#9762 • Marilyn Monroe Personally Owned Red Wool Dress
Part of Music & Hollywood Icons Historical Occasion (timed auction by GWS Auctions)
Starting at $1.00
Status: Sold
Est. $12,000-$15,000 Marilyn Monroe Personally Owned 1950s Red Wool "Pacific Mills" Dress W/Letter of Authenticity From Joe Franklin - This piece is an authentic 1950s red wool dress made by Pacific Mills, which was personally owned by Marilyn Monroe. The dress was given to Joe Franklin by Monroe, as they were preparing the manuscript for "The Marilyn Monroe Story", which was written by Franklin and was the first biography about Marilyn. According to Franklin, the piece was given to him by Marilyn in 1953 while they were in her East Side apartment working on the manuscript. They both had a fascination with Hollywood nostalgia and memorabilia, and when Franklin suggested to Marilyn that she may have some items to place in his collection, she did not hesitate for a moment. This dress is one of the pieces that she gave to Joe. The dress has been extremely well kept, and is in beautiful condition. The dress is made of 100% wool, and the inside label reads "fabric by Pacific Mills 100% wool". It is said that wool was Marilyn's 2nd favorite fabric choice, as silk was her favorite. The dress is red in color, and has cheetah printed trim, two front pockets, and five fabric covered front buttons. There are threads on the inside back collar area that are sewn slightly uneven and not in a straight line. This suggests that the piece was probably altered after purchase by Marilyn's personal seamstress, in order to make it perfectly fit her exquisite figure. Measurements (approximate): 43" length, 28" waist, 6" sleeves. There is no size label present. This piece will also include a letter of authenticity from Joe Franklin, who was an American radio and television host personality, author and actor, and whose show featured famous guests such as Andy Warhol, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Salvador Dali, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and countless others. Joe Franklin knew Marilyn Monroe personally, and co-authored the first biography about Marilyn, titled "The Marilyn Monroe Story".
