Dec 15, 2023 10:00 EST
Stage & Screen
5103
An important design by Edith Head for Grace Kelly's unrealized wedding dress
Estate / Collection: The Collection of EJ Gonzalez
EDITH HEAD
Original wedding dress design intended for Grace Kelly. Circa 1955. Pencil and gouache on paper, showing Grace Kelly wearing a custom wedding dress. Signed by Edith Head in pencil in the lower left corner, and with additional pencil inscriptions including. "Grace Kelly," "Lace free at neck," and various others regarding the dress color and the lace, some of which have been crossed out, the figure crossed out with a large 'X' in pencil. The full sheet measures 17 x 14 inches (43 x 35.5 cm). Framed. Faint soiling and creasing, as per usual with Head designs, small loss to the lower right corner, top edge irregular with remnants from a spiral-bound notebook, faint toning along edges.
A rare and important Edith Head sketch for an unrealized wedding dress intended for Princess Grace of Monaco. Given her close friendship and many collaborations with Hollywood star Grace Kelly, Edith Head had assumed that she would be the one to design the wedding dress for the actress' April 1956 marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, an event dubbed "the wedding of the century." However, Head was on contract at Paramount and Kelly was at MGM, so Kelly instead chose the costume designer at her home studio, Helen Rose. That dress, broadcast to over 30 million viewers by MGM in exchange for ending the star's contract, became one of the most iconic dresses of the twentieth century. It was a dress fit for both a princess and a movie star—timeless yet modern, modest yet feminine. Interestingly, Edith Head's design, offered here, and the Helen Rose dress, now at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, are remarkably similar in many of their major design elements. They both consist of a lace bodice that is transparent around the shoulders and arms, a long pleated skirt, a pleated skirt support and a long veil. The high-necked collars on both designs are also nearly identical. The only major difference between the two designs is that Head's has an above-the-elbow sleeve rather than a long sleeve. Edith drew a large "X" through this design when she was not chosen for the project, perhaps a bit frustrated by the outcome. She did get some consolation, however, in that she designed Kelly's morning suit for the day after the wedding, which the newly-crowned Princess wore as she embarked on the royal yacht for her honeymoon.
Sold for $25,200
Estimated at $5,000 - $8,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Estate / Collection: The Collection of EJ Gonzalez
EDITH HEAD
Original wedding dress design intended for Grace Kelly. Circa 1955. Pencil and gouache on paper, showing Grace Kelly wearing a custom wedding dress. Signed by Edith Head in pencil in the lower left corner, and with additional pencil inscriptions including. "Grace Kelly," "Lace free at neck," and various others regarding the dress color and the lace, some of which have been crossed out, the figure crossed out with a large 'X' in pencil. The full sheet measures 17 x 14 inches (43 x 35.5 cm). Framed. Faint soiling and creasing, as per usual with Head designs, small loss to the lower right corner, top edge irregular with remnants from a spiral-bound notebook, faint toning along edges.
A rare and important Edith Head sketch for an unrealized wedding dress intended for Princess Grace of Monaco. Given her close friendship and many collaborations with Hollywood star Grace Kelly, Edith Head had assumed that she would be the one to design the wedding dress for the actress' April 1956 marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, an event dubbed "the wedding of the century." However, Head was on contract at Paramount and Kelly was at MGM, so Kelly instead chose the costume designer at her home studio, Helen Rose. That dress, broadcast to over 30 million viewers by MGM in exchange for ending the star's contract, became one of the most iconic dresses of the twentieth century. It was a dress fit for both a princess and a movie star—timeless yet modern, modest yet feminine. Interestingly, Edith Head's design, offered here, and the Helen Rose dress, now at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, are remarkably similar in many of their major design elements. They both consist of a lace bodice that is transparent around the shoulders and arms, a long pleated skirt, a pleated skirt support and a long veil. The high-necked collars on both designs are also nearly identical. The only major difference between the two designs is that Head's has an above-the-elbow sleeve rather than a long sleeve. Edith drew a large "X" through this design when she was not chosen for the project, perhaps a bit frustrated by the outcome. She did get some consolation, however, in that she designed Kelly's morning suit for the day after the wedding, which the newly-crowned Princess wore as she embarked on the royal yacht for her honeymoon.
Auction: Stage & Screen, Dec 15, 2023
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Third Annual Stage & Screen Auction on December 15, 2023 Surpasses Expectations!
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Art, Memorabilia, Autographs & Photographs of the Theater, Hollywood, Music and Dance
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Held in Collaboration with the Entertainment Community Fund
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle's third annual Stage & Screen auction on December 15, 2023 attracted determined competition from collectors and fans around the world resulting in a sale total that surpassed expectations! Held in collaboration with the Entertainment Community Fund, the auction offered artwork, memorabilia, props, autographs and photographs from the vast history of the performing arts: Theater, Hollywood, Music and Dance.
Recognizing the importance of the performing arts to the fabric of New York, and the terrible toll the pandemic and recent strikes have taken on the entertainment community, Doyle is proud to donate 10% of our profit from this auction to the Entertainment Community Fund.
Highlighting the sale was an important 1969 letter and drawing from rock legend Freddie Mercury to Ibex bandmate Mick "Miffer" Smith that soared past its $12,000-18,000 estimate to achieve $50,400. Penned a year before forming Queen, Mercury discusses seeing Led Zeppelin, his sexuality, his songwriting, and his early bands’, Ibex and Wreckage, upcoming performances. The letter is a tour-de-force of descriptive thought and shows his growing passion for writing music.
The Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund)
A special section of the auction comprising lots 5001 - 5019 featured celebrity memorabilia presented by the Entertainment Community Fund. While a portion of proceeds from every item in the auction benefited the Fund, 100% of the hammer price of the lots in this section goes entirely to the Entertainment Community Fund.
A highlight of this section was the stunning pink double-breasted velvet tuxedo jacket worn by Daniel Craig to the world premiere of No Time To Die at London's Royal Albert Hall on September 28, 2021. With competition from both sides of the Atlantic, the tuxedo jacket sold for $10,710, more than doubling its $3,000-5,000 estimate.
Founded in 1882, the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly The Actors Fund) is a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization for performing arts and entertainment professionals. The Fund helps address the specific needs of those in the industry, with a unique understanding of the challenges involved in a life in the arts. Read More ►
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For information, please contact Peter Costanzo at 212-427-4141, ext 248, or email Peter.Costanzo@Doyle.com
