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James Dean Original Racing Negative Standing By Speedster

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Movie - Memorabilia Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
James Dean Original Racing Negative Standing By Speedster
An amazingly rare find for James Dean collectors. From the personal collection of Gus V. Vignolle, well known journalist, photographer and publisher of "MotoRacing", one of the first and most influential car racing newspapers of the 1950’s. This is one in a series of negatives that have been missing for over 50 years until recently re-discovered by Vignolle’s daughter, Zaz Clark. These intimate photos are of James Dean in and around his Speedster 23F Porsche (License Plate #2U73378) that he bought at Competition Motors in Hollywood. They were taken during his infamous car race in Palm Springs, California in March of 1955 which was his first official race, and which he won not long before his accident in September of that year in his new Porsche Spyder 550 while on his way to a race in Salinas, California. These photographs only appeared once in the January 13th 1956 (Vol 1, No. 7) exclusive, fully-illustrated memorial issue of MotoRacing. This is the one and only original Black and White negative photographed and developed by Vignolle on Kodak Safety Film, taken at the race. It shows a stunning and striking James Dean standing by his Speedster, one hand on hip the other on his sports car, cigarette in his mouth, sunglasses on, wearing his iconic black racing overalls. It comes with a COA, plus full copyright release for unlimited reproduction printing to the winning bidder. The Negative is carefully packed in a wax envelope, and includes a positive proof photo struck from the negative. Also includes a copy of the MotoRacing issue. (Negative approx. 2 3/8" x 2 3/8" & photo approx. 5" x 4").