Vintage vixen: Topless photos of Marilyn Monroe at last-ever photo shoot six weeks before her death set to fetch £15k at auction

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She was one of the most photographed women of her time, an iconic sex symbol recognised decades after her death by generations who were born long after her heyday.

You'd be forgiven for thinking you had seen just about every picture taken of screen siren Marilyn Monroe.

However, a complete set of rare vintage chromogenic prints from her last ever photo shoot - in which she posed topless - has emerged for sale. And they are set to fetch a pretty penny when they are auctioned next month.

Rare: The set of prints, from Marilyn's last photo shoot before her death, are likely to fetch a high price when they sell at auction

Revealing: The images, signed by photographer Bert Stern, were taken just six weeks before her death at the age of 36 in 1962

They were taken by photographer Bert Stern in 1962 just six weeks before Monroe was found dead at the age of 36.

Original shots taken from the session - called The Last Sitting - are in huge demand across the world and were originally taken for Vogue magazine.

Because these have been displayed for many years, the colour has 'shifted' slightly, but even so the set is expected to fetch more than £15,000 at auction.

Stern’s three-day session with the famous blonde was a return to form for the glamour queen after a few difficult years.

Aged: Because the photographs have been displayed the colour has shifted slightly - or attenuated which is what can happen to chromogenic prints

Exposed: The screen siren was described as being 'very photogenic' and someone who knew 'how to seduce the camera'. She was said to enjoy posing because it took her mind off other things

She is pictured playing with a see-through scarf and pouts and poses like the model professional that she was.

In the pictures she appears and healthy and happy and there is no clue to suggest she was close to death.

Judith Eurich, from Bonhams, which is selling the prints, said: 'This is a very popular set. It is unusual to find a whole set and the owner has had them since they were printed.

'Because they’ve been displayed the colour has shifted slightly, or attenuated, which is what can happen to chromogenic prints.

'These were taken during Monroe’s last ever formal photo shoot just a few weeks before she died, which is kind of sad.

'She was very photogenic and knew how to seduce the camera and she enjoyed posing because it took her mind off other things.

Immortalised: The movie icon striking her famous pose during the filming of The Seven Year Itch in 1954

'Typically these sets are broken up and the pictures sold individually.'

In the months before her death in August 1962 Monroe had attended President John F Kennedy’s birthday party where she famously sang 'happy birthday'.

She was then sacked from the set of the film Something’s Got to Give because she kept failing to turn up.
She then embarked on numerous publicity stunts including the Vogue shoot with Bert Stern.

She was found dead in bed at her home in California in August 1962. The cause of death was recorded as 'acute barbiturate poisoning', resulting from a 'probable suicide'.
It was said the last person to speak to her was JFK. The auction takes place in New York on May 8.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...