Audrey Hepburn's classic pearl earrings, other closet items head to auction
Clothes and accessories once belonging to the legendary Audrey Hepburn are up for grabs.
The collection of items, available on Christie’s online-only sale titled "Audrey Hepburn: The Personal Collection Part III," will be open for bidding May 2 and closed on May 9.
“Having taken 25 years to be ready to share our mother’s personal world, we were truly touched by the global response to Part I and II of her collection," Hepburn's sons Luca Dotti and Sean Hepburn Ferrer said in a press release. "It is with pleasure that we now present 'Part III'; a further group of her belongings that we feel will be of interest to her ever-growing base of admirers.”
Adrian Hume-Sayer, director of private collections at Christie’s Auction, said the sale is to coincide with what would have been Hepburn's birthday on May 4.
Items from Hepburn's wardrobe include an ivory wool coat featured on the cover of the book, "Audrey in Rome" by Luca Dotti, Ludovica Damiani and Sciascia Gambaccini. The bidding will start at just over $4,200 to $7,100.
Her pale pink leather ballet pumps circa 1960 to 1970 are listed at $2,100 to a little over $3,500.
According to son Ferrer, Hepburn's elegant pearl earrings were the only earrings of this type remaining in the star's possession at the time of her death in 1993. Bidding for the earrings start just over $11,000 to $17,000.
The oval pendant (starting at $2,800-$4,200) with central rose-cut diamond monogram spelling AWVP likely depicts Audrey's great-great-great-great grandfather Baron Adolph Werner van Pallandt.
Bids for a novelty brooch by Cartier modeled as a giraffe will begin at $8,500 to $18,000. The reverse side bears the inscription "'ISN'T IT A SMALL WORLD?' GEORGE" circa 1960. According to Christie's, the brooch is likely a wrap gift from screenwriter George Axelrod, who wrote and produced the 1964 Paramount production "Paris When It Sizzles."
The engraving refers to a line where Hepburn's character Gaby says to Rick [William Holden], "Oh, what fun! Both of us having had giraffes as children. It's a small world, isn't it?"
Hepburn's Louis Vuitton mini Papillon makeup bag and her Giorgio Armani black velvet sequinned evening jacket are both starting at an estimated $1,400 to $2,100.
Other treasures such as Hepburn's cigarette lighter and a Christian Dior ballpoint pen will also be presented at the auction.
