An extremely rare Academy Award medal for still photography, presented in 1947 to Earnest Bachrach sold for $45,049 on Wednesday, according to Amherst, NH-based auction house RR Auction.

A revered photographer of Hollywood's 'Golden Age,' Bachrach was given the medal by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for his work on Crossfire and The Farmer's Daughter.

He was especially well-known for his portrait studies of great actors and actress, including a series of color shots of Marilyn Monroe; also admired for his versatility, Bachrach's production work on King Kong is noted for the various effect shots and composites he produced both for continuity and the promotional campaign.

Only two other medals such as this are known to exist, one awarded to Merritt Sibbald in 1941 and the other to Scotty Welbourne in 1942.

To read the complete article, see:Rare Academy Award for Photography sold for 45k by NH-based auction house RR Auction(artdaily.com/news/67786/Rare-Academy-Award-for-Photography-sold-for-45k-by-NH-based-auction-house-RR-Auction#.Uu5ZWvmcJRQ)