Marilyn Monroe's drawings, notepads and jewelry go to auction block

Record ID: 104022

  • Title: Marilyn Monroe's drawings, notepads and jewelry go to auction block
  • Date: 10th May 2016
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MAY 6, 2016) (REUTERS) AUCTION ITEMS ON AND AROUND TABLE CLOSE OF ITEMS ON TABLE SHOES AND OTHER ITEMS ON TABLE CLOSE OF BEADING ON PURSE VARIOUS OF ANOTHER PURSE BRACELETS AND WATCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN NOLAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, SAYING: "So this collection comes from Lee Strasberg, who was Marilyn Monroe's friend and acting coach for many, many years and, in fact, he was the beneficiary in her will when she passed away in 1962. And fast forward to 2016, the items are finally coming to the auction block, representing Marilyn's life and career. Fantastic artwork from Marilyn. A lot of people that Marilyn, in fact, was an artist. But also, we have poems, we have letters, all documented in the book named 'Fragments' that came from the estate of Lee Strasberg. We also have personal items. We have shoes and hats, items of clothing but also important letters. Her phone book -- a nice 1950s Gucci telephone book, handwritten by Marilyn Monroe, with all the names of who's who in Hollywood and some really nice pieces of jewelry as well." PHONE BOOK PAGE INSIDE COVER OF PHONE BOOK AND PAGES BEING TURNED NOTES VARIOUS OF DRAWING OF CHAMPAGNE GLASS VARIOUS OF ANOTHER DRAWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN NOLAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, SAYING: "One of my favorite pieces is the minaudiere, the little evening purse she would have carried when she was going for a night on the town. It has two dimes, dated 1943 and 1945. That was so she could make a call to call a cab or call a friend. She had eight Phillip Morris cigarettes in there and, of course, she should never leave home without her lipstick and her lipstick is also enclosed. So that's a really neat piece and it's like a timewarp right back to the 1940s when Marilyn was just becoming famous." VARIOUS OF MINAUDIERE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN NOLAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, SAYING: "Every single piece is part of Marilyn's history but also tells a story. Like the jewelry case owned by Joe DiMaggio that was found under Marilyn's bed when she passed away. Of course, she was married to Joe DiMaggio and still loved Joe DiMaggio, we all believe. It has Joe DiMaggio's initials on the case, on the jewelry case, but also, the combination code for the lock is 555, which is interesting, because when he played for the New York Yankees, his number was five." VARIOUS OF JEWELRY CASE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARTIN NOLAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, SAYING: "We have one really beautiful watch. It's a Blancpain watch. It's a diamond watch, fantastic shape, looks elegant, even today. And we estimate that at $80-120,000. That's one of the more highest priced items in the sale and probably would sell for more than that." VARIOUS OF WATCH
  • Embargoed: 25th May 2016 11:35
  • Keywords: Marilyn Monroe auction Lee Strasberg estate jewelry drawings shoes notepad phone book telephone book
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Celebrities,Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0014H96HQX
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A collection of personal items that belonged to film star Marilyn Monroe and were left in her will to her acting mentor Lee Strasberg will go up for auction in November at Julien's Auctions.
    Julien's Auctions said the items, which include personal notes, address books and jewelry, had never come to the auction block before.
    "This collection comes from Lee Strasberg, who was Marilyn Monroe's friend and acting coach for many, many years and, in fact, he was the beneficiary in her will when she passed away in 1962. And fast forward to 2016, the items are finally coming to the auction block, representing Marilyn's life and career," said Martin Nolan, Executive Director of Julien's Auctions.
    Many of the items are preserved exactly as they were when Monroe died of drug overdose in 1962, aged 36. A small clutch evening bag or minaudiere is being sold with two 10 cent coins, eight Philip Morris cigarettes and a used Revlon lipstick in the shade "Bachelor's Carnation".
    "That's a really neat piece and it's like a timewarp right back to the 1940s when Marilyn was just becoming famous," said Nolan.
    Another highlight is a jewelry case owned by Monroe's former husband, baseball great Joe DiMaggio. The case has a brass monogram and a combination lock set to 555.
    "When he played for the New York Yankees, his number was five," said Nolan.
    One of the higher value pieces is a platinum diamond watch.
    "We estimate that at $80-120,000. That's one of the more highest priced items in the sale and probably would sell for more than that," Nolan said.
    The auction will be held in Los Angeles on November 19 and 20, along with another collection owned by Briton David Gainsborough Roberts.
    Before the auction, key pieces from the collection will be exhibited aboard the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner and in London, Los Angeles and other cities.
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