Having friends is what makes life rich.
Especially when you have friends that gift you pieces iconic of Hollywood history worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Appraiser Beth Szescila, of Szescila Appraisal Service in Houston, TX ran into a man with such friends during an episode of “Antiques Roadshow” that covered a 2008 antique event in Palm Springs, CA.
It’s one unforgettable appraisal.
The man was in possession of a black dress worn by actress Marilyn Monroe in what is considered one of the greatest movies of all time, “Some Like It Hot.”
“Some Like It Hot” is a 1959 American crime comedy featuring Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon.
It’s about two musicians who disguise themselves as women to escape the mafia after witnessing a crime they committed.
The Library of Congress selected the film in 1989 as one of the first 25 films for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
As many know, the black dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in the movie is not only gorgeous, but it’s iconic.
The man in possession of the dress said his friend Den Feld, an Oscar-nominated costume designer, gave it to him out of his collection.
Szescila advised the man that the dress was a Western Costume Company piece designed by Oscar and Academy Award winner Orry-Kelly.
“He did a lot of clothing for Marilyn. He created the dresses specifically for her and would often actually sew her into the dress to make them fit just right to get that very sexy look,” Szescila said.
In the video, we get to see the dress up close, and it’s simply stunning.
The dress is made from black satin-like material with fringe hanging from the bottom, which moved beautifully during her dance number.
The film still had its tag sewn into the costume that read: “Western Costume Co.” and “Name: M Monroe.”
So, what was it worth?
Szescila originally said that the dress would go for anywhere between $150,000 and $250,000 in 2008.
“With the unpredictability of the market for this item, it would not surprise me if it went much higher,” she said.
Needless to say, the man was stunned.
Can you imagine finding out you owned an item that was worth a fortune?
The owner of the dress said he was “about ready to fall over” when he learned the dress’ value in 2008.
Now, in 2022, the value of the dress has gone way up! According to Antiques Roadshow, it’s estimated that it could be sold at auction for between $400,000 and $600,000.
So, if you owned the famous dress, would you keep it or sell it?
Watch the video below to get a closer look at Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress and to see the unforgettable appraisal for yourself!
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