Captain Scott's South Pole 'selfie' on sale at auction

  • Published
Captain Scott's team selfieImage source, PA
Image caption,

All five men died on the way back from the South Pole

A photograph of the team which took part in the doomed 1910-13 Antarctic expedition is to be sold at auction.

Captain Robert Scott and his four-man team died in 1912 after being beaten to the South Pole by Norwegian explorers.

The photograph of all five was taken using an automatic trigger in January of that year after the men read Roald Amundsen's note and realised they were not the first ones to get there.

The photo is expected to fetch £1,200 at Sotheby's in London on 14 November.

Cecilie Gasselholm of Sotheby's said it was almost possible to see "the disappointment in their faces".

Image source, PA
Image caption,

Sir Ernest Shackleton led three expeditions to the Antarctic

Other items to be sold at the auction include a silver spoon and fork from the Antarctic expedition and The South Polar Times - which was printed in Capt Scott's hut in 1912.

Some of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition mementos will also be sold including a collection of sea shanties he sang and a photograph of his return from the Antarctic.

The image has the caption "Just back from the south pole: this tramp became in after life the famous Sir Ernest Shackleton".

Sir Ernest led three expeditions to the Antarctic.