MARILYN MONROE fans in Asia will have the chance to see the iconic star’s personal memorabilia up close at Hong Kong’s Fringe Club.
The exhibit, running from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1, is a preview for Julien’s Auctions’ “Icons: Playboy, Hugh Hefner, and Marilyn Monroe” auction, which will run on March 28, 29, and 30 in Beverly Hills, California, USA.
The auction will feature memorabilia from the estate of Marilyn Monroe (who died in 1962, and was the first centerfold for Playboy magazine in 1954), Playboy media founder Hugh Hefner’s personal heirlooms, and items from the Playboy archives.
Highlights from the auction include the black gown worn by Ms. Monroe in a dream sequence from the movie Seven Year Itch, designed by William Travilla. This dress is estimated to sell from $100,000 to $200,000. A pink dress by Emilio Pucci has an estimated price of $40,000 to $60,000 (Monroe was buried in a dress by the same designer).
(The record for the most expensive dress bought at auction — $4.8 million — was sold by Julien’s Auctions. It was the beige dress worn by Ms. Monroe when she sang “Happy Birthday” for then-US President John F. Kennedy.)
More items from Ms. Monroe’s estate include a simulated diamond brooch (estimate price: $8,000 to $12,000), and a used tube of lipstick from Elizabeth Arden, marked “Orange Pink like Miss I./ sample 05022/ May 2, 1960” (estimate price: $7,000 to $8,000),
Not only Ms. Monroe’s outfits are up for grabs: at an estimated $2,000 to $3,000, one can own Mr. Hefner’s red silk smoking jacket, silk pajamas, slippers, and pipe. “This ensemble is not just a piece of history; it’s a slice of the Hef’s glamorous lifestyle [which] set new standards for luxury and leisure during the eras of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s,” said a release.
“The Icons: Playboy, Hugh Hefner, and Marilyn Monroe” exhibit in Hong Kong will run from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1 at Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong.
