“Vargas Girls,” “Femlins,” Bunny Suits, Hugh Hefnerand Marilyn Monroe’s Iconic Wardrobe and 1953 First Playboy Magazine Issue Kick Off Three-Day Auction in High Style

MARILYN MONROE OWNED AND WORN PUCCI DRESS
Sold for $325,000, 8X Its Estimate

HUGH HEFNER BURGUNDY SMOKING JACKET, SILK PAJAMAS, AND SLIPPERS WITH MAGAZINE 

Sold for $35,750, 17X Its Estimate

Los Angeles, California – (March28th, 2024) Vargas pinup girls, femlins and bunnies, as well as two legendary garments of Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe and the first Playboy issue featuring the Hollywood siren on the cover dazzled on the opening night of “ICONS:PLAYBOY, HUGH HEFNER X MARILYN MONROE” held Thursday, March 28thlive and online at Julien’s Auctions. The first night of the auction was held at NYA Studios East, Hollywood’s movie and sound studio that was transformed into a Playboy inspired exhibition (photo left)displaying a historic collection of the three mid-century American icons brought together for the first time in auction history.

The top selling item was a pink Pucci long-sleeved dress of silk jersey accompanied by a rope and crystal tassel belt, size 10 owned and worn by Marilyn Monroe which sold for $325,000, over eight times its estimate of $40,000.

A burgundy smoking jacket with black silk pajamas and slippers, personally owned by Hugh Hefner sold for $35,750 selling over 17 times its estimate of $2,000.

LeRoy Neiman’s original 1959 oil on canvas painting titled, "Romanoffs," that appeared in the June 1959 issue of Playboy magazine, as part of the recurring "Man at His Leisure" series, sold for $76,200 over its estimate of $60,000(photo right)as well as one of Neiman’s most famous Playboy “Femlin” character images, the illustrator’s original ink and gouache on paper drawing of a femlin in a New Year's champagne bucket sold for $6,500.

An original copy of the first 1953 issue of Playboy magazine featuring Marilyn Monroe on the cover where she was named “Sweetheart of the Month,” which evolved into Playmate of the Month sold for $6,500, more than three times its estimate of $2,000

Two of pinup artist Albert Vargas’ legendary watercolor drawings and paintings synonymous with Playboy iconography tantalized bidders: an Alberto Vargas Girl pinup from Playboy magazine’s February 1963 issue sold for $29,250 and Alberto Vargas Girl pinup from the August 1964 issue of Playboy magazine sold for $39,000