A rare signed copy of the most famous photo of Albert Einstein, originally presented as a gift to KFC founder Colonel Sanders’ daughter, Margaret Sanders, will soon cross the auction block with an estimate of $40,000 and up at RR Auctions.
The image of Einstein sticking out his tongue for the camera was captured by UPI photographer Arthur Sasse after the scientist’s 72nd birthday event at Princeton on March 14, 1951. Einstein was reportedly dodging reporters and photographers while waiting for a car to drive him home when Sasse called out to him, “Ya, Professor, smile for your birthday picture, Ya?”
Einstein responded by sticking out his tongue and in the process created one of the most enduring images of arguably the most famous scientist in history.
The original photo included Dr. Frank Aydelotte, former head of the Institute for Advanced Study, and his wife. After Einstein saw the photo published in a newspaper, he sent a letter to International News Photos to request nine prints to be given to his friends, asking the photo be cropped to include only his face.
One of those nine was given to Otto Nathan, an economist and close friend of Einstein who was later named co-trustee of his literary estate. Nathan gave this signed photo as a gift to Sanders, who accumulated a significant collection of Einstein-related documents and photographs before her death in 2001. The photo descended through her family before being consigned to auction.
In 2009, a signed example achieved $74,324, which was a record at the time for any Einstein photo. The same photo was sold by RR again in 2014 for $122,500.
Another print of the photo, signed by Einstein but uncropped, sold for $125,000 at Nate D. Sanders auction in 2017.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.