Gotta Have Rock and Roll is currently hosting their Winter Rock & Roll Pop Culture Auction with over 1,200 lots of celebrity memorabilia. From Marilyn Monroe's wedding suit to Madonna's Basquiat record, there's a wide range of fabulous treasures to bid on that would make great Christmas gifts for the music lovers in your life. Here are six top lots to watch:
On January 14, 1954 the iconic movie star Marilyn Monroe wed the Yankees athlete Joe DiMaggio. Never before has there been a wedding of this stature of two iconic figures that were the leaders in their fields. Marilyn’s wedding suit is a two-piece dark brown serge wedding suit, with a white fur collar on the jacket.
It was originally the property of Marilyn Monroe and then gifted to Amy Greene, the wife of Milton Greene, a personal photographer to Marilyn Monroe who took some of her most iconic shots. Amy then gifted the suit to her mother Nina who altered the jacket because she was shorter than Marilyn. According to Amy Greene, Marilyn purchased the suit at the store "Magnin" in Los Angeles. The dress was sold by the Greene family at the September 30, 1999 Sotheby's auction.
Here is a pair of John Lennon’s glasses with the lens, complete with the case and cleaning cloth; and a typed letter signed by Lennon (addressed from Kenwood, his home in Surrey. It’s noteworthy that the cloth has the details of an opticians in Weybridge - the same village where he lived at the Kenwood house). The letter dates August 1967 and reads, “Dear Pauline, as requested a pair of my old specs. With love from me to you. John Lennon”. The date is important as this pair of glasses was worn during Lennon’s time with the Beatles.
This is the only time that a pair of John Lennon glasses has come for sale with written provenance by John Lennon himself. Even in the letter, Lennon has written “with love from me to you”, a line from the iconic Beatles song “From Me to You”. The glasses also come with the original lenses, and interestingly enough Lennon’s eyesight prescription has been somewhat of a mystery. Lennon did have astigmatism and was massively short sighted. This can be the only opportunity to know the true prescription of Lennon’s glasses.
This Elvis Presley owned and worn 10kt gold diamond "lucky" horseshoe ring has his name and year etched inside "Elvis '56". An incredible example of Elvis Presley's jewelry and the inscription of his name with the year makes the ring even more valuable. Elvis gave this ring to a fan after a show he had just finished on a showboat in Washington, DC in March 1956. He told her that he had just bought the ring with money he had gotten with his royalty check. The lot comes with a letter of provenance from the person who purchased the ring from the son of the woman whom Elvis had given the ring.
Headlined by “Stairway to Heaven” — which is consistently ranked the greatest rock song of all-time by numerous fans and critics alike — the ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ album has sold over 37 million copies worldwide to date. Led Zeppelin was already recognized as one of the great bands of their time, but this album catapulted them to unimaginable heights. This UK vinyl pressing has been autographed on the front cover by the group in ballpoint pen. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones have signed in blue ballpoint pen. Robert has added the inscription ‘Best wishes’ above his name. The signatures were obtained by Jimmy Page shortly before the release of the album for Jim Blake who was the son of Barbara Blake, who was in the employment of Jimmy. According to Jim Blake: "My mother, Barbara Blake worked for Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin at his home in Shooters Hill, Pangbourne in the early 1970s. Jimmy used to visit my parents house in Purley-On-Thames with his wife Charlotte Martin and his daughter Scarlet. This copy of Led Zeppelin IV signed by all four members was given to my mother Barbara as a Christmas present for me in the early 1970s".
In 1983, Jean-Michel Basquiat produced and arranged a rap record called "Beat Bop" by Rammellzee and K-Rob. Basquiat also designed the cover art. The year prior, he had dated up-and-coming pop singer Madonna, who owned a personal copy of the legendary "Beat Bop" Test Pressing Version One Volume One. Madonna gave this copy directly to Karon Bihari, a writer who was friends with many musicians, in the 1980s.
In the classic film “Forrest Gump”, Tom Hanks can be seen holding a box of chocolates while sitting on the bus stop bench, retelling his whole story to the several people who wait next to him. This exact box is now offered at auction and is signed by Hanks in black felt tip pen.
The box reads, “Russell Stover Candies, The Gift Box, A Select Assortment of Milk & Dark Chocolates”. It is believed to be the actual screen-used box, as the box is filled with sand so that Hanks could hold it correctly and it would sit on his lap.
