PRESS RELEASE
PHILLIPS’ DROPSHOP ANNOUNCES
LIMITED-EDITION BOX SET OF RUTH ORKIN’S AMERICAN GIRL IN ITALY SERIES
Includes Iconic American Girl in Italy Photo with Previously Unprinted Variation
Box Set to be Exhibited at the International Center of Photography in
New York Starting 7 May
Ruth Orkin
American Girl in Italy, Florence, 1951
NEW YORK – 8 APRIL 2026 – Phillips is pleased to announce the upcoming Dropshop release of Ruth Orkin’s American Girl in Italy: 75th-Anniversary Box Set Collection. Produced in collaboration with the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive, the collection of 12 carefully selected photographs will be available exclusively from 28 April through 19 May on dropshop.phillips.com, priced at $12,000. Produced in a limited edition of 75, the set focuses on the seminal series shot in Florence in August 1951 and expands our understanding of the iconic photograph by including the unprinted first frame (see pg. 2). The other ten photographs, including classics such as Couple in MG, Jinx in Goggles, and Jinx in Beads, capture the creative magic between photographer and subject, and broaden our understanding of Orkin’s singular talent. All photographs are printed in a new size (14 x 18 in.) exclusive to this anniversary edition and will not be issued separately. Each box set is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Mary Engel, the photographer’s daughter and director of the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive. The first ten purchasers will also receive the accompanying catalogue, The Making of a Classic, signed by Ninalee ‘Jinx’ Allen, the subject of the series.
Recognizing the importance of this release, International Center of Photography (ICP) — highly regarded for its leadership in photography and visual culture — will exhibit the complete box set in its lobby beginning 7 May and running for six weeks. The exhibit is open to the public, and visitors are invited to view the full set of prints at 84 Ludlow Street in New York.
Sarah Krueger, Phillips’ Head of Photographs, New York, said, “Ruth Orkin’s American Girl in Italy is one of the most iconic images of the Post-War period — an enduring exploration of independence, movement, and women navigating the world on their own terms. We are honored to partner with the Ruth Orkin Photo Archive on this Drop, which offers collectors a fantastic opportunity to acquire this brand-new-to-market box set. Presenting both known and unknown images together allows the work to be experienced in a way that closely reflects Orkin’s original vision, elevating it beyond any single image.”
Mary Engel, Director, Ruth Orkin Photo Archive, said, “It is a distinct privilege to offer this collection in partnership with Phillips. The Archive has carefully curated these photographs to celebrate the collaboration between my mother and ‘Jinx’ and memorialize the place this photo series has in the history of photography, and for reaffirming the power of the medium to elevate our lived experience into fine art.”
Please see PDF for full press release.