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FOR ALL MANKIND

THE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF EARLY SPACE EXPLORATION: Victor Martin-Malburet Collection
14 – 28 April 2025

Between 1961 and 1972, NASA astronauts, armed with the most advanced cameras of their time, became the first human beings to photograph another world. With Earth rising behind them and the Moon beneath their boots, they captured more than never-before-seen pictures: they created a new visual language, a cosmic perspective that forever redefined humanity's place in the universe.

Back on Earth, NASA's photo labs transformed these moments into silver-gelatin and chromogenic masterworks — hauntingly beautiful, technically groundbreaking. These are not just records of science, but masterpieces of 20th-century art.

The Victor Martin-Malburet Collection, exhibited in museums including the Grand Palais and the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, is the most comprehensive private archive of these vintage NASA photographs — featuring both the rare published icons and the unseen gems kept in NASA's vaults for decades.

Now, 449 timeless photographs are available at auction. Each print is a physical witness to humankind's first steps into the cosmos, bearing original NASA stamps, mission watermarks, and the aura of authenticity.

As we return to the Moon and dream of Mars, these works speak louder than ever. They are the first self-portraits of humanity as a spacefaring species — as timeless as cave paintings, as bold as the Renaissance, as visionary as modernism.

For all mankind.

Please note that a full version of the catalogue is available by clicking on the icon "catalogue" on the right.

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Paris, Avenue Hoche
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Auction highlights

[Apollo 11] A MAN ON THE MOON: portrait of Buzz Aldrin with the photographer, LM Eagle and Earth reflected in his gold-plated sun visor Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969[Apollo 11] A MAN ON THE MOON: portrait of Buzz Aldrin with the photographer, LM Eagle and Earth reflected in his gold-plated sun visor Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969. Sold for €28,160 inc. premium
[Apollo 11] THE FOOTPRINT ON THE MOON Buzz Aldrin, July 16-24, 1969[Apollo 11] THE FOOTPRINT ON THE MOON Buzz Aldrin, July 16-24, 1969. Sold for €8,960 inc. premium
[Gemini IV] COVER OF LIFE: the first U.S. space walk by Ed White James McDivitt, 3-7 June 1965[Gemini IV] COVER OF LIFE: the first U.S. space walk by Ed White James McDivitt, 3-7 June 1965. Sold for €7,040 inc. premium
[Apollo 17] THE FINAL EARTHRISE: a poetic crescent Earth above the Moon's dramatic horizon Ronald Evans, 7-19 December 1972[Apollo 17] THE FINAL EARTHRISE: a poetic crescent Earth above the Moon's dramatic horizon Ronald Evans, 7-19 December 1972. Sold for €3,584 inc. premium
[Apollo 4] THE HISTORIC FIRST LIFTOFF OF THE SATURN V ROCKET: NASA's crucial milestone for the Moon landing NASA, 9 November 1967[Apollo 4] THE HISTORIC FIRST LIFTOFF OF THE SATURN V ROCKET: NASA's crucial milestone for the Moon landing NASA, 9 November 1967. Sold for €3,072 inc. premium

Lot gallery

449 lots available

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[Apollo 7] THE FOUR-JAWED ANGRY ALLIGATOR: Saturn S-IVB stage during rendezvous over Earth Walter Cunningham, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] SPACE PORTRAIT: Donn Eisele weightless aboard the first Apollo spacecraft Walter Cunningham or Walter Schirra, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] RARE VIEWS OF EARTH'S HORIZON FROM THE FIRST MANNED APOLLO SPACECRAFT Walter Cunningham, Walter Cunningham or Walter Schirra, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] THE SPACE CHASE OF THE TUMBLING "FLOWER-LIKE" S-IVB STAGE (diptych) Walter Cunningham or Walter Schirra, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] SPACE WINDOW: through the eyes of the first Apollo astronauts Walter Cunningham, Donn Eisele or Walter Schirra, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] CAPE KENNEDY SEEN THROUGH THE 'PETALS' OF THE SATURN S-IVB STAGE: Walter Schirra's favorite photograph Walter Cunningham, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] SPACE PORTRAIT: Walter Cunningham gazing at Earth aboard the first Apollo spacecraft Walter Schirra or Donn Eisele, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] THE S-IVB STAGE AT ITS CLOSEST APPROACH, PANELS OPEN LIKE A FLOWER ABOVE EARTH Walter Cunningham, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 7] SPACE PORTRAIT: Walter Schirra weightless aboard the first Apollo spacecraft Walter Cunningham, 11-22 October 1968
[Apollo 8] THE HISTORIC FIRST LAUNCH OF HUMANS TO ANOTHER WORLD Ralph Morse, 21 December 1968
[Apollo 8] HUMANITY'S FIRST DEPARTURE TO ANOTHER WORLD NASA, 21 December 1968
[Apollo 8] HUMANITY ENTERS DEEP SPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME: Earth-based telescope view of the Saturn V leaving Earth orbit for the Moon Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE DISK OF EARTH SEEN BY HUMANS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF THE WHOLE PLANET EARTH TAKEN BY HUMANS William Anders, 21–27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE HISTORIC FIRST PHOTOGRAPH BEYOND EARTH ORBIT TAKEN BY HUMANS William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE RECEDING PLANET EARTH (triptych) AS HUMANITY ESCAPES ITS GRAVITY FOR THE FIRST TIME William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] DEEP SPACE 'FIREFLIES' AROUND THE S-IVB STAGE AS HUMANITY FIRST ESCAPES EARTH'S GRAVITY James Lovell, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] HUMANITY FIRST ESCAPES EARTH'S GRAVITY: the S-IVB stage in deep space after jettison James Lovell, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] HUMANITY ORBITS ANOTHER WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME: Commander Frank Borman in the Moon-orbiting spacecraft William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST CLEAR PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY HUMANS FROM ANOTHER WORLD: Langrenus Crater following lunar orbit insertion Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF THE FARSIDE OF THE MOON TAKEN BY HUMANS William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH ABOVE THE LUNAR TERMINATOR TAKEN BY HUMANS William Anders, December 21-27, 1968, orbit 1
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST COLOR PHOTOGRAPH OF TSIOLKOVSKY, THE MOST STRIKING CRATER ON THE MOON'S FARSIDE, CAPTURED BY HUMANS Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST SELFIE FROM ANOTHER WORLD William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the first-ever photograph taken by humans of Earthrise William Anders [Apollo 8], 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: the iconic first color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans William Anders, 21–27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] FIRST EARTHRISE: rare unpublished color photograph of the first Earthrise witnessed by humans William Anders, 21–27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] FIRST HUMAN VIEW OF THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY FROM LUNAR ORBIT William Anders, Frank Borman, or James Lovell [Apollo 8], 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST VIEW OF THE LUNAR FARSIDE TERMINATOR CAPTURED BY HUMANS IN COLOR Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE MOON'S FARSIDE FIRST SEEN BY HUMANS: forbidding mountainous horizon Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE MOON'S FARSIDE FIRST SEEN BY HUMANS (diptych): sunlit terrain of Crater Keeler Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] FIRST HUMAN VIEW OF THE MOON'S CURVATURE OVER THE FARSIDE AFTER TRANS-EARTH INJECTION William Anders [Apollo 8], 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] EARTHRISE: the majestic Earth just emerging above the bleak lunar horizon Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF THE WHOLE MOON TAKEN BY HUMANS FROM A PERSPECTIVE OTHER THAN EARTH William Anders, 21–27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] MAJESTIC EARTHRISE SEEN THROUGH THE SPACECRAFT WINDOW Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] FANTASTIC PARTIAL VIEW OF THE FULL MOON AS SEEN AFTER HUMANITY'S FIRST TRANS-EARTH INJECTION William Anders, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] EARTH, A SMALL AND FRAGILE ISLAND FLOATING IN THE VASTNESS OF SPACE William Anders, December 21-27, 1968
[Apollo 8] PLANET EARTH AT MID-DISTANCE DURING HUMANITY'S FIRST RETURN JOURNEY FROM ANOTHER WORLD William Anders, Frank Borman, or James Lovell, December 21-27, 1968
[Apollo 8] HUMANITY'S FIRST HOMEWARD JOURNEY FROM ANOTHER WORLD: James Lovell in the spacecraft returning to Earth William Anders or Frank Borman, 21-27 December 1968
[Apollo 8] THE SPACECRAFT SAFELY BACK ON EARTH AFTER HUMANITY'S HISTORIC FIRST JOURNEY TO ANOTHER WORLD NASA, December 21-27, 1968
[Apollo 9] THE MAJESTIC LIFTOFF OF THE GIANT SATURN V ROCKET NASA, 3 March 1969
[Apollo 9] LM SPIDER NESTLED IN THE S-IVB STAGE AFTER SEPARATION FROM CSM GUMDROP Russell Schweickart or James McDivitt, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST DOCKING OF THE CSM AND LM-SIVB ABOVE EARTH Russell Schweickart, David Scott or James McDivitt, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] JETTISON OF THE S-IVB STAGE IN EARTH ORBIT AFTER LM EXTRACTION Russell Schweickart, David Scott or James McDivitt, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart spacewalking and taking photographs from LM Spider's porch, viewed from CSM gumdrop's hatch David Scott, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] IGNITION OF THE S-IVB THIRD STAGE FOR EARTH ESCAPE TRAJECTORY Russell Schweickart, David Scott or James McDivitt, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] STAND-UP EVA: David Scott emerging through CSM's Gumdrop hatch, seen from docked LM Spider at sunset James McDivittt, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: outer-space view of the docked LM Spider - CSM Gumdrop Russell Schweickart, 3-13 March 1969
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