LOS ANGELES — What is being billed as “the finest collection of papers, costumes, and memorabilia” belonging to comic legend Lucille Ball hits the market July 30 in Los Angeles.
The piece de resistance is Ball’s signature polka dot dress, which she wore on her pioneering sitcom “I Love Lucy,” expected to go for anywhere from $40,000 to $60,000.
A fox stole she wore in the show’s third season is expected to fetch $3,000 to $5,000, and a blue skirt in one of the series’ most memorable episodes, guest starring John Wayne, is likely to draw $2,000 or $3,000.
Other items include a striped dress suit Ball wore in the 1950 Bob Hope comedy “Fancy Pants,” and a contract signed by the actress and producer Samuel Goldwyn for two of her earliest movies, 193o’s “Roman Scandals” and “Moulin Rouge.”
The items, belonging to collector Chad Dreier, who acquired them from the estate of Oscar-winning costume designer Elois Jenssen, are being auctioned by Profiles In History, which specializes in Hollywood memorabilia. Ball met Jenssen in 1947 on the set of the Boris Karloff thriller “Lured.”
In June 2011, Profiles in History sold Marilyn Monroe’s “subway dress” from “The Seven Year Itch” for $5.52 million; Audrey Hepburn’s “ascot dress” from “My Fair Lady” fetched $4.42 million.
Previous auctions have netted $805,000 for the Cowardly Lion costume from “The Wizard of Oz,” and Margaret Hamilton’s Wicked Witch hat for $230,000.
In February 2012, Profiles in History sold Judy Garland’s ruby slippers for an undisclosed amount to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.