Hollywood’s Elite Star in Julien’s Auctions Annual Icons & Idols Auction With Notable Items from Greta Garbo, John Wayne, Elizabeth Taylor, Steve McQueen and Many More of Today’s Hottest Television Shows
Julien’s Auctions, the world’s premiere entertainment and celebrity auction house, announces a star studded four day auction event including items from the world of Rock ‘n Roll, Hollywood, Sports, Royals and political memorabilia. Two days of the four day spectacular event will be devoted to Hollywood memorabilia and unforgettable moments.
Before she was Marilyn Monroe a young Norma Jeane Dougherty wrote to her foster mother, Grace Goddard, to describe a meeting with army photographers, specifically David Conover and her burgeoning modeling career. The eight-page letter gives insight on Norma Jeane’s marriage to “Jimmie” Dougherty, her work at the Radioplane Company, and her hopes of a better career. The letter which comes up for auction for the very first time at Julien’s Auctions is estimated to bring $30,000-$50,000.
With encouragement from Conover, Monroe took steps to join the Blue Book Modeling Agency where she met photographer Joseph Jasgur who took numerous photographs of the 19-year-old. These photographs and copyrights become available for the very first time and the complete archive and early image copyrights will be sold exclusively at this auction event. The settings for the photographs range from high atop buildings in Los Angeles to Zuma Beach.
Cecil Beaton took what is purported to be, Monroe’s favorite image of herself where the stunning beauty is reclining with a rose. In 1956 after working on the film Bus Stop, director Joshua Logan gave Marilyn Monroe a Cartier triptych frame with this image and a letter from Beaton describing his friend Marilyn. This piece was housed in Monroe’s living room until the time of her death. The triptych was sold at the landmark 1999 Christie’s auction and returns to auction in the Icons and Idols Hollywood portion of the four day auction event. (est. $80,000-$100,000). Later in 1958 Monroe was captured by photographer Richard Avedon in images of five of Hollywood’s greatest stars of that time. One of those was in the image of Theda Bara where Monroe dressed as Bara in her role as Cleopatra. Hollywood history points to Monroe choosing the image of Bara to champion herself for the role of Cleopatra which eventually went to Elizabeth Taylor. The complete costume including head dress, jewelry, serpentine bra, flowing scarf skirt and belt worn by Monroe will be offered and is estimated at $200,000-$300,000. – www.juliensauctions.com
