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marilyn monroe

Nude Supermodels and More in Sotheby's Sale

Filed under: Auctions, Art


On October 9th in New York, Sotheby's will stage a stunning sale of photographs including several nude portraits of supermodels, with work from the likes of Chuck Close, Peter Beard, Robert Mapplethorpe, Helmut Newton and more. One of the top lots is a series of six full frontal nudes of Kate Moss by Chuck Close taken in 2003, estimated at $100,000 - $150,000. Another high-priced draw is a portfolio of 12 semi-nude images of Marilyn Monroe taken in 1962 by Lawrence Schiller, estimated at $50,000 - $70,000. Two Peter Lindbergh portraits of Mick Jagger taken in 1995 are estimated at $30,000 - $50,000. And a nude of Stephanie Seymour by Richard Avedon taken in 1992 is estimated at $20,000 - $30,000, while this relatively tame image of Nadja Auermann by Irving Penn from 1994 is also a relative bargain at $6,000 - $9,000.

Burial Plot next to Marilyn Monroe for sale on eBay

Filed under: Auctions

Fans of Marilyn Monroe have the opportunity to grab what could be the ultimate memento: a burial plot next to the late starlet. The plot is up for sale on eBay, with bids at the time of writing up to $710,000.

The plot belongs to Elsie Poncher, whose late husband's remains are currently interred there. The widow is reportedly selling the plot in a bid to pay off her seven-figure mortgage, and once the sale is complete, Poncher will have her husband's remains moved to another location. The crypt is located in Westwood Village Memorial Park, where Natalie Wood, Dean Martin and the recently passed Farah Fawcett are also buried. Hugh Hefner, whose Playboy Mansion is located in the same neighborhood, reportedly paid upwards of $80,000 for a crypt there in the same cemetery.

UPDATE: The crypt sold for $4.6 million.

[Source: Telegraph]

Clown Painting By Frank Sinatra Among Julien's Summer Sale Auction Items

Filed under: Auctions, Art, Celebrity Design


Darren Julien may have lost the Michael Jackson auction but he's got plenty of other celebrity items up his sleeve. The Julien's Auctions Summer Entertainment Sale is an annual memorabilia event that usually always features a few items from blue-chip celebs like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley as well as a treasure trove of ephemera for old movie buffs. The sale will be held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on June 26th and 27th, 2009.

The Marilyn Monroe items include clothing from her personal and professional wardrobe and furniture from her Brentwood, California home. Marilyn's dining room table is estimated at $10,000 to $12,000 and other pieces including a coffee table and a tapestry are priced for less.

On the Elvis tip you can rather ghoulishly acquire prescription bottles made out to Elvis as well as many other personal items. But maybe the creepiest item of all is the Frank Sinatra oil painting of a clown. Old Blue Eyes painted this 22 by 24-inch painting which he gave as a gift to producer Guy Della-Cioppa. Apparently Sinatra began painting clowns before painting more abstract pieces. If you want it haunting you from your wall you'll have to bid in the $10,000 to $20,000 range.

[via NY Daily News]

A New Marilyn Monroe Fashion Line

Filed under: Apparel


She may have died decades ago but Marilyn Monroe remains a fashion icon. Now she will have her own fashion line. Fashion Week Daily reports that designer Victor Carranza, who once created many custom designs for Monroe herself will launch the House of Monroe, a luxury collection inspired by the icon. The brand has the master license from the Marilyn Monroe estate making it the the sole company with the actual rights to reproduce Monroe's image. House of Monroe will be sold at upscale retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and a line of jeans and casual wear called Norma Jeane will be carried at stores like Atrium.


Rare Never Exhibited Bacon on Offer at Christie's

Filed under: Auctions, Art


A rare Francis Bacon triptych that has never before been seen in public and has never been offered at auction is expected to fetch over $20 million during Christie's Contemporary Art Sales in London at the end of the month. Painted in Paris in 1975, Three Studies for a Self Portrait (above) is similar in character to the Bacon triptych that sold for $28 million at Christie's last month. Also starring in the sales on June 30 through July 1: Lucian Freud's Naked Potrait with Reflection, one of the most important works by the artist ever to be offered at auction, est. $20 million - $30 million; Jeff Koons' Balloon Flower (Magenta), 1995-2000, the most important Koons work ever offered at auction in Europe, est. about $25 million; Andy Warhol's Nine Multicolored Marilyns, est. $5 million - $7 million; and Jean-Michel Basquiat's Trunk, painted in 1982, est. $2 - $3 million.

Bardot, Beatles & Monroe Star in Sotheby's Sale

Filed under: Auctions, Art

The buzz at big photo auctions lately has been all about nude supermodels. Perfectly understandable, of course, but how many times can you really stand to see Gisele naked? (OK, no need to answer that). At Sotheby's latest photo sale in London on Tuesday, we're pleased to see some stunning images on offer which while short on supermodel cleavage nonetheless have plenty of appeal. Take for instance this portrait of the beautiful Brigitte Bardot taken by Terry O'Neill 1971 with an estimate of $8,000 - $12,000. Not one of the more expensive items on offer, but worth every penny in our estimation.

Also included in the amazing auction is Helmut Newton's 1975 photo of Elsa Peretti, est. $24,000 - $30,000, and his 1987 portrait of Jodie Foster, est. $14,000 - $18,000; Andy Warhol's Polaroid of Muhammad Ali taken in 1977, est. $10,000 - $14,000; David Bailey's 1969 double portrait of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, est. $20,000 - $30,000; and a recent print made from Bert Stern's famed Marilyn Monroe series (recently aped by Lindsay Lohan), est. $6,000 - $8,000. See the gallery for more.

Auction Features Yoko's Bentley, Marilyn's Umbrella, and Elvis's Microphone

Filed under: Auctions


If you love the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, and/or Elvis Presley then you might want to book yourself a flight to Beverly Hills before next weekend. On June 16th some of the biggest and most unique items from some of the most memorable stars of years past will be featured at Julien's Auctions at the Beverly Hilton. Among items set to go up on the block are Yoko Ono's 2002 Bentley Arnage, Marilyn Monroe's polka-dot umbrella, and the microphone Elvis Presley used to make his radio debut (complete with the infamous original recording of the phrase "Elvis has left the building").

And whether or not bidding is a possibility for you, the trip could still be worth your while if just to get a glimpse. All items will be on display for admiring fans starting June 12th through the 15th.

Warhol Wig Fetches $10K

Filed under: Auctions

A Christie's auction on Thursday was full of celebrity memorabilia. Marilyn Monroe's black cocktail dress from the movie The Misfits, sold for $66,000, and an address book owned by the star sold for $31,200. A gold linked bracelet given to Carole Lombard by Clark Gable went for $7,800. The Andy Warhol lots, which were offered by the artist's nephew, attracted some of the most attention, though they were not the most expensive items there. A Polaroid of Mick Jagger, taken by Warhol, went for $15,600, while a photo of Muhammad Ali that Warhol had autographed fetched $19,200. And Andy's famous, silver wig sold for $10,800.

What's in a Name?

A rose by any other name would still be a rose, but if you called it Elvis, you could certainly charge a lot more for it. Celebrity names and images have a lot of selling power because they provide instant recognizability; they are their own brands. Business Week determined the worth of the names of 13 celebrities. Two on the list have sold the rights to their names almost entirely, three are deceased, but still making a large amount of money annually, and the rest of the people are still building up their price tags.

  • Muhammad Ali - $63 million, sold in April of this year
  • George Foreman - $137.5 million, sold in 1999
  • Albert Einstein - $1 million annually
  • Marilyn Monroe - $1.25 million annually
  • Paris Hilton $15 million annually
  • Tiger Woods - $21 million annually
  • P Diddy - $22 million annually
  • Michael Jordon - $25 million annually
  • Jennifer Lopez - $35 million annually
  • Elvis Presley - $40 million annually
  • Elizabeth Taylor - $50 million annually
  • Donald Trump - $280 million annually



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