NEW YORK, NY.- Paddle8, the leading online auction house announced Platinum Blonde: Collectible Marilyn, an auction of more than 70 works including fine art, photographs and rare memorabilia of and inspired by Marilyn Monroe. One of the most iconic faces of the 20th century, Marilyn Monroe was a superstar during her lifetime and her allure and legend has only grown since her passing 55 years ago. Platinum Blonde pays homage to the star’s enduring legacy through a carefully curated selection of contemporary art inspired by the actress, memorabilia, and photographs live for bidding worldwide August 2-11, 2017.
Highlighting the sale is a rare assemblage of more than 150 photographs by George Barris from June 1962, from the last photoshoot of the femme fatale. The more than 150 vintage photographs represent the most comprehensive public offering of the Barris sessions, including numerous images that have not been previously seen. As these photos represent the last living impressions of the actress they have long been beloved by her fans, yet the full Barris session has never been publicly released. Taken just after her 36th birthday and only weeks before her untimely death, Monroe is radiant, sexy, and full of life in these photographs.
The 1962 shoot originated as an assignment for Cosmopolitan Magazine and took place over several weeks in various locations in Los Angeles. The more than 150 photographs hail from a private collector who acquired them directly from Barris in the 1980s and are presented in their original groupings of three offered with estimates ranging from $8,000 - $24,000. Each 5x7 inch photograph is signed by Barris, and each grouping is presented in Barris’s original photobox.
Other highlights of Platinum Blonde include:
· A selection of rare signed memorabilia, including Marilyn Monroe’s 8th Grade School Group Photo from 1941. The photo is inscribed and signed to the original owner, a female classmate at Ralph Waldo Emerson Middle School in Los Angeles, by the then 14-year-old Norma Jeane Baker, Monroe’s birth name.
· A selection of artworks including contemporary Marilyn Monroe prints by Russell Young and Mr. Brainwash.
· A large selection of notable vintage and contemporary photographs of Marilyn Monroe from Andre de Dienes, Milton H. Greene, Bert Stern, Joseph Jasgur, Frank Powolny, Sam Shaw, and Tom Kelley, and George Barris.
· A rare trove of original vintage Hollywood studio promotional photographs, including pre-production wardrobe test shots of Monroe in the outfits worn in her films.
· A selection of original film posters from Monroe’s most notable movies, including The Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot, and The Misfits.
