Back to News

Posted in December 2011

Marilyn Monroe costume valuation

In 2012, David Gainsborough Roberts’ renowned private collection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia will form an international touring exhibition. We’re delighted to announce that in preparation for this, we will be undertaking a valuation of key pieces from the collection which are included in the exhibition.

Widely considered to be the largest and finest collection of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia in the world, highlights include:

• The stunning scarlet sequin full-length showgirl gown from ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953 – in which Marilyn memorably co-starred with Jane Russell).
• The fabulous, highly ornate, full-length flesh-tone gown, with net overlay embellished with sequins and silver bugle beads, worn by Marilyn in ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’, (1954).
• Marilyn’s costume from the only film she shot in England, during her honeymoon with third husband Arthur Miller, ‘The Prince and The Showgirl’ (1957). The full-length gown of cream satin and chiffon, embellished with seed pearls, sequins and silver bugle beads, was the star’s only costume in this film, in which she co-starred with Laurence Olivier, with whom she had a notoriously difficult working relationship.
• The revealing black cocktail dress (probably the most important gown in the collection), embellished with sequins and black beaded fringes, worn by Monroe, as ‘Sugar Kane’, in her best loved film ‘Some Like It Hot’ (1959), for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress, her only major award. Legendary Hollywood costume designer Orry-Kelly won an Academy Award for Best Costume for this film.

These amazing pieces form only a small part of this wonderful collection that will be exhibited in London between March and May 2012. The exhibition then moves to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, Italy (19 June 2012 – January 2013).