NEW YORK – Doyle will present its second annual Stage & Screen auction on Friday, June 24 at 10 am Eastern time. Following the success of the inaugural Stage & Screen auction in spring 2021, the upcoming sale chronicles the diverse history of the performing arts, celebrating film, theater, music and dance. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
The sale is highlighted by several George Gershwin autographs and items from the archive of Over the Rainbow composer Harold Arlen. Of note among the Gershwin items is a musical manuscript leaf from Porgy and Bess, a photograph inscribed from Gershwin to I’ve Got Rhythm singer Ethel Merman, and a memorial photograph of the Gershwin brothers inscribed from Ira Gershwin to Harold Arlen. From the Arlen archive comes a signed photograph of Bert Lahr in his Cowardly Lion costume inscribed to Arlen, who composed all the songs in The Wizard of Oz, as well as items signed by Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern.
Photo of Bert Lahr in his Cowardly Lion costume, inscribed by him to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ composer Harold Arlen, est. $8,000-$12,000. Image courtesy of Doyle and LiveAuctioneers
Other highlights include original costume design drawings for Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Judy Garland, rendered by the inimitable Edith Head; a group of works by Al Hirschfeld, including a dramatic original drawing depicting Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Private Lives; and archives of letters sent from Katharine Hepburn and violinist Isaac Stern to piano prodigy Laura Dubman. Items signed by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Fred Astaire and Judy Garland – whose centennial birthday is being celebrated this month – are also present.
A collection of books on the Beatles includes a signed copy of John Lennon’s In His Own Write and a proof of his political treatise Power to the People. A remarkable offering is an archive of almost 200 original artworks from the 1960s by the folk singer Richie Havens, the opening performer at Woodstock. A signed photograph of David Bowie from his Spiders from Mars period is also offered.
A variety of original artwork and stage designs are also included in the auction, such as designs by Cecil Beaton and Eugene Berman, in addition to works by Erte, Arbit Blatas, Nikolai Benois and Joe Eula.
Doyle will also offer a second selection of property from the collection of theater legend and Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning actress Celeste Holm (1917-2012) in a special section that closes the auction. It includes a signed theater bill from The King and I; a letter signed by both Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II; as well as a selection of Holm’s jewelry, furniture, artwork and decorations from her Park Avenue apartment.
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