This photo of Huli Tribesman in Papua New Guinea is among a small selection of the National Geographic Society's most indelible photographs that will be sold at an auction in December. (Photo: Jodi Cobb, AP Photo/National Geographic)
NEW YORK -- The National Geographic Society is selling parts of
its massive archive of world exploration for the first time, offering
240 pieces spanning from the late 1800s to the present at an auction
expected to bring in about $3 million.
National Geographic has
chronicled scientific expeditions, explorations, archaeology, wildlife
and world cultures for more than 100 years, amassing a collection of
11.5 million photos and original illustrations.
Among the items to
be sold at Christie's in December are some of National Geographic's
most indelible photographs, including that of an Afghan girl during the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a portrait of Admiral Robert Peary at
his 1908 expedition to the North Pole, a roaring lion in South Africa
and the face of a Papua New Guinea aborigine.
Paintings and
illustrations include N.C. Wyeth's historical scene of sword-fighting
pirates, Charles Bittinger's view of Earth as seen from the moon and
Charles Knight's depictions of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals.
They
are being auctioned "to celebrate our legacy ... and to give people a
chance to buy a little part of this great institution's history," said
Maura Mulvihill, senior vice president of National Geographic's image
and video archives.
Proceeds from the Dec. 6 auction, just weeks
before National Geographic's 125th anniversary, will go for the
promotion and preservation of the archive and "the nurturing of young
photographers, artists and explorers ... who are the future of the
organization," Mulvihill said.
National Geographic sponsors and
funds scientific research and exploration through its official journal,
National Geographic Magazine, which reaches 8.8 million people worldwide
in 36 countries and in 27 languages. The society reaches millions more
through its National Geographic Channel, books and other sources.
While National Geographic is known today for its photography, early magazines were filled with artwork.
Among
the fine art being offered is an oil painting by Tom Lovell of Gen.
Robert E. Lee's Civil War surrender at Appomattox. It's expected to
fetch $20,000 to $30,000.
Steve McCurry's photograph of the Afghan
girl carries an $8,000 to $12,000 pre-sale estimate. McCurry has made a
special print of the image for the sale, and part of the proceeds from
it will be donated to the Afghan Girls' Fund.
The sale also
contains some images that have never been published, including a
selection from Herbert Ponting, who produced some of the most enduring
images of the Antarctic.
Associated Press