145 Marilyn-related items will go under the hammer this week at Julien’s Auctions in the 3-day event, Icons: Playboy, Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe. In the first of several posts, I’m looking at some of the lots relating to Marilyn’s famous style.
“A Mae West-inspired black ‘cellophane effect’ evening gown, worn by Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Seven Year Itch (1955) … costume designer William Travilla designed the gown for one of the film’s dream sequences imagined by director Billy Wilder. In this particular scene, which was later cut from the film, Richard Sherman (played by Tom Ewell) envisions his neighbour, ‘the Girl,’ impersonating Mae West … Although Monroe and West never crossed paths in real life, West was later quoted as saying, ‘The only gal who came near to me in the sex appeal department was pretty little Marilyn Monroe. All the others had were big boobs.'”
SOLD for $127,000
“A costume worn by Marilyn Monroe as Lillian Russell for ‘Fabled Enchantresses,’ a pictorial feature in the December 22, 1958 issue of LIFE magazine, photographed by Richard Avedon … Monroe also dressed as Theda Bara, Clara Bow, Jean Harlow, and Marlene Dietrich for this series of photographs.”
SOLD for $29,250
An original Jean Louis painted-silk jersey cocktail dress worn by Marilyn Monroe for The Misfits cast press conference in the summer of 1960.
SOLD for $65,000
A pink Emilio Pucci long-sleeved dress of silk jersey accompanied by a rope and crystal tassel belt, one of several Pucci dresses owned and worn by Marilyn.
SOLD for $325,000
A three-piece ensemble custom-made for Marilyn by Travilla, in fragile condition and with signs of repair work. (Although the listing describes it as a costume for There’s No Business Like Show Business, it may have been intended for the fashion-show scene in How to Marry a Millionaire. Marilyn never wore this ensemble on the screen, however.)
SOLD for $29,250
A shadowbox frame containing a Marilyn-owned black lace and satin under-wire brassiere with lace cups. This piece was among the items originally selected for sale in Christie’s 1999 auction, but it was not in the final selection. It was subsequently sold through Julien’s 2005 follow-up auction, and purchased by Playboy Enterprises.
SOLD for $11,700
Original negative from Edward Cronenweth‘s 1948 photo of Marilyn in the make-up department of Columbia Pictures. The negative came from the archives of a Los Angeles movie magazine company.
SOLD for $1,170
A red and white polka-dot umbrella with a wood hook handle used by Marilyn in a 1949 photo shoot with photographer Andre de Dienes, during her first visit to New York.
Umbrella – UNSOLD
Print SOLD for $1,625
“At left, a silver-tone St. Christopher pendant in the style of a wax seal given to Ralph Roberts by Marilyn. According to Roberts, Natasha Lytess, Monroe’s early acting coach, gave her the medal. Monroe. When she gave Roberts the medal she stated, ‘I’ve outgrown Natasha.'”
SOLD for $7,800
At right, a simulated diamond brooch owned by Marilyn.”
SOLD for $13,000
“A receipt from Floris of Jermyn Street in London dated December 14, 1959, listing Marilyn Monroe Miller of The Beverly Hills Hotel as the purchaser of six bottles of rose geranium toilet water for a total of $28.25, including the clearance charge. The invoice is marked as paid by Monroe’s personal checking account on January 19, 1960.”
SOLD for $3,250
Clockwise from top left, a selection of Marilyn-owned items from Elizabeth Arden’s cosmetics company.
A tube of lipstick owned by Marilyn – SOLD for $65,000
A 1961 salon receipt signed by Marilyn – SOLD for $9,100
An empty false eyelashes box owned by Marilyn – SOLD for $1,625
The Marilyn Report 
1 Comment
Comments are closed.