Marilyn Monroe’s personal belongings are to be auctioned. Image Source: History Hit
Marilyn Monroe’s personal belongings are to be auctioned.
More than 175 materials connected to the late actress Marilyn Monroe will be auctioned off at Julien's Auctions and TCM Present: Icons & Idols Hollywood, as per reports. Next month, the auction will be held both in person and online.
It has been reported that one of the most notable items associated with the iconic Marilyn Monroe is a handwritten note from Charles Stanely Gifford, who was recently proven to be her father via DNA testing. The release said that the card written by Charles Stanely Gifford was hand-delivered to Marilyn Monroe by him when she was in the hospital, and it is the only material artifact that establishes any sort of connection between the two of them.
A DNA test on a strand of Marilyn Monroe's hair and a cheek swab from one of Gifford's great-grandchildren earlier this year confirmed he was her biological father. The patriarch died in 1965, 3 years after his famous daughter, who died at the age of 36 in 1962.
Scott Fortner, Marilyn Monroe historian/collector and co-host of the All Things Marilyn podcast, shared that he discovered the card written by Marilyn Monroe’s father while he was preparing Marilyn’s archives for auction at Julien’s Auction. He further added that the note is the only known document evidence of a relationship between Charles Stanely Gifford and Marilyn Monroe, mentioning that it sort of solves the mystery of whether or not she knew or had contact with her biological father.
During his interview with FOX Business, Scott mentioned Marilyn as an icon. He went on to say that people today relate to her in a variety of ways. Some people simply enjoy her photographs. Others like her films. Some people can relate to her emotional troubles throughout her life. People often have an emotional connection to her, according to him. There's a powerful desire to protect her. Scott went on to say that he believes her attraction is very broad. And it's not only in the United States; it occurs all over the world. He has made contact with other collectors and fans from all over the world, so her reach is vast and long-lasting. She is a screen legend, a beauty icon, and a fashion icon.
What Scott is seeing now is that people are keeping their knick-knacks and collectibles because they are gaining value over time. According to the art collector, when there is a bid, the number of pieces obtainable can be very restricted. And Marilyn is among those people whose worth never diminishes. She retains and grows in value. As a result, people are taking longer to list their items for auction. As a result, availability is becoming increasingly challenging.
The card, which Julien expects to sell for $2,000 to $3,000, features the artwork of a young girl willing to stand on a music note on the front and a handwritten letter inside. "Dear Marylyn," the card reads, and this cheerful little get-well note comes particularly to say that many wishes and thoughts are with her every day. In the existence of Stanely Gifford of Red Rock Dairy Farm in Hemet, California, signed the letter.
Marilyn Monroe, real name Norma Jeane Mortenson, was brought into the world to Gladys Pearl Baker and Stanely Gifford, but she had no real relationship with her father as a child. According to the release, Monroe tried to reach her father by phone several times over the years. According to reports, she also went to Hemet in the hopes of finding him. Several locals reported "Marilyn Monroe sightings" at the time. Stanely Gifford did not want to upset his children or wife by allowing Marilyn Monroe to become a part of his life, which is why they never had a relationship while she was growing.
In her book "My Sister Marilyn," Monroe's half-sister Berniece Baker Miracle wrote that the screen siren told her that Gifford had visited her in the hospital on an undisclosed date. Miracle recounted Monroe having to tell her that the first time she saw her father, she was in the hospital, flat on her back. Marilyn went on to say that when she glanced at him and studied his face and features, she realized her mother had informed her the truth—that he was her father.
Charles Stanely Gifford's letter to Marilyn Monroe. Source: NY Post
Other items on the list include several beauty products once owned by Marilyn Monroe, such as false eyelashes, lipstick tubes, eye shadows, and more, as well as numerous dresses owned and worn by the late actress. It has been reported that some with actually expected bids of up to $80,000. Those interested in owning a piece of Monroe's history can also bid on a variety of communications notes, letters, photographs, her checkbook, her last Screen Actors Guild club membership, and a healthcare file about cosmetic procedures Monroe had, which is expected to fetch up to $30,000.
According to the group's Executive Director, Martin Nolan, Julien's has proudly depicted the heritage and lore of Hollywood's most glitzy and legendary star, Marilyn Monroe, for two decades, and in their upcoming auction, they have carefully designed with Turner Classic Movies what is certain that to be one of the most talked about and history-making Marilyn compilations in the industry, with over 175 items discovered from the late actress' archives.
TCM General Manager Pola Changon stated that despite numerous texts, films, and narratives about Marilyn Monroe, she has been a primarily mysterious and captivating star, and this bidding draws people closer to the actual person she was. Pola went on to say that Julien did an excellent job compiling the sneak preview into her all-too-brief life.
Marilyn Monroe's Julien's Auctions and TCM Present: Icons & Idols Hollywood will be held on December 17 and 18 at 10 a.m. PT. The auction will take place in Beverly Hills, California, and will be conducted online at juliensauctions.com.
The fans who are interested in bidding can pre-register online at juliensauctions.com/register-to-bid.
