^Lot 253 FIRST ISSUE OF PLAYBOY MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 1953

FIRST ISSUE OF PLAYBOY MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 1953 - In 1953, Hugh Hefner took a big gamble that America was ready for the clandestine, often sordid world of adult entertainment and nudes to emerge in the light of day as legitimate, even classy. The gamble paid off when Hefner’s “Playboy” magazine hit the newsstands. This is the very fi rst issue of that, now legendary, publication. It’s fi tting that the fi rst issue of this revolutionary men’s entertainment magazine, only 50 cents at the time, should feature as its fi rst cover girl, the queen of all Hollywood sex symbols: Marilyn Monroe! Marilyn is pictured in black & white on the magazine’s cover with black and red print exclaiming, “First time in any magazine the famous Marilyn Monroe Nude” (referring to the photo spread inside - previously taken for Marilyn’s infamous calendar spread). In addition, there are contributions by contemporary writers including, Norman Holland, William Marsh, Rob Norman and Ambrose Bierce on subjects like Big Band Jazz, “Humorous tales of adultery” and Football. This Playboy magazine has been CGC graded 6.0 and encapsulated in a plastic sleeve. A landmark in publishing and American pop-cultural revolution.