Marilyn Monroe Signed Portrait from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" Sold for Almost $25,000

BOSTON, MA - (December 16, 16) A Marilyn Monroe signed photograph sold to $24,959 according to Massachusetts-based RR Auction.

The sultry vintage matte-finish portrait of Monroe taken during a Frank Powolny glamour shoot in 1953, signed and inscribed in white ink, “To Jimmie, Best regards, Marilyn Monroe.”

Monroe and Powolny most famously teamed up in 1953 for a series of stunning, artfully framed publicity stills for the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

“Powolny captured countless stars in photos that ended up in newspapers, magazines and theater lobbies around the world,” said Robert Livingston, Executive VP at RR Auction.

Immortalized for his classic World War II pinup of Betty Grable, Powolny remained a trusted photographer for Monroe throughout her career, and is noted as taking the last known still photographs of the starlet during production of Something's Got to Give, one week before her death in 1962.

 “A gorgeous image elevated by the contrast of Monroe’s white signature and the deepness of the unlit ‘film noir’ background,” said Livingston. 

Highlights from the sale include, but are not limited by:

Greta Garbo signed and inscribed photograph to Eva von Berne, sold for $17,908.

James Dean 'East of Eden’ oversized signed photograph, sold for $12,383.

Three Stooges signed photograph of the ‘Dizzy Doctors’, sold for $8,467.

Peg Entwistle oversized signed photograph, sold for $6,072.

Wizard of Oz: Billie Burke Signed photograph,sold for $5,598.

Superman: George Reeves signed photograph, sold for $5017.

The Tom Gregory Hollywood Auction from RR Auction began on Thursday, December 8th and concluded on Thursday, December 15, 2016. For information, visit the RR Auction web site at www.rrauction.com.  

Image: Glamorous, boldly signed 1953 Frank Powolny portrait of Marilyn.