Eagle National Mint Presents 'Marilyn Monroe: The Visit,' a Limited-Edition Photo Series

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than 45 years in a personal archive, a limited-edition photography series, "Marilyn Monroe: The Visit," has been released by famed photographer Len Steckler and Eagle National Mint, offering Monroe fans a unique opportunity to embrace one of America's most legendary icons.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100205/LA50343)

Shot in December 1961, Steckler's intimate, unique photographs depict a natural, relaxed Monroe during her first visit with another American legend, poet Carl Sandburg, in Steckler's New York apartment.

On a wintry afternoon, Sandburg and Steckler patiently awaited Monroe, who arrived three hours later than planned, claiming she was at the hairdresser's trying to get her hair white to match Sandburg's. The two spent the rest of the afternoon bonding over conversation and cocktails, fostering a new friendship while Steckler quietly observed, his Nikon loaded with black and white film, nothing more than natural Northern light pouring through the windows. Sandburg was 83. Monroe was 35.

Now, to the great fortune of historical archivists and collectors of important works of photography, this personal encounter, a mere nine months before Monroe's untimely death, has been recorded forever.

Steckler kept the negatives from the Monroe and Sandburg encounter in his personal archive for close to 50 years, and has now partnered with collectibles dealer Eagle National Mint for a limited-edition release of nine unique images, available as single-shots and in triptych form (a series of three images). Each print is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from Eagle National Mint, signed and numbered by the artist. Museum-quality framing is available.

The "Marilyn Monroe: The Visit" limited-edition series will be available for purchase exclusively online at www.thevisitseries.com and by phone at 1.800.521.0454.

About Len Steckler

A photographer, illustrator, painter and film director, Steckler's scope of published art is remarkable by any standard. As an illustrator, he introduced the world to Diet Pepsi and to story illustrations appearing in The Saturday Evening Post, Ladies' Home Journal and McCall's magazines. His photographs appeared in Life and Look magazines, and major advertising campaigns of the day. He helped shape the direction of modern fashion and beauty photography, with trend-setting images in magazines such as Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Moving to commercial filmmaking, Steckler again established himself as a leading innovator. No one watching television in the early 1970s can possibly forget his "Take it off – Take it all off" commercials for Noxzema shaving cream, or his putting Joe Namath in Hanes pantyhose. For more information, visit www.lensteckler.com.

About Eagle National Mint

Founded in Los Angeles in 2006, Eagle National Mint has established itself as one of America's premier dealers of high quality collectibles. In addition to coins and currency, the company offers a wide variety of other collector-grade items, such as watches, jewelry and rare limited-edition photographs. Thousands of satisfied collectors have come to rely on Eagle National Mint for exceptional quality, selection and dedication to superior customer service. For more information, visit www.eaglenationalmint.com.

Image photo credit: Photo by Len Steckler, courtesy of Eagle National Mint

SOURCE Eagle National Mint