LOS ANGELES, CA.- Julien’s Auctions held A Southern Gentleman’s Collection: The Personal Property of Goodman Basil Espy III, M.D. event today Thursday, November 14 in Beverly Hills, CA in front of a spirited audience of collectors, sports fans and bidders live on the floor, online and on the phone with the presence of Doctor Espy himself who joined the crowd at Julien’s gallery in Beverly Hills. Over 400 historic sports artifacts from the worlds of baseball, basketball, hockey and beyond from Atlanta born renowned collector and doctor, Goodman Basil Espy III, M.D., who personally procured over a lifetime this distinguished and private collection, hit the auction block. Today’s event also included the sale of his spectacular 150 lot collection of items from the life and career of Marilyn Monroe, as well as vintage radios, walking canes, first edition classic novels and many other fine collectibles from his vault.
The top moment of the event was the sale of baseball legend Babe Ruth’s 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers coaching uniform worn in his final official major league appearance which sold for $187,500. Other top selling items from the Babe included: four signed baseballs by the Sultan of Swat that sold between $16,000-$21,875 each as well as two baseballs he signed with Lou Gehrig that sold for $21,875 and $11,520; Babe Ruth’s 1939 presentation award ($12,500) and more.
A unique baseball ball that commemorated the brief union of another Yankee great with Hollywood’s most glamorous star – signed by both Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe – during their brief and tumultuous marriage in 1954-55– sold for $137,500.
Items associated with legendary Yankee first baseman Lou Gehrig were winners today including Gehrig’s signed 1933 Major League contract which sold for $131,250, well above its original estimate of $80,000; a rare 1934 signed Goudey card #61 signed by Gehrig which sold for $34,375, three times its original expected price of $10,000; a signed baseball by Gehrig era 1934-1939 that sold for $53,125 (estimate $20,000-$40,000) and more. Another Yankee hero, Mickey Mantle, also scored big on the auction block with his 1960 World Series Game worn New York Yankees jersey selling for $121,600.
Other top scoring highlights with their winning bids are as follows: Hank Aaron’s 1974 Atlanta Braves Jersey ($70,400); Casey Stengel’s 1962 Mets home coaching jersey with game cap ($64,000) as well as his away coaching jersey ($37,500); a Cal Ripken Jr. 1981 signed Baltimore Orioles rookie jersey ($21,875); a Roberto Clemente signed baseball ($10,000); the 1996 Atlanta Olympics baseball gold medal ($16,000); Mike Eruzione’s 1980 game worn Team USA hockey jersey that sold for $41,600, well over its estimate of $20,000; an Earle Combs 1928 World Champions presentation wristwatch ($37,500); Charlie Gehringer’s 1934 U.S. Tour of Japan jersey ($76,800); a Ty Cobb signed baseball ($10,000) and more.
Several fascinating and provocative items connected to the Hollywood screen goddess, Marilyn Monroe, were also some of the evening’s auction highlights including: Monroe's U.S. Army jacket presented to her while in Korea ($44,800); the star’s handwritten letter in 1943 to her half-sister Berniece Miracle ($12,500); a cryptic handwritten note from Monroe in a a torn-off piece of lined notebook paper, that reads "Do Not Call me / Neither on the Phone nor / in person do not want / to go into any explanations / this is absolutely final" that sold for $12,500, four times its original estimate of $300; Monroe's signed model release in 1949 for what would become one of the most famous nude calendars of all time that sold for $37,500, over seven times its estimate of $5,000; Monroe’s beige small clutch style with rhinestone closure purse from the 1954 film There's No Business Like Show Business ($15,625); the siren’s annotated script change pages from the 1962 film Something's Got To Give ($12,500); a Marilyn Monroe and Norma Jeane Dougherty signed document outlining how the actress was now a legal adult ($12,500); a single, white Ferragamo high heel as well as a single, black Ferragamo high heel worn by the star that each sold for $11,520, nearly four times its estimate of $300 as well as a Monroe signed baseball ($19,200), signed photographs, a 1951 “Best Dressed” award and more. Espy’s magnificent collection of vintage radios hummed back to life with the sales of a red Emerson BT 245 Cathedral vintage radio and a green FADA L56 vintage radio that were both sold for $15,625 each and an Air King Skyscraper vintage radio that sold for $10,000.
