 2023 at 2:19pm

As I said Eric. I will go and take some better photos tomorrow and let Pauline take a look then.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Slack on November 16, 2023 at 1:42pm

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Permalink Reply by Martin Slack on November 16, 2023 at 1:43pm

Eric,

This is the original photo so....you maybe able to see the signature better with this photo

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 16, 2023 at 1:57pm

Thanks. It is not much better. Many of those appear to be dedicated to "Christine". But there may be preprints in there. I believe the Monroe is a preprint/facsimile. Just much too heavy an application when her hand was so very light. Let's see what Pauline says.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Slack on November 16, 2023 at 2:04pm

I'm with you Eric.

I think it is a pre-print !

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 16, 2023 at 2:19pm

It also appears very even in application. I would expect the first strokes of her name to be quick and thinner if hand signed. There appears no variation here.