THE DEBBIE REYNOLDS AUCTION continued

The recent auction of the first part of Debbie Reynolds' phenomenal collection of Hollywood memorabilia prompts me to provide additional coverage. I have more photos to share as well as additional observations. The major fallout from the auction was the disheartened disbelief that this collection was now being scattered, in many cases to overseas locations. The second was the shockingly high prices realized for the majority of the items auctioned. If we must look for a silver lining, it's that the ripple effect of both of these factors leads to a heightened appreciation for film costume.

Marilyn Monroe's "Tropical Heat Wave" costume designed by William Travilla.
$500,000.

                                                                   Photo by Christian Esquevin


Of course any dress worn by Marilyn Monroe would be valuable. But the Debbie Reynolds auction proved that virtually all vintage classic film costumes were selling at very high prices.
There was also the extra cache and provenance that the items were owned by Debbie Reynolds, and therefore the high probability that they were acquired directly from the studios and were not fakes.





Photo by Christian Esquevin



An early auction indication that the prices were reaching the stratosphere was demonstrated in Judy Garland's Adrian-designed pinafore from The Wizard of Oz, hammered down for        

 $920,000. And this was for an early wardrobe test version that was never worn in the film.        

Photo by Christian Esquevin

A result of seeing the costumes up close is a heightened  appreciation for the skill of the dressmaking and tailoring. The costumes were fabricated to provide a 360 degree view of the garment. Exact camera angles were unknown in advance, and most every costume had to be ready for a possible close-up.  And the gowns themselves are in vivid color, like the one Norma Shearer wore in Romeo and Juliet, and designed by Adrian,  shown below. This was the case even when the movie was filmed in black and white. The detailing on the bodice is incredible, with gold embroidery and cascades of tiny silver sequins. A great write-up of the auction and an interesting perspective on the waist sizes of the screen-worn costumes is provided by Virginia Postrel on Bloomberg View

Norma Shearer's purple gown from Marie Antoinette, $20,000. Photo by Christian Esquevin

Photo by Christian Esquevin

Evidence of the high quality of the film costumes is shown above in the coronation robe
designed by Rene Hubert for Merle Oberon as Empress Josephine in Desiree. The silk gown is embroidered with gold floral decorations. The red velvet train is also embroidered and trimmed in ermine. Debbie Reynolds began collecting when she purchased many wardrobe items from the auction of MGM property in 1970. Most of the studio's wardrobe at that time consisted of period costumes, which is by and large reflected in the strength of Debbie's collection. That MGM had many years earlier dumped many costumes in its wardrobe collection is little known. Due to the small value that was ascribed to contemporary fashion, and the lack of its re-usability in later films, many crown jewels of costume were destroyed. By the time of the 1970 MGM auction, many of those late 1920s and 1930s costumes were already gone. These had been the costumes that created the very image of glamorous Hollywood movie-stars, and that started fashion trends around the world.  The Adrian-designed gowns worn by Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, and Joan Crawford that defined the look of glamour were mostly discarded. It is informative to consider the sale of Debbie's collection as reflecting the earlier MGM auction and the even earlier destruction of those movie costumes.

Nonetheless, the period costumes represented at the Profiles in History auction were stunning. Here is one beauty, probably designed by Irene but possibly by Mme Karinska, and worn by Ingrid Bergman in Gaslight. It was hammered down at $32,5000

One of my favorites, and one with much sentimental value for me is this beautiful red velvet costume worn by Katharine Hepburn in Mary of Scotland. It was designed by Walter Plunkett and made by my great-aunt at the RKO Studio. Gold thistles decorate it, and I still own swatches of the fabric from the patterned velvet sleeve. It's amazing that the film was shot in black and white. Its one of those that is slated to leave these shores.

Photo by Christian Esquevin

The costume below was designed by Mary Wills for Joan Collins playing Beth Throgmorton in The Virgin Queen. The costume sketch for this and some others designed by Mary Wills from the movie are shown on my blog post The Costume Sketches of Mary Wills

Photo by Christian Esquevin

Coming in second place in price to Marilyn Monroe's Seven Year Itch dress was Audrey Hepburn's Ascot gown from My Fair Lady. It was hammered down for $3.7 million. Having the huge original hat along with the gown added much to the value of the ensemble.

Photo by Christian Esquevin

Debbie also liked the costumes from classic Rome and Egypt, and who wouldn't when they were worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Charlton Heston. The breast plate below is from Ben Hur. With the big-budget movies of that era, the costumes were works of art. The one below is hand-hammered metal. It was one of many such costumes and props in Debbie's collection

One of the sumptuous items that sold was the headdress worn by Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. It was designed by Renie.



Debbie Reynolds at the auction. Photo by Christian Esquevin.



Thank you Debbie. You have lit up the screen during your long career, and you've helped preserve Hollywood film history along the way.