Rare pictures of pinup queen Bettie Page accused of inciting

ecades
after they were hidden away when Washington politicians blamed them for
corrupting a nation's youth, rare photographs of 50s pinup queen Bettie
Page are finally being released for auction.
Page,
who maintains a cult following decades after she stopped posing, is
still considered a powerful influence on pop icons from Madonna to Katy
Perry due to her iconic bangs and appearance in images that celebrated
bondage.

While
relatively tame by today's standards, McCarthy-era politicians thought
the images were contributing to juvenile delinquency and a senate
subcommittee investigation into the subject summoned her but never asked
her to testify.

Photographer
Irving Klaw, credited with creating fetish pinups, was so afraid of
repercussions after being called to testify at the hearing that he
destroyed roughly 80 per cent of the prints and negatives featuring Page
and closed his business.

Luckily Klaw's sister, Paula, hid some away, which are now being offered at auction by Guernsey along with the couple's massive [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] of images of screen icons like Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe, the [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] reports.
Page
retired from modeling, and in later life became a born-again Christian
even working for the Rev. Billy Graham at one point. Retreating from the
spotlight, in a rare interview in 1993 she was shocked to discover the
images were still popular and described herself as 'penniless.'




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A collection of Bettie Page memorabilia will be auctioned off as part of a Movie Star News Collection sale





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Though tame by today's standards, shots of Page from the 50s were thought to cause juvenile delinquency





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Though long retreated from the public eye, Page gets new fans every year and has even had a film made about her life





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Many of the prints for sale have been hidden away for decades





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Fearing legal action, photographer Irving Klaw destroyed most of his prints and negatives of Bettie Page decades ago





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Photographer Klaw and sister Paula were even summoned to Congressional hearings over Page's racy pics





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The Klaws had one of the world¿s largest collections of Hollywood photography in their Movie Star News shop





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In later life, Page became a born-again Christian and even worked for the Rev. Billy Graham





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In a rare interview, the reclusive Page said in
1993 that she had no idea her pictures were still popular and that she
was 'penniless and infamous'





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Page later reflected on her career saying she never thought the images were shameful and she felt very natural posing





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Media critics note that many of today's pop culture stars are still influenced by Page's famous look and attitude





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Page's headstone remembers her as 'Queen of Pin-Ups'





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An icon, some consider Page the first pin-up model in history






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Page wasn't just a pioneer as a pin-up, but for being one of the first models associated with kinkier fare





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In 2005 a film was made about Page's life





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Page saw her bondage work as innocent fun





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Even today comic books and fan art about Betty Page are circulated among pin-up enthusiasts





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Page's famous bangs have been impersonated by women for years





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Videos of Page's burlesque dancing still sell





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