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James Dean Original Racing Car Negative

Currency:USD Category:Memorabilia / Movie - Memorabilia Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
James Dean Original Racing Car Negative
Great news 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 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 candid moment of James Dean, snow cone in hand (Dean was "addicted" to popsicles and snow cones), admiring his newly bought 23F Speedster before his first race. His friend and mechanic Bill Tunstall is seen to his right. Racing photos of Dean are extremely rare, especially since he was only involved in a handful of races before his tragic accident. 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").