One of the world's largest collection of the most iconic costumes in Hollywood film history goes on the block June 18th. Collected over half a century by actress (and icon herself) Debbie Reynolds, dealer Profiles in History will auction some 3500 sketches, 20,000 original photographs and scores of props, costume sketches and movie posters.
Some of the highlights include Scarlett's green velvet and bird feather "drapery" hat from
Gone With the Wind, Marilyn's infamous subway grate white dress from
The Seven Year Itch and Elizabeth Taylor's gilt headdress from
Cleopatra. Claudette Colbert's gold lame gown from the 1934 version of
Cleopatra. The Little Tramp's bowler hat
and Judy Garland's ruby red slippers from
The Wizard of Oz along with Audrey Hepburn's black and white costume from
My Fair Lady are must haves. Costumes from Travilla, Edith Head and Travis Banton will be featured as well.
The star of
Singin in the Rain and
The Unsinkable Molly Brown began her collection in 1970 when MGM studio was purchased and consolidated and the studios goodies were sold to an auctioneer. She sifted through 300,000 costumes, scripts, furniture and props, curating a wonderful array of memorabilia fit for a museum. Reynolds spent decades trying to find the proper home but to no avail.
It is sad to think this incredible collection of Hollywood history won't make it to a museum and hopefully private collectors will give it a good home.
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| Monroe's subway dress |
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Audrey Hepburn's hat from My Fair Lady
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| Marilyn Monroe's gown from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes |
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| Click your heels three times |
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| Scarlett's hat in Gone With the Wind |
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| Elizabeth Taylor's headdress in Cleopatra above and below |
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| Claudette Colbert's gilded creation in 1934's Cleopatra |
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| Elizabeth Taylor's costume in National Velvet |
If you want to own a piece of film history, the auction takes place Saturday, June 18th at the Paley Center for Media, 465 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills at noon. And if you can't be there or Charlton Heston's
Ben Hur tunic is not in your budget (it's rumored that Monroe's subway dress will fetch up to two million dollars), the catalogue is a must read and can be purchased
here.
Photo Credits: Profiles in History, Twentieth Century Fox, MGM
What a fabulous collection! That auction will surely attract movie and memorabilia buffs from every corner of the earth. Debbie really amassed a marvelous treasure trove of goodies. Great post :)
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Apparently Reynolds is heartbroken over the sale as she tried for decades to get financing and find a proper home for her treasures. Hoping some major collector will buy the majority and donate to a museum. Truly one of those times you wish you could win the lottery!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing collection. I've read over the years how DR was trying to start a museum for a collection. It's too bad it didn't work out for her. Hopefully someone with $$$ will share her vision.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really good read for me. Must admit that you are one of the best bloggers I ever saw. Thanks for posting this useful blog.
ReplyDeletemovie reel décor pander to our wild senses, titillate our innermost emotions and just pep up our lives. Movies are today just a mini caricature of our real life. In a very big way, the real life has transformed and this is portrayed on the celluloid nowadays.
Thank you so much for your kind words and the power of film is incredible!
ReplyDeleteHow sad that Paramount didn't make Cleopatra in technicolor. The gown and jewelry shown above are absolutely stunning and combined with the elaborate sets, it must've been a visually dazzling production to see in person. Whenever I see this film, I try and and imagine what the actual colors are, instead of the grays and blacks we see.
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