USA: Star struck buyers pay big bucks for Gable, Monroe and Warhol memorabilia at Christie's auction

Record ID: 750425

  • Title: USA: Star struck buyers pay big bucks for Gable, Monroe and Warhol memorabilia at Christie's auction
  • Date: 29th June 2006
  • Summary: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JULY 15, 1956 MONOCHROME) (REUTERS) MONROE AND HER HUSBAND, THE AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHT ARTHUR MILLER, ARRIVING IN LONDON FILM CAMERA OPERATORS MONROE AND MILLER POSING FOR CAMERAS CLOSE SHOT OF MONROE, PAN TO CLOSE SHOT OF MILLER
  • Embargoed: 14th July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVADKP8QPW7902UAYT1FYAS7IEPW
  • Story Text: Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Andy Warhol memorabilia fetched sizeable sums at Christie's Film and Entertainment auction on Thurday (June 22).
    Objects from Gable's personal estate, as well as items related to the classic "Gone With The Wind" formed a prominent part of the entertainment collection.
    A Walt Disney Studios cel titled "Mother Goose Goes to Hollywood" dated 1938, brought in 16,800 U.S. dollars (USD). The cel was signed by Walt Disney with the inscription "To Clark Gable, With My Apologies, Walt Disney."
    A set of Gable's wristwatches including a Rolex Oyster Perpetual circa 1940 and a Mathey Tissot circa 1935 were also big sellers at 26,400 (USD).
    Also included in the sale, personal tokens of jewellery, like an inscribed gold bracelet given by actress Carole Lombard to Gable reading, "I love you, CL." Although Gable was not divorced from his second wife until 1939, pictures of Gable wearing this bracelet in 1934 are said to confirm Lombard and their secret love affair.
    Among the memorabilia related to Gable's film career is a presentation copy of the novel, "Gone With The WInd" inscribed to the actor from the film producer David O. Selznick, which brought in 10,200 (USD).
    "We have a really nice bound presentation copy of the book, "Gone with the Wind" and its signed to Gable from David O. Selznick, the producer and the inscription says - "For Clark, who doesn't like" and we can only speculate what that might mean. There was a story that Clark Gable didn't want to take part in "Gone with the Wind", he didn't want to do another period costume drama after the previous one he'd done, so maybe that's what the inscription refers to, but nevertheless, it's interesting," said Helen Bailey, Head of Entertainment Memorabilia at Christie's New York, ahead of the auction.
    With interest in pop-culture memorabilia as robust as ever, the collection of Andy Warhol's personal effects, peaked interest.
    One of the artist's signature silver wigs sold for 10,800 (USD), while a color Polaroid print by Warhol, signed in red ink by Muhammad Ali in 1977, went for 19,200 (USD).
    The Warhol lots came from a collection owned by his nephew Jeffrey Warhola and reveals the tool's of the artist's trade, down to his Ferragamo shoes and one of his paint brushes.
    The top items in the sale belonged to screen siren Marilyn Monroe. A black cocktail dress worn during filming of "The Misfits" sold for 66,000 (USD) while a full-length fur coat of ribbed white ermine which Monroe wore in 1957 sold for 50,400 (USD).
    Monroe's personal address and telephone book from the early 1960s that contains hand-written entries, sold for 31,200 (USD), more than double the pre-sale estimate.
    "The diary shows a different facet to her life - it's the address book that she had and I think judging by the names in it, it's probably dating from 60 to 61, that kind of era, just shortly before her death. So has a lot of industry contacts in there, a lot of her very close and personal friends that she hung out with a lot at that time, and a lot of doctors that she was seeing at that time as well shortly before her death, which is the subject of much speculation," explained Bailey.
    Sharing space with Gable, Warhol and Monroe were also pieces related to actress Marlene Dietrich and actor Marlon Brando.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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