A NEGATIVE from one of the first professional photographs of Marilyn Monroe is to be sold at auction in Devizes.

The image, taken by Joseph Jasgur on March 6, 1946, shows a smiling Monroe with her hair loose in soft curls.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, of Henry Aldridge and Sons, in Devizes, said: "It is one of the first professional images ever taken of Marilyn.

"It formed part of her first modelling portfolio that was presented to Ben Lyon, casting director at 20th Century Fox.

"It offers a unique glimpse of the young girl who was to become the global phenomena that was Marilyn Monroe.

"The true value of this image lies in the fact that it is sold with the copyright to reproduce and distribute the image as the winning bidder wishes."

It will go under the hammer on Saturday and is expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.

On the day of the shoot, in 1946, Mr Jasgur received a call from Monroe's modelling agency asking him to take a few test shots of an aspiring young model.

This shot was taken on that day - a time when the future film star was the unknown Norma Jeane Baker, a 20-year-old factory girl dreaming of becoming a model.

Monroe would go on to dazzle Hollywood and spark international headlines as a global star.

Last year a similar negative was sold by Henry Aldridge and Sons for £3,100.