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‘Essentially Marilyn’: Hit Or Miss?

The most surprising aspect of last week’s Essentially Marilyn auction at Profiles in History was how many valuable items from the Maite Minguez-Ricart collection and others (including movie costumes) went unsold, while others only reached the lower estimate. In a post for his MM Collection blog, Scott Fortner goes as far as to call it a flop – and noting the high prices reached at Julien’s only last month, he argues that poor organisation was to blame, rather than a lack of interest. Here’s a selection of items that sold well, and others that didn’t: you can find the full list over at iCollector.

Photo of Norma Jeane aged five, with her ‘first boyfriend’, Lester Bolender ($10,000)

Wedding photo of Norma Jeane and Jim Dougherty ($15,000)

Seven photos from Norma Jeane’s first assignments with the Blue Book Modelling Agency, 1945 ($11,000)

Marilyn’s personally inscribed photo with Ben Lyon ($37,500 – more info here)

Black silk cocktail dress with oversize white bow, designed by John Moore and worn by Marilyn in 1958 ($40,000)

Gold pleated halter gown designed by Travilla for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ($100,000)

Crème-coloured gown by Travilla for How to Marry a Millionaire ($100,000)

Crème and blue gown by Travilla for There’s No Business Like Show Business ($70,000)

Pink and purple satin pantsuit with train, designed by Charles LeMaire for The Seven Year Itch ($100,000)

Silver cigarette box inscribed by Marilyn to Billy Wilder, 1954 ($10,000)

Sheer tan dress by JAX, worn by Marilyn in 1958 ($20,000)

Patterned wool overcoat, worn by Marilyn in 1961 ($30,000)

Marilyn’s personal key to Warner Brothers, 1956 ($10,000)

Red halter dress by JAX, worn by Marilyn in her final photo session with Milton Greene, 1957 ($100,000)

Certificate of nomination from the Golden Globe Awards for Some Like It Hot, 1959 ($10,000)

Black address book ca 1960-62 ($17,000)

John Bryson’s candid photo of Marilyn and Arthur Miller on the set of Let’s Make Love, signed by both ($8,00)

Pucci silk blouse, worn by Marilyn in 1962 ($95,000)

White Ferragamo pumps, worn by Marilyn in Something’s Got to Give ($16,000)

Marilyn’s original grave marker from Westwood Memorial Park ($38,400)

Period costume by Rene Hubert for A Ticket to Tomahawk (UNSOLD)

Brown Skirt Suit by Charles LeMaire for Love Nest (UNSOLD)

Costume sketches by Eloise Jenssen for We’re Not Married (UNSOLD)

Green dress by Travilla for Don’t Bother to Knock (UNSOLD)

Marilyn’s personally owned Ceil Chapman dress (UNSOLD)

Unreleased studio master for ‘Down Boy’ (UNSOLD – more info here)

Showgirl costume by Travilla for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (UNSOLD)

Charles Feldman’s archive regarding The Seven Year Itch (UNSOLD)

Pearl encrusted gown, one of several copies made for The Prince and the Showgirl (UNSOLD)

Two address books, ca. 1950s-60s (UNSOLD)

Various exhibition prints by Milton Greene (UNSOLD)

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‘Essentially Marilyn’ Extended in LA

Essentially Marilyn, the exhibition showcasing the collection of Maite Minguez Ricart, has been extended through October 28 at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, reports Broadway World – and there’s more news on the upcoming auction…

“Profiles in History is proud to announce their next legendary, blockbuster Hollywood auction to be held December 11th, 12th and 13th in Los Angeles, and will go on display at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, currently the site of Essentially Marilyn: the Exhibit, starting October 4th and running through October 28.

Essentially Marilyn: The Auction will be on the morning of December 11th, before the Hollywood auction begins.

They have added an unreleased studio master recording of Marilyn Monroe singing the song ‘Down, Boy!‘ from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which was never filmed. It is being sold with copyright and is estimated to sell for $100,000 – $150,000.”

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‘Essentially Marilyn’ Opens at the Paley Center

The new exhibition, Essentially Marilyn, has opened at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. Admission is free until September 30, ahead of the Profiles in History auction in October. The exhibit showcases the remarkable collection of Maite Minguez Ricart, all the way from Spain. Jackie Craig shared these photos of Monroe’s glamorous movie costumes and personal artifacts on Marilyn Remembered – you can see more here.

A number of personal items are also on offer, including several family photos inscribed by Marilyn on the reverse.

Marion Monroe (brother of Gladys) with son Jack, and mother Della
Mementos from Marilyn’s high school days
Jim Dougherty at 17 with sister Lydia Hayes, and after his marriage to Marilyn
Marilyn’s address book, and her gift to Billy Wilder
Jack Cardiff’s 1956 portrait of Marilyn, which Arthur Miller kept in his study after they married
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Spain’s Marilyn Archive Heads to Bendigo

Based in Spain, Maite Minguez Ricart owns one of the world’s largest collections of Marilyn’s personal property, and has just announced that she has loaned many items to Australia’s Bendigo Art Gallery. Opening on March 5, ‘Twentieth Century Fox Presents Marilyn Monroe‘ also features items formerly owned by Debbie Reynolds, and from the collections of Scott Fortner and Greg Schreiner, who head the Los Angeles-based fanclub, Marilyn Remembered.

“The Collection Maite Minguez Ricart has the honor to collaborate with Bendigo Art Gallery (Australia). Curator Tansy Curtin, with 41 pieces belonging to Marilyn Monroe. as dresses, designs of cinema costumes, supplements of her personal locker, awards, photographs of her personal album with handwritten annotations on the back. All of this will be showcased in a fantastic exhibition.”