Personal belongings from Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe are set to go under the hammer next month, providing an unprecedented look into the private life of the beloved actress and model.
The auction features items from Monroe’s personal collection, including clothing, accessories, correspondence, handwritten notes, artwork, and poetry that belonged to the iconic star.
“Marilyn is just an icon,” said Brian Chanes, senior director of Hollywood and entertainment at Heritage Auctions, during a preview of the collection on Friday. “People love and adore Marilyn to this day.”
Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles in 1926, rose to fame as an actress, model, vocalist and cultural icon recognized for her platinum blonde locks and distinctive figure. She passed away in 1962.
Heritage Auctions will begin accepting public bids on June 1st for items from the collection of poets Norman and Hedda Rosten, who maintained close friendships with Monroe. The timing aligns with the star’s centennial birthday celebration and showcases personal effects spanning 1955 through 1962.
The most compelling items include previously unseen documents that illuminate Monroe’s private thoughts and experiences. These papers detail her romantic entanglements, anxieties about a pregnancy loss, and contemplations about death.
“It’s really special because this isn’t material that’s been bought and sold over the decades,” Chanes said. “This is something that’s a discovery.”
The collection spans from costume jewelry Monroe owned to artwork she personally handled, giving potential buyers unprecedented access to her personal sphere. Also featured are letters from former spouse Arthur Miller, the celebrated playwright, which expose the emotional intricacies of their union, plus a previously unknown letter from Monroe’s mental health professional detailing her final day.
Chanes drew attention to one especially poignant item from Monroe’s time working on “Some Like It Hot.” Using Hotel del Coronado letterhead, she expressed desperation for assistance as her personal battles nearly stopped filming.
“Right before she was about to overdose and they had to halt filming, she wrote, ‘I feel like I’m drowning,’” Chanes recalled.
“You can feel the anguish in her writing,” he added, noting that Monroe sketched a stick figure submerged in water on the same stationery, begging for help — an image that highlighted the mental health struggles she faced throughout her career.
