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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 9] DAVID SCOTT IN THE SPACECRAFT HATCH ABOVE EARTH TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS, SEEN FROM OUTER SPACE Russell Schweickart, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE HISTORIC FIRST SPACEFLIGHT OF THE LUNAR MODULE: LM Spider separating from CSM Gumdrop in Earth orbit David Scott, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] SPACE PORTRAIT: David Scott gazing into space aboard CSM Gumdrop, shielding his eyes from the Sun Russell Schweickart, March 3-13, 1969
[Apollo 9] COMMAND MODULE GUMDROP FLOATING ABOVE EARTH'S HORIZON James McDivitt or Russell Schweickart, 3–13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE HISTORIC FIRST SPACEFLIGHT OF THE LUNAR MODULE: LM Spider floating upside down above Earth's horizon David Scott, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart floating freely outside LM Spider, viewed from CSM Gumdrop's hatch David Scott, March 3-13, 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST MANNED SPACECRAFT BUILT FOR ANOTHER WORLD: LM Spider's historic first spaceflight in Earth orbit David Scott, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart spacewalking and capturing 16mm footage from LM Spider's porch, seen from CSM Gumdrop's hatch David Scott, March 3-13, 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST APOLLO EVA: Russell Schweickart gazing at Earth from outer space, seen from LM Spider James McDivitt, March 3-13, 1969
[Apollo 9] THE FIRST DOCKING OF TWO MANNED U.S. SPACECRAFT (diptych) David Scott, Russell Schweickart and James McDivitt, 3-13 March 1969
[Apollo 10] THE GIANT SATURN V ROCKET LIFTS OFF ON A HISTORIC PATHFINDER MISSION TO THE MOON NASA, 18 May 1969
[Apollo 10] THE OFFICIAL EMBLEM OF APOLLO 10, PATHFINDER MISSION TO ANOTHER WORLD NASA, May 1969
[Apollo 10] SPECTACULAR HALF VIEW OF EARTH THROUGH THE SPACECRAFT WINDOW AFTER TRANSLUNAR INJECTION Thomas Stafford, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] 'UNBELIEVABLE' VIEW OF PLANET EARTH Thomas Stafford, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] DRAMATIC LUNAR HORIZON OVER FARSIDE CRATERS HEAVISIDE AND KEELER Eugene Cernan, May 18-26, 1969
[Apollo 10] THE FIRST SPACECRAFT EVER PHOTOGRAPHED ABOVE ANOTHER WORLD: CSM Charlie Brown orbiting the Moon Eugene Cernan, 18–26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] 'FANTASTIC' VIEW OF CSM CHARLIE BROWN, THE FIRST SPACECRAFT EVER PHOTOGRAPHED ABOVE ANOTHER WORLD, OVER THE MOON'S FARSIDE Eugene Cernan, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] THE PATHFINDER DESCENT TOWARD THE MOON'S SURFACE (diptych) Eugene Cernan, or Thomas Stafford, May 18-26, 1969
[Apollo 10] LM SNOOPY BEGINNING HUMANITY'S FIRST DESCENT TOWARD ANOTHER WORLD John Young, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] ELECTRIFYING VIEW OF THE SUN RISING ABOVE THE MOON'S HORIZON John Young, Eugene Cernan, or Thomas Stafford, May 18-26, 1969
[Apollo 10] LM SNOOPY RETURNING FROM ITS PATHFINDER FIRST DESCENT TO THE MOON John Young, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] MAGNIFICENT EARTHRISE John Young, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] COVER OF LIFE: LM Snoopy barnstorming the Moon John Young, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] STRIKING PANORAMA OF LANDING SITE 1 IN THE SEA OF TRANQUILLITY Eugene Cernan, May 18-26, 1969
[Apollo 10] WHOLE MOON FLOATING IN THE VASTNESS OF SPACE, SEEN FROM THE HOMEWARD-BOUND SPACECRAFT John Young, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] THE MISSION'S FINAL VIEW FROM LUNAR ORBIT: Central Bay at Sunrise John Young, Eugene Cernan, or Thomas Stafford, May 18-26, 1969
[Apollo 10] 'FANTASTIC' VIEW OF THE MOON'S DISK AFTER TRANS EARTH INJECTION John Young, Eugene Cernan or Thomas Stafford, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] STUNNING CRATER ON THE MOON'S MYSTERIOUS FARSIDE John Young, Eugene Cernan, or Thomas Stafford, May 18-26, 1969
[Apollo 10] CRESCENT EARTH FLOATING IN THE VASTNESS OF SPACE, SEEN FROM THE HOMEWARD-BOUND SPACECRAFT John Young, Eugene Cernan or Thomas Stafford, 18-26 May 1969
[Apollo 10] THE GLORIOUS RETURN OF THE PATHFINDER MISSION TO ANOTHER WORLD NASA, 26 May 1969
[Apollo 11] THE GIANT SATURN V PROPELS HUMANITY TO THE SURFACE OF ANOTHER WORLD FOR THE FIRST TIME NASA, 16 July 1969
[Apollo 11] THE OFFICIAL EMBLEM OF APOLLO 11: the first mission to the surface of another world NASA, June 1969
[Apollo 11] GLOBAL ICONS: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin pose for their official portrait before the first lunar landing NASA, July 1969
[Apollo 11] THE HISTORIC LIFTOFF OF THE FIRST HUMANS TO THE SURFACE OF ANOTHER WORLD NASA, 16 July 1969
[Apollo 11] THE FIRST HUMANS TO SET FOOT ON ANOTHER WORLD: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin preparing their lunar surface equipment NASA, 29 June 1969
[Apollo 11] MOON FOOD NASA, July 1969
[Apollo 11] THE HISTORIC FIRST LAUNCH OF HUMANITY TO THE SURFACE OF ANOTHER WORLD NASA, 16 July 1969
[Apollo 11] NEIL ARMSTRONG, MICHAEL COLLINS AND BUZZ ALDRIN PREPARING FOR THE FIRST LUNAR SURFACE MISSION (triptych) NASA, 3 July 1969
[Apollo 11] FIRST STAGE SEPARATION OF THE MIGHTY SATURN V: propelling humanity's first journey to the Moon in a torrent of flames NASA, 16 July 1969
[Apollo 11] THE DOCKING SYSTEM BETWEEN LM EAGLE AND CSM COLUMBIA EN ROUTE TO THE MOON Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, or Michael Collins, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] 'FANTASTIC' ORBITAL SUNRISE OVER EARTH BEFORE TRANSLUNAR INJECTION Michael Collins, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] PLANET EARTH FLOATING IN THE VASTNESS OF SPACE HALFWAY TO THE MOON (large format) Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, or Michael Collins, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] THE BLUE AND WHITE PLANET EARTH Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, or Michael Collins, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] EARTH'S CURVATURE OVER THE USA FOLLOWING TRANSLUNAR INJECTION Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, or Michael Collins, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] NEIL ARMSTRONG FLOATING WITH THE TV CAMERA IN THE TUNNEL CONNECTING LM EAGLE AND CSM COLUMBIA EN ROUTE TO THE MOON NASA, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] BUZZ ALDRIN ABOARD LM EAGLE EN ROUTE TO THE MOON NEIL ARMSTRONG, 16-24 JULY 1969
[Apollo 11] ORBITAL SUNRISE OVER TRANQUILLITY BASE Buzz Aldrin, 16-24 July 1969
[Apollo 11] DESOLATE LUNAR FARSIDE HORIZON SEEN DURING THE SPACECRAFT'S FIRST ORBIT Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, or Neil Armstrong, 16-24 July 1969
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