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James Dean Inter-Negative Working His Speedster Engine Before Race

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Movie - Memorabilia Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
James Dean Inter-Negative Working His Speedster Engine Before Race
Something extraordinary for James Dean fans and 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 limited 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 a Black and White inter-negative made by Vignolle from his original color negative on Kodak Safety Film, taken at the race. Because the series of color negatives have been lost this is the only negative in existence of this photo. It shows Dean, wearing his iconic racing overalls, ever present cigarette dangling from his mouth as he works his Speedster 23F engine which is giving him trouble right before the race. This negative has special value since it was the one used for the cover of the January 13th, 1956 James Dean MotoRacing memorial issue. The negative 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. Also Includes a copy of the MotoRacing issue. (Negative approx. 2 3/8" x 2 3/8" & photo approx. 5" x 4").