Earl MacPherson Signed Marilyn Monroe S.D. 33/500 Folio & Golden Dreams Litho Lo For Sale

A Rare Collector’s Investment: The MacPherson Marilyn Monroe "The Woman" Folio

Up for sale is a stunning, highly collectible double-sided art folio by the legendary "King of Pin-Up," Earl MacPherson. This piece, titled "The Woman," captures a young Marilyn Monroe (then Norma Jean) at the height of her early Hollywood allure.

Exquisite Detail & Medium: Unlike standard lithographs, this piece is printed on heavy 100lb suede paper, providing a rich, textured surface. As a unique highlight, the image features hand-applied pastel accents, giving the artwork the depth and "soft-focus" glow characteristic of MacPherson’s most prestigious works.

Provenance & Signature:

• Hand-Signed: Explicitly signed by the artist in pencil at the bottom right.

• Limited Edition: This folio is hand-numbered 33/500 (prefixed with "S.D."), making it one of the earliest and most desirable numbers from this restricted run.

• Artist History: The reverse side includes a detailed "About the Artist" biography, documenting MacPherson's meeting with a "shy, voluptuous blonde model" in 1950 and his subsequent reconstruction of that meeting into this masterpiece.

Condition: The suede paper remains in excellent condition with the pastel work appearing vibrant and well-preserved. The folio has been kept in a smoke-free environment. (Please see high-resolution photos for close-ups of the signature and numbering).

This is a rare, limited edition double-sided art folio featuring a nude portrait of Marilyn Monroe (referred to as "The Woman"). It was created by the renowned pin-up artist Earl MacPherson to commemorate her 50th Anniversary.  INVESTMENT POTENTIAL: This specific folio is a "Special Designation" (S.D.) copy, hand-numbered 33/500. Unlike mass-market lithographs, S.D. prints were typically reserved for the artist’s private collection or gallery VIPs. The combination of the heavy 100lb suede paper, hand-applied pastel accents, and the low "S.D." numbering makes this a blue-chip acquisition for any Marilyn Monroe or Earl MacPherson enthusiast. Included in this folder are 4 added memorabilia items. Item 2 Analysis: The "No Matter How You Look at it" Greeting Card

• The Image: This is the iconic "upside-down" or "double image" pin-up. When flipped, the perspective of the nude figure changes.

• The Format: This is a four-panel greeting card published by Art Americana in 1985.

• The Text: The inside contains checkboxes for "Get Well Soon, Old Boy!" or "Happy Birthday, Dear."

• Publisher Detail: It bears the copyright "© 1985 by Earl MacPherson, ART AMERICANA, 111 Brangus Ln., Prescott Country Club, Prescott, AZ 86301."

Item 3 Analysis: "From Marilyn... With Love" Greeting Card

• The Image: Marilyn is depicted in a reclining pose wearing a white swimsuit/bodysuit.

• The Format: This is a four-panel greeting card, matching the "upside-down" one you showed earlier.

• Publisher Detail: It carries the same 1985 Earl MacPherson Art Americana copyright and the Prescott, AZ studio address.

• Code: This one is marked with the code 100A-756 (whereas the upside-down card was 100A-758).

The fourth piece is the most famous Marilyn Monroe image of all time: "Golden Dreams," originally photographed by Tom Kelley in 1949. While Earl MacPherson did not paint this original photograph, he is intrinsically linked to it because his "The Woman" pastel was a reconstruction of his own 1950 meeting with Marilyn during that same era of her career. The "Golden Dreams" Legacy

The image was originally a photograph taken by Tom Kelley in 1949 of a then-unknown Norma Jean Baker. She was paid just $50 for the session. By 1952, when she was becoming a star, the "scandal" of the nude calendar broke, but Marilyn famously handled it with honesty, saying she did it because she was broke and needed to pay her rent.

The Art Americana / MacPherson Connection

In the mid-1980s, Earl MacPherson (who was living and working in Prescott, AZ at 111 Brangus Lane) launched a commemorative project to celebrate the golden age of pin-up.

• The Studio: His studio, Art Americana, produced these high-quality lithographs to a much higher standard than the cheap mass-produced calendars of the 1950s.

• The Quality: These lithographs were created using a multi-layered inking process. This is why the red velvet background in your print likely looks so deep and "saturated" compared to a standard poster.

• The Link: MacPherson included this "Golden Dreams" lithograph in his collections because he felt his own famous pastel, "The Woman" (the signed folio you have), was the artistic "bookend" to this original photograph.