New images by John Aston added to Photos section of website

Contact sheets of Pauline Boty, c. 1962/63, photographed by John Aston. © Estate of John Aston

Many thanks indeed to the Estate of John Aston for agreeing to allow a selection of his portraits of Pauline Boty from the contact sheets above to be shown on the website. The images are, for the most part, unseen at large before.

John Aston trained as a photographer and graphic designer, starting his career as art editor for the magazine Photographic Review before joining the BBC Publishing division. He later became manager of the BBC’s Graphic Design Studios where his contributions included the iconic spinning globe ident. Aston photographed Boty on two occasions, his images accompanying the article “Pauline Goes Pop” in Men Only magazine’s issue of March 1963. One of his portraits of Boty is held by the National Portrait Gallery, which includes the only surviving record of her painting of Marilyn Monroe with beads, later overpainted by the work “Colour Her Gone”.

John Aston’s photos can be seen here: [link]

For information on the licensing any of these images please get in touch via the Contact form here: [link]

Pauline Boty signed photo by John Aston sold at RR Auction

Pauline Boty signed photo by John Aston, 1962. Image courtesty of RR Auction

Earlier this week the photo above by John Aston of Boty smoking a cigarette was sold by RR Auction based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, specialists in rare manuscripts, autographs, and historic artefacts. Signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To George, Best wishes, Pauline Boty”. Vintage glossy 8.75 x 5.75 inch photo. Price realised: $1,242 [plus Buyer’s Premium]. Estimate: $200+.

Taken in 1962, this is from a series John Aston took which included a portrait of Boty standing in front of a painting by her of Marilyn Monroe, mimicking Monroe’s pose with beads in mouth. The whereabouts of this are now unknown, although it is possible that it was overpainted to become “The Only Blonde in the World”.  

Please click here to see the version held by the National Portrait Gallery [link]