BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – On Dec. 10, Profiles in History, the leading company in live/simultaneous Internet Hollywood memorabilia auctions, will offer the above original costume design sketch (by designer Bill Travilla) of the famed white billowy dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the subway scene of Billy Wilder’s 1955 “Seven Year Itch” along with an exact copy of dress itself. The sketch will sell for $80,000 to $100,000. PIH will also auction photographer Tom Kelley’s famous nude photo of Monroe autographed by her along with 500 other movie and TV items.
Profiles in History:
- 10 High-Profile Pieces of Marilyn Monroe Memorabilia, Including the Only Signed Nude Photograph, Academy Award(R-Winning Costume Designer Bill Travilla’s Original Costume Design of Marilyn’s Famous White Billowy Dress from “Seven Year Itch,” and an Exact Copy of the Dress Itself to Be Auctioned by Profiles in History December 10, 2004
- Other Marilyn Items Include a Signed Personal Check, an Autographed Soundtrack Album from “Some Like It Hot” and a Signed Production Document. CUMULATIVE VALUE – OVER $175,000
The only autographed, nude portrait of Marilyn Monroe, shot by photographer Tom Kelley – the image that helped launch her career and became the most famous pin-up in Hollywood history, will be auctioned December 10 by Joseph Maddalena’s Profiles In History, the number one company in the world for live and simultaneous Internet Hollywood memorabilia auctions. This will be the company’s 20th auction over the past nine years. Thought lost in a devastating fire, this signed photograph is inscribed by Marilyn to her dear friend, Academy Award®-winning costume designer Bill Travilla, who created many of her most spectacular screen-worn costumes. Measuring a full 16 x 20 inches, Marilyn personally autographed this photograph to Travilla with the following sentiment: “To Billy, my love. Please dress me forever. Love, Marilyn.” It is estimated by Maddalena to sell for between $20,000 and $30,000.
With a cumulative value of over $175,000,Marilyn items to be auctioned off are also highlighted by Travilla’s original costume design of the single most famous dress in Hollywood history – the billowy, white crepe halter-top dress and sunburst-pleated skirt he created for Monroe for her classic subway wind scene in the 1955 Billy Wilder film “The Seven Year Itch,” which exposed Marilyn’s legs and thighs to the world. Ranked as the most important costume design ever created for film, it is expected it to sell for between $80,000 and $100,000 itself. In addition, Profiles in History will auction an exact duplicate copy of the dress itself, also made by Travilla. Several other Marilyn items including a signed personal check, an autographed soundtrack album from “Some Like It Hot” and a signed production document make up just a part of the 450 “one-of-a-kind” treasures available to be bid upon, which will also feature the original poster art of one of the most popular movies of all time – “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” expected to sell for between $100,000 and $150,000. As with previous Profiles in History auctions, bidders attend in person or bid by phone or fax, or by simultaneous live internet hookup through eBay Live Auctions (www.ebaylive auctions.com) which reaches buyers around the world.
As a leading dealer and authority in evaluating historical documents, Joe Maddalena’s expertise is often called upon to authenticate everything from letters signed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to autographs of Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, The Beatles, and others. Just yesterday, Mr. Maddalena paid a record $68,000 for a letter written by Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth.
Images of all items to be auctioned are available by contacting [email protected]. There is a Profiles in History website available to peruse at www.profilesinhistory.com. To schedule an interview with Joe Maddalena, or to visit his amazing storerooms of collectables, contact [email protected].
