(1926-1962)
Marilyn Monroe memorabilia was and still is the most sought after of any American celebrity. Others whose items are very collectable include, but are not limited to, Humphrey Bogart, Princess Diana (in Canada and the UK as well), Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Babe Ruth, John F. Kennedy, Rudolph Valentino, Mary Pickford and many, many others.
Star Center Antique Mall
Snohomish, WA
360 568-2131 / starmall@myantiquemall.com
July 2007 Marilyn Monroe display in Star Center Antique Mall
in Snohomish, WA
#1
In December of 1958, Life Magazine invited Marilyn to recreate five fabled actresses. They were: Lillian Russell, Theda Bara, Marlene Dietrich, Jean Harlow, and Clara Bow. Jean Harlow was Marilyn’s lifelong idol. Revolutionary American fashion photographer Richard Avedon (1923-2004) was engaged to take the photos. One of the photos he took is the photo of Marilyn as Jean Harlow which you see here. This is one of the finest and most meaningful photos ever taken of Marilyn. We have never seen any of the five Marilyn photos offered for sale by any of the major auction houses in the US.
#2
This is the finest and most superb photo ever taken of silent movie icon Jean Harlow. Marilyn and Richard Avedon modeled her Life magazine photo after this photo.
#3
1954: Marilyn in an East Sixties brownstone in Manhattan calling to “Seven Year Itch” co-star Tom Ewell. Photos taken by famed Hollywood photographer George Barris. Not a planned photo shoot.
#4
Marilyn made a photo album for a friend and wrote “This is my favorite” because it was Norma Jean.
#5
The world famous “skirt scene” was filmed November 9, 1954 at 52nd Street and Lexington avenue in New York.. It was shot after 2:00 AM in front of a crowd of about four thousand people. This was part of the filming of “The Seven Year Itch.” Marilyn’s husband Joe DiMaggio was there to witness the spectacle. It may have been the nail in the coffin of their marriage. The next day Joe returned to California, alone.
#6
Studio test shot for the filming of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Not a publicity photo. Not reproduced for distribution. May be the only one in existence.
#7
Norma Jean baker Mortensen married James Dougherty June 19, 1942. She was 16. Four years later in 1946 she took this photo wearing her wedding gown.
#8
In 1953, Marilyn appeared in ads for Tru-Glo makeup and lipstick made by the Westmores of Hollywood.
#9
Cast of “The Misfits”, 1961. Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Montgomery Clift, Eli Wallach, John Huston, Arthur Miller, playwright, Frank Taylor. Not shown: Thelma Ritter, James Barton, Estelle Winwood, Kevin McCarthy. Sadly this is the last film for both Marilyn and Clark. Within 22 months, both would be gone.
#10
Baby Doll, 1956. Marilyn wanted to star in this but the role went to Carroll Baker. The role made her famous. To show there were no hard feelings, Marilyn served as an usherette at the Baby Doll benefit for Actors Studio on December 4, 1956.
#11
1949 photo by Andre de Dienes shot at Tobey Beach outside of New York City. He was at one time her future husband.
#12
Joseph Paul DiMaggio, baseball star, married Marilyn on January 14, 1954. In February she interrupted their honeymoon when she was asked to go on a USO trip to Korea to entertain our troops. To be able to go, she had to get a United States of America Department of Defense Identification Card. This is an enlarged photo of that card, issued to and signed as Norma Jean DiMaggio. Photo taken February 4, 1954 and card issued February 8, 1954. Note: we all know how bad our photos are when we renew our drivers license. Marilyn had no beauty salon to prepare her, yet look how her natural beauty carried through. Marilyn often stayed as the Beverly Hills Hotel. This item was displayed at the hotel and on February 4, 1984 a Norma Jean Memorabilia Exhibition was held. In all probability this item is one-of-a-kind.
#13
A very fine photo of a pensive Marilyn with a pen in her hand. Her natural beauty is very apparent.
#14
March 9, 1953- Scandal follows Marilyn’s appearance at the Photoplay magazine award in this tissue-thin gold lamé gown from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
#15
Golden Dreams calendar- in May 1949, Marilyn was just another blonde Hollywood starlet without a studio. She didn’t have a job; she was broke. Tom Kelly had previously asked her to pose in the nude and she had declined. She called Tom and asked if the offer was still open. Of course it was; Marilyn got $50 for the photo shoot. That was the beginning of the most famous and sought after calendar in the world, and Marilyn would never lie or deny that it was her in the photos. With the news of her nude calendar, Marilyn unintentionally perpetrated the single most effective publicity feat in showbusiness history; the Golden Dreams calendar and other Marilyn Monroe items (ashtray, cocktail glasses, etc.) went on to earn somewhere near an million dollars in the mid-‘50s. That would be like five million or more in today’s dollars.
#16
Sadly some of our entertainment friends left us way too soon. A few of them are: James Dean, Elvis Presley, Jayne Mansfield, Carole Lombard, Princess Diana, and Jean Harlow. Let’s not forget the pleasure these and many others gave us over the years.
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