Nate D Sanders is to offer a signed photograph of Albert Einstein (1879-1955) sticking his tongue out in its July 27 sale.
The iconic shot was taken by press photographer Arthur Sasse on Einstein’s 72nd birthday on March 14, 1951.
The famous photo was taken on Einstein's birthday
Sasse captured Einstein as he left the Princeton Club with colleague Dr Frank Aydelotte and his wife.
Irritated at the constant press requests to smile for the cameras, Einstein poked his tongue out at them instead.
Sasse was the only one to get the shot.
At first, Sasse’s bosses at the photo agency were nervous about publishing the photo. The concern was it made Einstein look undignified.
Fortunately they decided to go ahead with it anyway. It instantly became the most popular image of the great physicist ever taken.
Einstein himself loved the photo and immediately ordered nine copies for friends and family.
Posters of the print have adorned the walls of college dorm rooms ever since.
Einstein has signed the present specimen along the left margin and dated it 1951. It’s valued in excess of $100,000 ahead of the sale.
That figure is a little high considering another recently sold for $43,750 at Christie’s.
The auction will also feature a drawing of the New York skyline by Donald Trump. It’s no Picasso, but it still looks set to make more than $9,000.
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