An original 9 3/8" x 13 5/8" glossy press photograph probably taken in the Kremlin at an afternoon presentation of awards to Communist party officials. While the overall condition is good, particularly for a press photo designed to be used immediately and then discarded, we should point out that the back of the print shows light chemical staining (probably caused by the photographer's darkroom technique). There are many various edge bumps and creases on all four sides, the most serious of which are two that cross each other in the lower part of the photo. The areas around the men's faces and the image of the medal and its presentation box, however, are free of any damage. The photographer's neatly applied rubber stamp ("A. Gosteva") appears on the back. If you are writing a monograph on Soviet labor awards, this would be a perfect photo to include in your book.

Khrushchev has just presented a Medal for Valiant Labor to an unknown official - who is clutching his new and "prized" award while showing his gratitude by kissing Nikita on the cheek in proper socialist style.

We say "prized" because there is every reason to suspect that this fellow may have shown up at the ceremony expecting to go home wearing a Hero of Socialist Labor gold star pinned to his lapel. It is not generally known today, but Nikita Khrushchev - always taking delight in doing the completely unexpected - would sometimes bestow relatively low level awards upon high ranking officials who were expecting to receive equally high ranking honors!