Marilyn Monroe’s high school photograph to sell in April

Marilyn Monroe’s personal copy of her 1941 high school photograph will sell at Julien’s Auctions on April 28.

Before she became the most famous woman on the planet, Marilyn Monroe was Norma Jeane Baker - a shy schoolgirl with an aptitude for writing.

Norma Jean photo

Marilyn attended Ralph Waldo Emerson High School for three years 

She attended Ralph Waldo Emerson Junior High School in Los Angeles between 1938 and 1941, while living with family friends.  

This graduation photo was taken when she was 15 years old.

Four years later she began a career as a semi-professional model and by 1947 she was appearing in her first films.

The lot is inscribed: "Belongs to Norma Jeane Baker." On the reverse are various expressions of good luck from friends and classmates.

The lot is expected to make $10,000-30,000. Another of these photographs, featuring a handwritten message from Marilyn, sold for $8,750 in 2013.

We have our own copy of this very photograph for sale and for substantially less than the present specimen.

Julien’s will also offer Marilyn’s 1941 high school diploma, which is valued at $20,000-40,000.

She would drop out the following year, at the age of 16, to marry her first husband, Jim Dougherty.

However, the marriage was an unfulfilling one and she left him in 1946.

Dougherty would later say in an interview: "I never knew Marilyn Monroe, and I don't claim to have any insights to her to this day.

"I knew and loved Norma Jeane."

Check out our great selection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia for sale.

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