This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/1/2020
Marilyn Monroe's faux pearl necklace that she wore during her historic "Last Sitting" photo shoot during the "Sparkle" session. Legendary fashion photographer Bert Stern. The "Last Sitting was a series of over 2,700 photographs Stern took for Vogue Magazine in 1962. These photos were taken in three daily sessions (from late June 1962 to early July), just six weeks before her untimely passing. The necklace measures 94" in length and is comprised of 8mm simulated pearls. It was kept as a memento of the shoot by Marilyn's hairdresser Kenneth Battelle
Props, jewelry, clothing and accessories were all provided by Vogue Magazine for the shoot. Having worked as a professional hairdresser to the likes of Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn for quite some time to Kenneth Battelle started to collect small mementos from various sessions Battelle took part in. This strand of pearls was loaned to Stern by Vogue Magazine and was kept as a memento by Kenneth Battelle. Photographs on this day show Kenneth Battelle doing up Monroe's hair for a shoot in a "mirror selfie" taken by Stern. This has later been affectionately called the "The Make Up and Hairdress Session".
In 1958, Norman Norell sent Marilyn Monroe to see Kenneth after she complained that excessive bleaching and perming was making her hair fall out. Kenneth softened, smoothed and straightened Monroe's hair, and became her hairdresser of choice while she lived in New York, plus travelled with her to Chicago for the Some Like It Hot premiere in March 1959. He became a close friend of Monroe's. His is remembered for working on Monroe's hair for her release from Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in March 1961 and Kenneth also groomed Marilyn in May 1962 for J.F.K.’s 45th-birthday rally at Madison Square Garden, where she sang ‘Happy Birthday, Mr. President' among many other occasions.
Bert Stern would later reveal that the "Sparkle Sitting" (which this necklace was featured in) was actually Marilyn's favorite sitting of the whole shoot. During the shoot Marilyn was lounging seductively, covered in glitter and draped in several different styles of strands of faux pearl strands. Images from the shoot can be viewed by copying and pasting the following links into your browser: http://www.cursumperficio.net/FicheASittingmakeup.html and http://www.cursumperficio.net/FicheASittingsparkle.html.
Provenance: Originally from the Estate of Marilyn's hairdresser Kenneth Battelle, who worked on the shoot.
Very good condition. Comes with a letter of provenance from a gentleman who purchased the necklace from Kenneth Battelle and a Gotta Have Rock & Roll™ Certificate of Authenticity.