Dallas Auction House Has Marilyn Monroe’s Kimono and Rolling Stones Artwork

Have you ever dreamed of owning a piece of Hollywood history or art straight from the hands of a rock legend? The Dallas Auction Gallery will make those dreams attainable on Jan. 14.

On Tuesday evening, the Dallas Auction Gallery, renowned for curating exceptional collections, will open its doors to collectors, enthusiasts and everyone in between at its headquarters on Monitor Street in Dallas and online through LiveAuctioneers.com.

The three most notable items up for bidding include a white kimono formerly owned by actress Marilyn Monroe, and two paintings by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.

The white satin kimono was a gift from her then-husband, Joe DiMaggio, according to Dallas Auction Gallery co-owner and expert Reyne Hirsch. Hirsch says DiMaggio had bought it for Monroe during a trip to Japan, where she fell in love with the culture.

After their separation and eventual divorce, Monroe gave the garment to her hairstylist, Sydney Guilaroff, who had worked with Monroe and styled her hair for years. Guilaroff, known for his work with some of Hollywood’s most famous stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Katherine Hepburn and Debbie Reynolds, kept the kimono until 1993, when he passed it along to a consignee.
Hirsch believes the kimono will sell for over $3,000. Bidding will start at $1,200.

The two works of art by Wood are titled "Skulls on Stage, Rolling Stones" and "Paint It Black, Pretty Beat Up." Hirsch says the works were acquired by a London dealer who then passed them on to the Dallas Auction Gallery.

"Skulls on Stage" is a mixed-media work that captures the Rolling Stones during their Bigger Bang tour from 2005 to 2007. Wood created the painting in 2007; his signature can be found in the bottom right corner. "Paint It Black, Pretty Beat Up" is a limited-edition, signed silkscreen print on watercolor paper featuring Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and backing vocalist Bernard Fowler. The print portrays both musicians in a bold, dynamic composition.

Hirsh believes "Skulls on Stage" will bring $10,000–$20,000, and "Paint It Black, Pretty Beat Up" $3,000–$5,000, both well below a Marvel comic book that sold for $1.26 million at a Dallas Auction House.

Bidding for the Dallas Auction Gallery’s Jan. 14 auction will begin at 6:00 p.m. Bidders can participate in person, over the phone or online.

Hirsch noted that the three standout items are already attracting attention on the auction site. She likened the anticipated bidding process to the early days of eBay auctions, where last-minute bids were often referred to as being "sniped."

“People wait, and they don’t bid early,” Hirsch says. “They bid live during the sale at the very end to make it seem like there wasn’t much interest.”