In 2016, Julien’s Auctions offered for sale items about or once owned by Marilyn Monroe. Amongst the bottle of pills (empty), paperweights, gowns, a pair of fishnet stockings (sold for $15,625 and seen below), a sock ($1,920) a circa 1950s uncut tin tray, illustrated with two nude photographs of Marilyn Monroe, “Golden Dreams” and “A New Wrinkle” both taken during a photo session with Tom Kelley in 1949 letters (sold for $1920 and also seen below) were letters. The star turn was John Steinbeck’s letter to Monroe. It sold for $3,520 – a lot less than the used hosiery.
The letter, typed by a secretary, signed by the great writer and dated April 28, 1955, is addressed to Monroe at the Waldorf Towers in New York. The letter is a charming and bashful request for an autograph. Steinbeck wrote to his son of love. His nephew’s ruby dreams were also of interest.
“In my whole experience I have never known anyone to ask for an autograph for himself. It is always for a child or an ancient aunt, which gets very tiresome as you know better than I. It is therefore, with a certain nausea that I tell you that I have a nephew-in-law … he has a foot in the door of puberty, but that is only one of his problems. You are the other. … I know that you are not made of ether, but he doesn’t. … Would you send him, in my care, a picture of yourself, perhaps in pensive, girlish mood, inscribed to him by name and indicating that you are aware of his existence. He is already your slave. This would make him mine. If you will do this, I will send you a guest key to the ladies’ entrance of Fort Knox.”
US novelist John Steinbeck (1902 – 1968). (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Lead image, as described: “An original color photograph of Marilyn Monroe and co-star Tom Ewell on the set for The Seven Year Itch (20th Century, 1955), filming the now famous skirt-blowing subway scene from the film, shot on September 15, 1954. Fans and photographers can also be seen in this photo. This photograph is likely never before seen. PROVENANCE From the Estate of Frieda Hull.”
Via: Julien’s Auctions
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