Joe DiMaggio’s Love Letter to Marilyn Monroe to Be Auctioned Off

Former New York Yankees star Joe DiMaggio’s love letter to Marilyn Monroe will be auctioned off at “Marilyn Monroe’s Lost Archives” in Beverly Hills in December.

Joe DiMaggio‘s love letter to Marilyn Monroe are about to be sold to the highest bidder.

The letters will be part of “Marilyn Monroe‘s Lost Archives” at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills on December 6, per its official website:

“On Saturday, December 6th, 2014, Julien’s Auctions will again make history with an impressive collection of property from the personal and professional life of Marilyn Monroe. The auction offers bidders a chance to own a piece of The Lost Archive of Marilyn Monroe, available for the first time to view or purchase. The Lost Archive is comprised of over 200 lots of intimate correspondence, photographs and other items kept by Monroe.

“Included are a series of love letters written to Monroe by her soon-to-be husband, Arthur Miller.  In these letters Miller discusses his love of Marilyn, fears for his children and the anxiety of ending his marriage. He also addresses his concerns over Monroe’s emotional state and attempts to comfort her. The archive includes one drafted response by Monroe to Miller stating her own concerns and anxiety. 

“Also present is a heartbreaking letter to Monroe from her soon-to-be ex-husband, Joe DiMaggio.  It was written just after Monroe’s press conference announcing the couple’s divorce. DiMaggio writes about watching that press conference on television. It is clear in the letter that the baseball superstar did not want their marriage to end and he asks Monroe to reconsider.

“The archive also includes: photographs Monroe kept of herself from Manfred Kreiner, Milton Greene, Cecil Beaton and numerous contact sheets from the set of The Misfits; prescriptions and letters from her doctors, cards and gift enclosures from her friends and admirers — including Marlon Brando, financial records, numerous phone messages received while she was a guest at the Beverly Hills Hotel and letters from 20th Century Fox and other career-related documents.

“Additionally, Monroe’s personal copy of a behind-the-scenes film reel from The Misfits is also among the items that will be sold. The 16mm, 19-minute film begins with the cast arriving in Reno, Nevada for filming and ends with a beach scene from the film where Monroe leaps from the water into Clark Gable’s arms.”

Marilyn’s love letters to go under the hammer – http://t.co/mPyJwM0V89 pic.twitter.com/yXXGiT0bwE— VOGUE.CO.UK (@BritishVogue) November 12, 2014

On the other hand, Janice De Jesus of The Pleasant Hill/Martinez Record (via ContraCostaTimes.com) reported on Tuesday that the Sons of Italy of Diablo Valley will celebrate DiMaggio’s 100th birthday on Nov. 2:

“Nostalgia plays a role this month as (John) Wendt and fellow members of the Sons of Italy of Diablo Valley join Martinez residents to celebrate the 100th birthday of the man nicknamed the ‘Yankee Clipper’ and ‘Joltin’ Joe,’ who was born on Nov. 25, 1914, in Martinez. DiMaggio died in 1999, but event organizers say DiMaggio will be there in spirit.

“This Nov. 18, the beloved Hall of Famer and Martinez’s favorite son gets a hero’s homecoming at the Shell Clubhouse. 

“The star of the show, a 22-foot boat given to DiMaggio by the New York Yankees in 1949 at Yankee Stadium during ‘Joe DiMaggio Day’ — also dubbed ‘Joltin’ Joe’ — won’t be in attendance as restoration continues on the craft that’s stored near the Martinez waterfront.

“”Still, guests will have a lot to celebrate as they commemorate DiMaggio’s 100th birthday with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., a catered Italian dinner at 6:30 p.m., live music, an auction of rare Joe Di Maggio memorabilia, a silent auction, and a cake auction. They will also be treated to a slidedshow update of the work progressing on the boat, Wendt said. 

“‘Joe wasn’t a sailor — he was a baseball player,’ said Raymond Raineri, a Sons of Italy member. 

“So the boat, a 1948 U22 Sportsman Chris-Craft runabout used by DiMaggio’s family for their fishing business, and then later given to the city of Martinez by DiMaggio in 1991, lay in disrepair for several years. 

“‘They didn’t think it could be done,’ Raineri said of the restoration which began in April 2010, two years after talks about restoring the boat and fundraising started. ‘It was displayed by the water and subject to neglect and vandalism.'” 

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