Items Owned by Marilyn Monroe and Hugh Hefner To Go Under Hammer at Julien’s Auctions

The Playboy Enterprises collection includes artwork by LeRoy Neiman, Andy Warhol, Alberto Vargas and  more; as well as 1950s architectural renderings of the Playboy Chicago headquarters, Los Angeles Playboy  Mansion furniture from the dining room and master bedroom.  

Highlights include (with estimates):  

• Andy Warhol original “Playboy Bunny” silkscreen (Inquire for direct purchase) (photo right) 

• LeRoy Neiman 1959 original oil on canvas painting titled, "Romanoffs" (Estimate: US$60,000-$80,000)  

• Alberto Vargas original watercolour drawing of a Vargas Girl pinup, from the March 1967 issue of Playboy Magazine (Estimate: US$30,000-$40,000) 

• LeRoy Neiman 1956 watercolour, ink and collage drawing of the New York City skyline (Estimate: US$8,000-$10,000) (photo below) 

• LeRoy Neiman original pen, ink, watercolour, and collage drawing of a Femlin grieving before a photograph of the late Martin Luther King, Jr., with  annotations from the original Playboy Magazine layout (Estimate:  US$4,000-$6,000) 

• LeRoy Neiman 1957 original ink and gouache on paper drawing of a Femlin with blonde hair holding a Playboy Club key (Estimate: US$4,000-$6,000) 

• An ensemble consisting of Hugh Hefner’s classic smoking jacket, silk pyjamas, slippers and tobacco pipe (Estimate: US$2,000-$3,000) (photo right) and more to be announced.

Highlights of Marilyn Monroe’s collection include (with estimates): 

• A Mae West-inspired black and cellophane effect evening gown designed by legendary costume designer William Travilla, worn by Marilyn Monroe during the filming of her classic 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. It comes with a black and white feather boa (not film’s original), similar to the one worn by Marilyn with the gown. Marilyn wore this in a dream sequence scene, which was later cut from the film, where Richard Sherman (played by Tom Ewell) envisions his neighbour, the Girl (played by Marilyn) impersonating Mae West in this costume (Estimate: US$100,000-$200,000) (photo left). 

• A costume worn by Marilyn Monroe as  Lillian Russell for a pictorial feature in the December 22, 1958 issue of Life magazine, photographed by Richard Avedon. This lavender satin, boned leotard with neckline is trimmed with bouquets of fabric flowers and pink, lavender and cream draped chiffon sashes with pink satin bows and trimmed in lavender, pink and cream chiffon. Monroe also dressed as Theda Bara, Clara Bow, Jean Harlow, and  Marlene Dietrich for this series of photographs (Estimate: US$20,000- $40,000) (photo right) 

• A colour print of a photograph of Marilyn Monroe dressed and posing as  silent film star Clara Bow that was taken in 1958 by Richard Avedon (Estimate: US$100-$200) 

• A pink Pucci long-sleeved dress of silk jersey accompanied by a rope and crystal tassel belt, size 10 owned and worn by Marilyn Monroe (Estimate: US$40,000 - $60,000) (black & white photo on p2) 

• Marilyn Monroe’s 1962 John F. Kennedy birthday gala original program and ticket stub. The  star-studded birthday celebration for President Kennedy was held 10 days  before his actual birthday, and remains one of the most discussed events in his  and Monroe’s career as she serenaded the president with a sultry rendition of  “Happy Birthday, Mister President” while wearing a sheer, skin-tight Jean Louis gown that she’d been sewn into just before the event (Estimate:  US$4,000-$6,000) 

• Marilyn Monroe’s custom shade of Elizabeth Arden lipstick in a goldtone case with typewritten label reading "Orange Pink like Miss I./ sample 05022/  May 2, 1960" (Estimate: US$7,000-$9,000) (photo right)

• Marilyn’s personal annotated The Misfits script sides with her handwritten notes for her iconic role as Roslyn such as Stretch like a cat / see painted / follow him like kitten and Nothing is coming / but at least I can / make the (an) effort and My thought are any place (Estimate: US$5,000-$7,000) 

• An original Jean Louis painted cream/beige silk jersey cocktail dress  worn by Marilyn Monroe for The Misfits cast press conference in the  summer of 1960 (Estimate: US$40,000-$60,000) (photo left) 

• Marilyn Monroe’s floret styled brooch of simulated  diamonds (Estimate: US$8,000-$10,000) (photo right) 

• Marilyn Monroe’s handwritten Actor’s Studios  notes (Estimate: US$4,000-$6,000) 

• A Marilyn Monroe signed Metropolitan Opera playbill from the 1958-1959  season accompanied by a black and white image of Marilyn signing a playbill that  is believed to have been signed on February 10, 1959, when Marilyn and her husband Arthur Miller  attended a performance of Macbeth (Estimate: US$5,000-$7,000) 

• Red and white polka dot umbrella, with wood hook handle used by Marilyn Monroe in a 1949 photo  shoot on Jones Beach with photographer Andre de Dienes (Estimate: US$20,000-$40,000) 

• A silver-tone St. Christopher pendant in the style of a wax seal given to Ralph Roberts by Marilyn  Monroe (Estimate: US$6,000-$8,000) 

Other highlights include: numerous photos of Marilyn Monroe kicking a soccer ball, fishing, on the sets of  River of No Return and Gentleman Prefer Blondes, at her 1954 Korean tour, with husband Joe DiMaggio on  their honeymoon and others; her checkbook, perfume receipt and more. 

AUCTION & ASIA EXHIBITONS DETAILS 

Los Angeles AUCTION 

Property From The Playboy Archives and The Hugh M. Hefner Foundation  

and Property From The Life and Career of Marilyn Monroe 

Date:  

Thursday, March 28 

Friday, March 29 

Saturday, March 30 

Time:  

Day Sale at 10:00 am Pacific Time / 01:00am+1, Hong Kong Time 

Hong Kong PUBLIC EXHIBITION 

‘Icons: Playboy, Hugh Hefner, And Marilyn Monroe’ 

Free and open to the public 

Click HERE to RSVP  

Date: January 27 – February 1 

Venue: Fringe Club (2 Lower Albert Road, Central) 

Shanghai PUBLIC EXHIBITION 

‘Icons: Playboy, Hugh Hefner, And Marilyn Monroe’ 

Free and open to the public 

Date: March 6 – 17 

Venue: K11 Art Mall (No. 300, Huaihai Middle Road) 

Julien’s Auctions 

For the moments that matter. 

You know that moment when the lights dim, right before your favorite band starts playing? Or that feeling  right before the credits roll on a movie that changed your whole world in an instant? The air is charged with  anticipation and words are never going to do it justice because you just really had to be there.  

At Julien’s, we exist to bring those moments back into your life through iconic artifacts and one-of-a-kind  collections. Whether collaborating directly with artists, partnering with legendary estates, or working closely  with discerning collectors, our auctions make culture pop with the promise of discovery and reconnection.  From Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Ringo Starr to Lady Gaga, Banksy, and Kurt Cobain—from LA to  the world, we are where originals find their kind.