Lewis Morley | Christine Keeler [1963, printed later]

Lewis Morley

Christine Keeler [1963, printed later]

A collection of 34 photographs (approx. 254 x 203 mm.), including 3 contact prints, and 31 gelatin silver prints, all but one with copyright labels, and each numbered in red ink, on the reverse, all housed in a contemporary photographic paper box, numbered labels adhered on each frame of the contact sheets, some liquid droplets and scratches, few deposits of ink and scattered creases

In the summer of 1963, the Sunday Mirror and News of the World published the first of several articles featuring provocative images of Christine Keeler, the key figure in one of Britain’s most sensational political sex scandals. Lewis Morley’s portraits of Keeler, including her iconic pose sitting astride a copy of an Arne Jacobsen chair, would go on to embody the sexual permissiveness and freedom of the swinging sixties.

Shortly after the exposure of what became known as the Profumo Affair, Morley was commissioned to take publicity photographs for a planned film about Keeler’s life-story. The session took place in Lewis Morley's studio over the Establishment Club in Soho’s Greek Street and resulted in three film rolls of 33 frames. In the first two rolls Keeler is seen in a dark top, whereas in the last one she appears undressed yet partially hidden by the chair’s back. While the movie was never released, Morley's photographs were leaked to the tabloids. Their daring nature scandalised society as much as the explosive revelations of the love triangle.

The remarkable box of press photographs offered here was sent to Keeler by the photographer. It comprises all three known contact sheets accompanied by nearly an entire set of individual prints that Keeler would use to make images available to the press for publications. This is the largest and most complete group to ever appear at auction. It is believed that no other set survived in Keeler’s possession. 

THESE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE RETAINED BY CHRISTINE KEELER UNTIL HER DEATH.