£18,000
Featuring never-before-seen portraits of the screen legend Marilyn Monroe photographed by renowned fashion and celebrity photographer Milton H. Greene. This exclusive limited-edition backgammon board is handcrafted in the UK in the traditional tournament size with the layout designed to be the best scale for play.
This wonderful series of photos captures the intoxicating blend of childlike innocence and provocative femininity that captivated so many during Marilyn Monroe’s lifetime and continues to do so today.
Alexandra Llewellyn
Alexandra was granted exclusive access to the series of archival images by the estate of Milton H. Greene. All but one, which was published in the 1960s, have never been seen in the public domain.
During his illustrious career, Milton H. Greene shot nearly 4,000 photos of Marilyn Monroe. The photographer and the actress were great friends, and you can feel the intimacy and ease that existed between them in this charming series of images.
Taken in September 1953, the portraits feature the actress in a negligee, draped in fur, with a delicate diamond bracelet on her wrist. At the time, Monroe had a sprained ankle, so for most of the three-day shoot she posed sitting, kneeling or lying on the floor.
Each backgammon set in this limited series of 10 is engraved with the edition number and Milton H. Greene’s signature, and presented with semi-precious black-veined marble and mother-of-pearl playing pieces.
Greene used a 35mm Nikon to capture his subject, creating a wonderful sense of intimacy. The photographs are printed on poplar on the backgammon board, dyed the deepest shade of black, so that Marilyn appears luminescent.
