SOTHEBY'S SELLS PAINTING ONCE OWNED BY BARYSHNIKOV

A 19th CENTURY PAINTING OF ST. PETERSBURG THAT MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV PURCHASED DECADES AGO, AND DEPICTING THE RUSSIAN CITY HE LOVED, WAS AUCTIONED RECENTLY FOR $746,500 TO BENEFIT THE FAMOUS DANCER'S NEW YORK CITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SOTHEBY'S SALE WILL GO TOWARD NEW PROGRAMMING AT THE BARYSHNIKOV ARTS CENTER. A GERMAN PRIVATE COLLECTOR PLACED THE WINNING BID BY TELEPHONE FOR 'VIEW OF ST PETERSBURG' BY PETER PETROVICH VERESHCHAGIN. THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE FOR THE STUNNING CITYSCAPE WAS $300,000 TO $500,000. BARYSHNIKOV RECENTLY DONATED THE PAINTING TO THE CENTER'S FOUNDATION SO IT COULD SELL IT TO RAISE MONEY TO DEVELOP NEW PROGRAMMING FROM THEATER DIRECTORS, MUSICIANS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS. BARYSHNIKOV SERVES AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER THAT HE FOUNDED IN 2005 AS A 'CREATIVE LABORATORY' AND PERFORMANCE SPACE FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. IT HOUSES FOUR STUDIOS, A STUDIO THEATER AND A 232-SEAT JEROME ROBBINS THEATER IN MANHATTAN's HELL's KITCHEN, OFFERING PERFORMANCES IN CHAMBER MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER AND VISUAL ARTS AND FILM SCREENINGS. IN A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, BARYSHNIKOV SAID HE PURCHASED THE PAINTING AT A HELSINKI GALLERY AROUND 1978. WHILE IT HELD SENTIMENTAL VALUE BECAUSE HE 'SPENT THE BEST OF MY YOUTH' IN ST PETERSBURG, HE FELT THE MONEY FROM THE SALE COULD BE USED TO PRODUCE NEW ART AT HIS CENTER. 'THAT'S MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN A LOOK BACK AND BEING NOSTALGIC ABOUT THE PAST', HE SAID. BARYSHNIKOV SAID HIS NONPROFIT ARTS CENTER DID NOT YET HAVE AN ENDOWMENT AND RELIED ON DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS. HE HAS ALREADY DONATED HUNDREDS OF WORKS FROM HIS EXTENSIVE 19th-20th CENTURY ART COLLECTION TO THE FOUNDATION BUT SAID THE VERESHCHAGIN WORK WAS THE FIRST TO BE SOLD TO BENEFIT THE ORGANIZATION. EVENTUALLY, BARYSHNIKOV SAID HE PLANNED TO DONATE ALL HIS ARTWORKS TO THE FOUNDATION.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S COLLECTION

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S RENOWNED COLLECTION OF JEWELRY, WORKS OF ART, CLOTHING AND MEMORABILIA WILL BE SOLD AT A SERIES OF AUCTIONS, CHRISTIE'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED. 'CHRISTIE'S WILL BE SELLING THE HISTORIC COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR', WHO DIED LAST MONTH IN LOS ANGELES AGED 79, THE AUCTION HOUSE SAID IN A STATEMENT. TAYLOR'S POSSESSIONS WILL BE SOLD IN A SERIES OF SALES, DETAILS AND THE TIMING OF THE SALES WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE, IT SAID. STEPHEN LASH, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, AND MARC PORTER, CHAIRMAN OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS WORKED WITH TAYLOR AND HER FAMILY 'OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, AND ARE MOST HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH COLLECTION OF THIS WORLD RENOWNED FILM LEGEND, HUMANITARIAN AND TASTE MAKER', SAID THE STATEMENT. TAYLOR, KNOWN FOR HER BEAUTY, LOVE OF DIAMONDS, EIGHT MARRIAGES AND WORK AS AN AIDS ACTIVIST, DIED OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE IN LOS ANGELES ON 23.MARCH AND WAS BURIED THE FOLLOWING DAY. CHRISTIE'S STATEMENT REGARDING THE SALE OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S COLLECTION IS AS FOLLOWS:

'STEPHEN LASH, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, AND MARC PORTER, CHAIRMAN OF CHRISTIE'S AMERICAS, TODAY CONFIRMED THAT CHRISTIE'S WILL BE SELLING THE HISTORIC COLLECTION OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR, INCLUDING HER COLLECTION OF JEWELRY, WORKS OF ART, FASHION AND MEMORABILIA, IN A SERIES OF SALES THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS SEASON. FURTHER DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME. MESSRS. LASH AND PORTER AND THEIR COLLEAGUES WORKED WITH ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND HER FAMILY OVER THAT PAST TWO DECADES AND ARE MOST HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE COLLECTION OF THIS WORLD RENOWNED FILM LEGEND, HUMANITARIAN AND TASTE MAKER.'

ELIZABETH TAYLOR'S LOVE LETTERS TO BE AUCTIONED

BEFORE BECOMING A BRIDE EIGHT TIMES OVER, ELIZABETH TAYLOR WAS A 17 YEAR OLD STARLET SCRIBBLING LETTERS TO HER FIRST FIANCE, CHARTING ON PALE PINK STATIONARY HIS PROGRESSION FROM HER ONE AND ONLY TO THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY. 'I'VE NEVER KNOWN THIS KIND OF LOVE BEFORE - IT'S SO PERFECT AND COMPLETE - AND MATURE', TAYLOR WROTE TO WILLIAM PAWLEY ON 6.MAY.1949. 'I'VE NEVER LOVED ANYONE IN MY LIFE BEFORE ONE THIRD AS MUCH AS I LOVE YOU - AND I NEVER WILL (WELL, AS FAR AS THAT GORES - I'LL NEVER LOVE ANYONE ELSE - PERIOD!) TAYLOR, WHO DIED LAST WEEK AT AGE 79, WAS ENGAGED TO PAWLEY IN 1949, JUST BEFORE HER FIRST MARRIAGE. MORE THAN 60 OF THE LETTERS SHE WROTE HIM BETWEEN MARCH AND OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR WILL BE AUCTIONED IN MAY BY RR AUCTIONS OF AMHERST, N.H. IT BOUGHT THE LETTERS TWO YEARS AGO FROM PAWLEY, WHO LIVES IN FLORIDA. THE UNPUBLISHED LETTERS - SOME WRITTEN IN PURPLE FOUNTAIN INK ON PINK PAPER - PROVIDE A GLIMPSE OF A TEENAGER'S TRANSITION TO ADULT STAR. SHE FRETS ABOUT HER WEIGHT ('AS I'M SITTING HERE - WRITING TO YOU, I'M JUST STUFFING MYSELF ON A BOX OF CANDY - HONESTLY I'VE GOT TO STOP EATING SO MUCH') AND PASSING HER HIGH SCHOOL EXAMS. AND SHE CONTRASTS TWO MOVIES SHE WAS DOING AT THE TIME, 'A PLACE IN THE SUN' AND 'THE BIG HANGOVER', PRAISING THE DIRECTOR OF THE FORMER AND COMPLAINING ABOUT HER ROLE IN THE LATTER. BUT MOSTLY, SHE GUSHES ABOUT PAWLEY, THE 22 YEAR OLD SON OF A FORMER AMBASSADOR TO BRAZIL, REASSURING HIM OVER AND OVER THAT HER LOVE IS TRUE. 'MY HEART ACHES & MAKES ME WANT TO CRY WHEN I THINK OF YOU, AND HOW MUCH I WANT TO BE WITH YOU AND TO LOOK INTO YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES, AND KISS YOUR SWEET LIPS AND HAVE YOUR STRONG ARMS HOLD ME, OH SO TIGHT, & CLOSE TO YOU ... I WANT US TO BE 'LOVERS' ALWAYS ... EVEN AFTER WE'VE BEEN MARRIED SEVENTY FIVE YEARS AND HAVE AT LEAST A DOZEN GREAT-GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN', SHE WROTE ON 28.MARCH. AT THE TIME, TAYLOR WAS PUBLICLY DATING FOOTBALL PLAYER GLENN DAVIS, BUT IN SEVERAL OF THE LETTERS, SHE COMPLAINS ABOUT THE RUSE PROMOTED BY HER MOTHER AND THE STUDIO TO MAINTAIN HER GIRL NEXT DOOR IMAGE. IN A 10 PAGE LETTER DATED 1.APRIL, SHE DESCRIBES HER REACTION TO DAVIS ACCIDENTALLY BREAKING A PAIR OF EARRINGS PAWLEY HAD GIVEN HER. 'I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A STRONG DESIRE TO HIT ANYONE WITH ALL MY MIGHT IN ALL MY LIFE', SHE WROTE. 'I GAVE HIM BACK HIS 'A' PIN, THE FOOTBALL AND HIS ALL-AMERICAN SWEATER ... I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY ANYMORE ... FROM NOW ON I', GOING TO LIVE MY LIFE THE WAY I WANT TO.' IN MAY, SHE TOLD PAWLEY SHE WAS READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO HER CAREER AND EVERYTHING CONNECTED WITH IT, 'FOR I WON'T BE GIVING ANYTHING UP - BUT I WILL BE GAINING THE GREATEST GIFT THAT GOD BESTOWS ON MAN - LOVE, MARRIAGE, A FAMILY - AND YOU MY DARLING.' BY SEPTEMBER, HOWEVER, TAYLOR WAS WRITING ABOUT RETURNING HER ENGAGEMENT RING AT PAWLEY'S REQUEST. 'I KNOW WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL THAT THIS IS NOT THE END FOR US - IT COULDN'T BE - WE LOVE EACH OTHER TOO MUCH', SHE WROTE. LESS THAN EIGHT MONTHS LATER, SHE MARRIED HOTEL HEIR CONRAD 'NICKY' HILTON. THE ONLINE AUCTION, SET FOR 19-26.MAY, WILL ALSO FEATURE LETTERS TAYLOR'S MOTHER WROTE TO PAWLEY AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT ENDED, INCLUDING ONE IN WHICH SHE WROTE, 'YOU HAVE A NERVOUS CONDITION AND A PROBLEM WITH JEALOUSY, AS SUCH YOU AND ELIZABETH CAN NEVER BE TOGETHER.' BOBBY LIVINGSTON, SPOKESMAN FOR THE AUCTION HOUSE, SAID THE LETTERS WERE ESTIMATED AT $25,000 TO $35,000 BEFORE TAYLOR'S DEATH, AND HE EXPECTS THEY COULD FETCH TWO OR THREE TIMES THAT AMOUNT.

ICONIC ACTRESS ELIZABETH TAYLOR DIES AT 79

THE ICONIC FILM STAR ELIZABETH TAYLOR, WHO DIED OF HEART FAILURE AGED 79, WAS IN THE PUBLIC EYE FROM THE AGE OF 11 AND REMAINED THERE EVEN DECADES AFTER HER LAST HIT MOVIE. SHE MANAGED TO KEEP PEOPLE FASCINATED, BY HER INCANDESCENT BEAUTY, HER COURAGE, HE OPEN-NATURES CHARACTER, HER SELF-DEPRECATING HUMOR, HER EIGHT MARRIAGES (TWO OF THEM WITH RICHARD BURTON), HER STUNNING COLLECTION OF DIAMONDS AND HER HUMANITARIAN CAUSES, ALL OF WHICH OFTEN OBSCURED THE REASON WHY SHE WAS FAMOUS IN THE FIRST PLACE - SHE HAD A TANTALIZING SCREEN PRESENCE, IN FILMS INCLUDING 'A PLACE IN THE SUN', 'GIANT', 'CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF', 'BUTTERFIELD 8', CLEOPATRA' AND 'WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFE?'. TAYLOR WAS BORN IN HAMPSTEAD, NORTH LONDON, OF AMERICAN PARENTS. HER MOTHER, SARA, WAS A FORMER STAGE ACTOR AND HER FATHER, FRANCIS, AN ART DEALER. AS SOON AS SHE COULD WALK SHE WAS GIVEN BALLET LESSONS, AND AT THE AGE OF THREE SHE DANCED WITH HER CLASS IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. IN 1939, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF WAR, THE FAMILY MOVED TO HOLLYWOOD, WHERE HER FATHER OPENED AN ART GALLERY MUCH PATRONIZED BY THE FILM COLONY. THE BEAUTY OF THE OWNER'S DARK-HAIRED, VIOLET-EYED YOUNG DAUGHTER WON ALMOST AS MUCH PRAISE AS THE PAINTINGS ON THE WALLS, AND SHE WAS SOON MAKING HER SCREEN DEBUT, AT THE AGE OF 10, IN 'THERE'S ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE', AT UNIVERSAL. BUT IT WAS MGM WHO LAUNCHED HER CAREER PROPER WITH 'LASSIE COME HOME', AND FOR WHOM MOST OF HER FILMS WERE MADE. WHEN SARA TAYLOR HEARD THAT THE STUDIO WAS LOOKING FOR A YOUNG GIRL TO PLAY VELVET BROWN, WHO WINS THE GRAND NATIONAL DISGUISED AS A BOY IN 'NATIONAL VELVET', SHE BROUGHT HER DAUGHTER TO SEE THE PRODUCER PANDRO S BERMAN. HE THOUGHT HER TOO THIN AND FRAGILE FOR THE PART, ALTHOUGH SHE COULD RIDE WELL. BUT THREE MONTHS LATER, AFTER RIGID TRAINING FROM HER MOTHER, SHE WAS ABLE TO CHANGE BERMAN'S MIND. HER PERFORMANCE, IN WHICH SHE RADIATES YOUTH, IS ENJOYED PERENNIALLY. TAYLOR'S FIRST MARRIAGE WAS TO NICKY HILTON, THE 23 YEAR OLD PLAYBOY SON OF THE HOTEL MAGNATE CONRAD HILTON, IN 1950. IT SEEMED A FAIRYTALE ROMANCE, AS BOTH WERE YOUNG, ATTRACTIVE, RICH AND PAMPERED. MGM TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST WEDDING OF THE YEAR BY RELEASING VINCENTE MINNELLI'S DELIGHTFUL COMEDY 'FATHER OF THE BRIDE', IN WHICH TAYLOR PLAYED THE BRIDE AND SPENCER TRACEY WAS THE FATHER, AT AROUND THE SAME TIME. AFTER HER SEPARATION FROM HILTON SHE MET THE SOPHISTICATED BRITISH ACTOR MICHAEL WILDING, 20 YEARS HER SENIOR. SHE WAS PLAYING REBECCA IN 'IVANHOE' IN ENGLAND WHEN SHE PROPOSED TO HIM. THEY WERE MARRIED IN 1952, AT A LONDON REGISTRY OFFICE. HER SONS, MICHAEL AND CHRISTOPHER, WERE BOTH BORN BY CAESAREAN SECTION, IN 1953 AND 1955 RESPECTIVELY. BY 1956 THE MARRIAGE BEGAN TO TOTTER. IRONICALLY, THE MAN SHE WAS TO MARRY NEXT WAS FIVE YEARS OLDER THAN WILDING. BUT THE FLAMBOYANT IMPRESARIO MIKE TODD, THE BEGETTER OF 'AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS', WAS NOTED FOR HIS YOUTHFUL SPIRIT AND HIS ABUNDANT ENERGY. AT THEIR WEDDING IN ACAPULCO IN 1957, MIKE'S LIFELONG FRIEND, THE SINGER EDDIE FISHER, WAS BEST MAN, AND EDDIE'S WIFE, DEBBIE REYNOLDS, WAS MATRON OF HONOR. IN THE SAME YEAR, A DAUGHTER, LIZA, WAS BORN AND BOTH MOTHER AND CHILD NEARLY DIED. TAYLOR WAS ADVISED NEVER TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY. A MERE SEVEN MONTHS LATER, TODD'S PRIVATE PLANE, LUCKY LIZ, IN WHICH HE WAS FLYING TO NEW YORK, CRASHED IN A STORM NEAR ALBUQUERQUE LEAVING NO SURVIVORS. TAYLOR HAD WANTED TO ACCOMPANY HER HUSBAND ON THE FLIGHT BUT SHE WAS PERSUADED TO STAY AT HOME BECAUSE OF THE FLU. GRADUALLY, TAYLOR CAME OUT OF SECLUSION AFTER THE DEATH AND COMPLETED 'CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF'. DESPITE, OR BECAUSE OF, HER STATE OF MIND, SHE GAVE ONE OF HER MOST FINELY WROUGHT PERFORMANCES AS THE SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED MAGGIE. HER VOICE, NEVER HER STRONG POINT, SEEMED TO HAVE GAINED IN POWER, AND SHE MATCHED PAUL NEWMAN AND BURL IVES BLOW FOR BLOW. THE FILM'S BOX-OFFICE POTENTIAL WAS INCREASED FURTHER BY GOSSIP SURROUNDING TAYLOR AND FISHER. TAYLOR, WHO HAD BEEN CAST AS THE GRIEVING WIDOW, NOW FOUND HERSELF IN THE ROLE OF THE VAMP WHO WRECKED THE FISHERS' APPARENTLY IDYLLIC MARRIAGE. THE OUTRAGED MORALISTIC PUBLIC WAS UNAWARE THAT THE FISHER-REYNOLDS MARRIAGE WAS ALREADY IN TATTERS. IN 1959, TAYLOR WHO HAD CONVERTED TO JUDAISM WHEN SHE MARRIED TODD, MARRIED FISHER AT A SYNAGOGUE IN LAS VEGAS. TAYLOR WAS IN LONDON WHERE SHE WAS COMPLETING 'SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER', WHEN THE PRODUCER WALTER WANGER OFFERED HER THE TITLE ROLE IN 'CLEOPATRA'. THE STAR HALF-JOKINGLY TOLD HIM THAT SHE WOULD DO IT FOR $1 MILLION AGAINST 10% OF THE GROSS. TO EVERYONE'S ASTONISHMENT, 20tH CENTURY FOX AGREED TO HER TERMS, MAKING HER THE HIGHEST PAID PERFORMER FOR A SINGLE FILM IN THE HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD TO THAT DATE. AS SHE SAID, 'IF SOMEONE'S DUMB ENOUGH TO OFFER ME A MILLION DOLLARS TO MAKE A PICTURE, I'M CERTAINLY NOT DUMB ENOUGH TO TURN IT DOWN.' WHEN FILMING ON 'CLEOPATRA' STARTED TAYLOR WAS FIRST STRICKEN WITH A COLD, THEN A FEVER, THEN AN INFECTED TOOTH. IN MARCH 1961, SHE WAS RUSHED TO A LONDON CLINIC WITH LUNG CONGESTION. SHE WAS GIVEN A TRACHEOTOMY THAT HELPED HER BREATHING, BUT FOR DAYS SHE WAS ON THE DANGER LIST. AFTER SOME TIME IN A COMA, SHE BEGAN TO RALLY. HER PHYSICIANS ANNOUNCED, 'SHE HAS MADE A VERY RARE RECOVERY. MISS TAYLOR IS A WOMAN OF GREAT COURAGE. SHE PUT UP A WONDERFUL FIGHT.' IN THE SPRING, TAYLOR WON HER FIRST OSCAR, AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE NOMINATINS FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE (IN 'RAINTREE COUNTY', 'CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF' AND 'SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER') FOR THE HIGH CLASS HOOKER IN THE 1960 FILM 'BUTTERFIELD 8', AN ADAPTION OF JOHN O'HARA'S NOVEL. AS FOR CLEOPATRA, THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS SHIPPED TO ROME, WHERE TAYLOR ARRIVED WITH A LARGE ENTOURAGE CONSISTING OF ONE HUSBAND, THREE CHILDREN, FIVE DOGS, TWO CATS, VARIOUS SECRETARIES AND DOZENS OF SERVANTS, AND SETTLED AT THE VILLA PAPPA, A 14 ROOMED MANSION OFF THE VIA APPIA. 'THERE COMES A TIME DURING THE MAKING OF A MOVIE WHEN THE ACTORS BECOME THE CHARACTERS THEY PLAY', WAGNER NOTED IN HIS DIARY. 'THE CAMERAS TURNED ON AND THE CURRENT WAS LITERALLY TURNED ON. IT WAS QUIET AND YOU COULD ALMOST FEEL THE ELECTRICITY BETWEEN ELIZABETH TAYLOR AND BURTON.' AFTER THE FIRST 'ELECTRIC SCENE' THEY PERFORMED TOGETHER, BURTON, WHO WAS MARRIED, FREQUENTED THE VILLA IN THE EVENINGS. 'I'M AFRAID AT FIRST IT WAS LUST, AND THEN I GOT TO KNOW HER AND IT WAS LOVE', BURTON RECALLED. THROUGHOUT THE SHOOTING, TO AVOID THE CONSTANT PRYING OF THE PAPARAZZI, THE CELEBRATED COUPLE WOULD ESCAPE TO A CHEAP ONE ROOM APARTMENT ON THE BEACH. FINALLY, WARY OF SUBTERFUGE, THEY DECIDED TO BE SEEN PUBLICLY IN THE VIA VENETO. THE VATICAN TALKED OF 'THIS INSULT TO THE NOBILITY OF THE HEARTH', AND ED SULLIVAN ON HIS TV SHOW SAID, 'YOU CAN ONLY TRUST THAT YOUNGSTERS WILL NOT BE PERSUADED THAT THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE HAS BEEN INVALIDATED BY THE APPALLING EXAMPLE OF MRS TAYLOR-FISHER AND MARRIED MAN BURTON.' AFTER CLEOPATRA, BURTON AND TAYLOR ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE ANOTHER FILM TOGETHER, ORIGINALLY TO BE CALLED 'INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR'. THE TITLE WAS CHANGED TO 'THE VIPs'. DURING THE FILMING IN LONDON, CLEOPATRA OPENED TO MIXED REVIEWS. AUDIENCES WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE LOVE SCENES BETWEEN TAYLOR AND BURTON THAT HAD BEEN THE TALK OF MODERN ROME WERE NOT REPEATED WITH SO MUCH PASSION IN THOSE OF ANCIENT ROME. BUT PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE COUPLE'S PRIVATE LIVES STILL MADE THE FILM A TOP EARNER OF 1963. THE AFFAIR CONTINUED IN THE PUBLIC EYE, WHILE BOTH FISHER AND SYBIL BURTON HELD OUT FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE DIVORCE DEALS. FINALLY, SYBIL BURTON CAVE IN, CLAIMING CRUELTY AND THAT HER HUSBAND WAS 'IN THE CONSTANT COMPANY OF ANOTHER WOMAN', WHICH NEWSWEEK CALLED 'THE THROWAWAY LINE OF THE DECADE'. BURTON AND TAYLOR WERE MARRIED IN MARCH 1964 BY A UNITARIAN MINISTER AT THE RITZ-CARLTON IN MONTREAL. SHE WORE A PALE YELLOW IRENE SHARAFF GOWN, AND A $150,000 EMERALD AND DIAMOND BROOCH THAT BURTON HAD BOUGHT HER AT BULGARI IN ROME. THE SCANDAL OVER, PUBLIC INTEREST IN THEM ONLY SEEMED TO INCREASE. THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS COUPLE HAD BECOME CELEBRITIES RATHER THAN ACTORS. 'I WANT TO BE KNOWN AS AN ACTRESS', TAYLOR TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES IN 1964. AFTER A SERIES OF LESS THAN CONVINCING FILMS TOGETHER, IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THEIR CREDIBILITY AS PERFORMERS WAS SOON BRILLIANTLY RESTORED BY 'WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFE?' FOR WHICH TAYLOR WON HER SECOND BEST OSCAR, PLAYING THE BITTER, 52 YEAR OLD, VULGAR WIFE OF A SELF LOATHING PROFESSOR. AS THE TAYLOR-BURTON CIRCUS MOVED FROM COUNTRY TO COUNTRY, THEIR WAY OF LIFE, WHICH THE NEW YORK TIMES LIKENED TO THE COURT OF LOUIS XIV, BECAME EVER MORE LAVISH. TAYLOR'S ELDEST SON, MICHAEL, WOULD BECOME A HIPPIE AND LIVE IN A COMMUNE IN WALES 'IN ORDER TO GET AWAY FROM ALL THOSE DIAMONDS', ACCORDING TO THE DAILY MIRROR. 'THOSE DIAMONDS' INCLUDED THE 33.19 CARAT KRUPP DIAMOND THAT BURTON BOUGHT TAYLOR FOR MORE THAN $300,000 IN 1968; A $1.5 MILLION CARTIER DIAMOND SET IN A NECKLACE OF SMALLER DIAMONDS, AND THE MUCH PUBLICIZED HEART SHAPED DIAMOND PENDENT BURTON GAVE HER FOR HER 40th BIRTHDAY. THE MARRIAGE EVENTUALLY BROKE DOWN AND, IN JUNE 1974, TAYLOR DIVORCED BURTON IN SWITZERLAND. 'THERE WERE TOO MANY DIFFERENCES. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING', SHE TOLD THE COURT. YET THEY WERE RECONCILED IN AUGUST 1975, ATTRACTING AS MUCH ATTENTION AS EVER. ON A VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA IN THE AUTUMN, AN X-RAY OF TAYLOR'S CHEST SHOWED TWO SPOTS ON HER LUNGS. TERRIFIED, BURTON AND TAYLOR CLUNG TO EACH OTHER ALL NIGHT. IN THE MORNING, SHE WAS TOLD SHE DID NOT HAVE CANCER. IN HIS JOY, BURTON PROPOSED REMARRIAGE. THE CEREMONY TOOK PLACE ON THE BANKS OF A RIVER IN BOTSWANA. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THEY WERE AGAIN FILLING FOR DIVORCE. TAYLOR SOON MET JOHN WARNER, THE FORMER SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO PRESIDENT GERALD FORD, AND THEY MARRIED IN 1976. SHE BECAME A POLITICAL WIFE, CAMPAIGNING HARD TO GET HER HUSBAND ELECTED TO THE SENATE. 'IT WAS SO BORING. THAT'S WHY I PUT ON SO MUCH WEIGHT', SHE CONFESSED. SHE THEREFORE DECIDED TO RETURN TO ACTING, ON BROADWAY, AS THE VIXEN REGINA GIDDENS IN LILLIAN HELLMAN'S DRAMA 'THE LITTLE FOXES', WHICH SHE ALSO PLAYED AT THE VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE, LONDON IN 1982 TO MIXED REVIEWS. BUT, WITH HER CAREER IN FULL SWING AGAIN - AND SOLO - SHE WAS NOT CONTENT TO BE KEPT DOWN ON THE FARM IN VIRGINIA. SHE AND WARNER DIVORCED IN 1982. THE LONG-RUNNING ROMANCE ENDED WITH BURTON'S DEATH IN AUGUST 1984. TAYLOR STAYED AWAY FROM HIS FUNERAL AS AS NOT TO TURN IT INTO A MEDIA CIRCUS. BUT A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE STOOD STRICKEN AT THE GRAVESIDE OF THE MAN WITH WHOM SHE HAD SHARED THE LIMELIGHT FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES. AND IN 1991 TAYLOR MARRIED LARRY FORTENSKY, A CONSTRUCTION WORKER 20 YEARS HER JUNIOR WHOM SHE MET WHILE BEING TREATED AT THE BETTY FORD CLINIC. TAYLOR, WHO WAS MADE DAME IN 2000, IS SURVIVED BY HER BROTHER, HOWARD; TWO SONS, MICHAEL AND CHRISTOPHER WILDING; HER DAUGHTER LIZA TODD; HER AND BURTON'S ADOPTED DAUGHTER, MARIA; AND 10 GRANDCHILDREN.

LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS TO PRESENT GARMENTS FROM GLADYS KNIGHT

DURING A SPECIAL EVENING SESSION OF THE HOUSE'S VINTAGE COUTURE AND ACCESSORIES AUCTION ON 11.APRIL, LESLIE HINDMAN AUCTIONEERS WILL OFFER A COLLECTION OF GARMENTS OWNED BY GLADYS KNIGHT, A SEVEN TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER KNOWN TO HER FANS AS 'THE EMPRESS OF SOUL'. KNIGHT, WHO BEGAN HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AS LEAD VOCALIST OF GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS, WORE THE 57 DAZZLING OUTFITS THROUGHOUT HER STORIED CAREER AT PERFORMANCES AND AWARD CEREMONIES. HER COLLECTION DEPICTS THE EVOLUTION OF HER PERSONAL STYLE ACROSS MORE THAN FOUR DECADES. GLADYS KNIGHT WAS BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON 24.MAY.1944. HER FIRST TASTE OF STARDOM CAME AT THE AGE OF SEVEN, WHEN SHE WON TED MACK'S ORIGINAL AMATEUR HOUR CONTEST. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SHE, HER BROTHER MERALD, SISTER BRENDA AND COUSINS WILLIAM AND ELEANOR GUEST FORMED A GROUP CALLED 'THE PIPS', AFTER ANOTHER COUSIN, JAMES 'PIP' WOODS. BY 1960 THE PIPS BEGAN TOURING, EVENTUALLY SIGNING WITH MOTOWN RECORDS AND OPENING FOR DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES. GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS COUNT AMONG THEIR HIT SINGLES 'I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPE VINE', 'FRIENDSHIP TRAIN' AND 'IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN'. IN 1973 THE GROUP LEFT MOTOWN TO SIGN WITH BUDDAH RECORDS, LANDING A MAJOR HIT WITH GRAMMY-WINNER 'MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA'. AFTER THE PIPS RETIRED IN 1988, KNIGHT EMBARKED ON AN ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL SOLO CAREER. SHE HAS RECEIVED WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM FOR HER SINGLES WHICH HAVE TOPPED THE ALBUM CHARTS. ENSEMBLES FROM DESIGNERS SUCH AS BOB MACKIE, TONY CHASE AND OLEG CASSINI COVER APPEARANCES MADE BY KNIGHT IN RECENT YEARS TO AS EARLY AS THE 1970s. THE MAGNIFICENTLY BRILLIANT COLOURS, TEXTURES AND MATERIALS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT EACH GOWN IS NOT JUST SOMETHING KNIGHT WORE, BUT A WAY OF HEIGHTENING THE EXPERIENCE OF A PERFORMANCE. 'THESE DRESSES ARE AS EXCITING S ANY WE'VE HANDLED FROM A PROMINENT COLLECTION', SAID AUCTIONEER LESLIE HINDMAN. 'IT'S AN HONORED TO BE HANDLING A PART OF MUSIC HISTORY.'

KIRSTEN DUNST NEW SPOKESMODEL FOR BULGARI MON JASMIN NOIR

ITALIAN LUXURY JEWELRY DESIGNER HAS RECENTLY RELEASED STUNNING NEW IMAGES FOR ITS NEW FRAGRANCE, MON JASMIN NOIR, A FLANKER TO THE 2008 PERFUME JASMIN NOIR. ACTRESS KIRSTEN DUNST CAN SEEN COVERED WITH CAREFULLY PLACED SILKEN FABRIC, HOLDING A GIANT FLACON OF THE FRAGRANCE AND SITTING NEXT TO A REAL LION. MON JASMIN NOIR, WHICH FEATURES NOTES OF LILY OF THE VALLEY, SAMBAC JASMINE, MUSKY NOUGATINE AND VIBRANT WOOD, IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE AT NORDSTROM BEFORE BEING RELEASED INTERNATIONALLY NEXT MONTH.

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES STAR JANE RUSSELL DIED AT 89

GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES STAR JANE RUSSELL HAS DIED AT AGE 89. RUSSELL WAS DISCOVERED BY HOWARD HUGHES AND WENT ON TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC STARS OF THE 1940s AND '50s. HER DAUGHTER IN LAW ETTA WATERFIELD SAID THE ACTRESS DIED MONDAY AT HER HOME IN SANTA MARIA OF A RESPIRATORY-RELATED ILLNESS. SHE ALWAYS SAID 'I'M GOING TO DIE IN THE SADDLE, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT AT HOME AND BECOME AN OLD WOMAN', WATERFIELD SAID. 'AND THAT'S HOW SHE DIED, SHE DIED IN THE SADDLE.' HUGHES, THE ECCENTRIC BILLIONAIRE, CAST RUSSELL IN HIS SEXY, AND CONTROVERSIAL, 1941 WESTERN 'THE OUTLAW', ABOUT BILLY THE KID. THE MOVIE WAS INITIALLY SUBJECT TO STRICT CENSORSHIP LAW BECAUSE OF THE AMPLE CLEAVAGE DISPLAYED BY RUSSELL, BORN ERNESTINE JANE GERALDINE RUSSELL IN JUNE 1921 IN MINNESOTA. WHEN IT WAS RELEASED TWO YEARS LATER IT TURNED HER INTO AN OVERNIGHT STAR. 'THE OUTLAW', ALTHOUGH IT ESTABLISHED HER REPUTATION, WAS BESET WITH TROUBLE FROM THE BEGINNING. DIRECTOR HOWARD HAWKS, ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S MOST EMINENT AND AUTOCRATIC FILMMAKERS, RANKLED UNDER PRODUCER HUGHES' CONSTANT SUGGESTIONS AND FINALLY WALKED OUT. 'HUGHES DIRECTED THE WHOLE PICTURE, FOR NINE BLOODY MONTHS!', RUSSELL SAID IN 1999. THE FILM'S RAMBLING, FICTIONAL PLOT FEATURED RUSSELL AS A FRIEND OF BILLY THE KID AS HE TUSSLES WITH DOC HOLLIDAY AND SHERIFF PAT GARRETT. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES CALLED IT 'ONE OF THE WEIRDEST WESTERN PICTURES THAT EVER UNREELED BEFORE THE PUBLIC'. WITH HER SULTRY LOOK AND GLOWING SEXUALITY, RUSSELL HAD ALREADY GAINED A LARGE FOLLOWING. THE HUGHES PUBLICITY MILL HAD SENT OUT PHOTOS OF THE BEAUTY IN LOW0CUT COSTUMES AND SWIM SUITS, AND SHE BECAME AN INSTANT PINUP FOR WORLD WAR II SOLDIERS. BUT HUGHES BOUGHT THE AILING RKO STUDIOS IN 1948, AND DEVOTED SPECIAL CARE TO HIS NO.1 STAR, USING HIS ENGINEERING SKILLS TO DESIGN A SPECIAL BRASSIERE (SHE SAID SHE NEVER WORE IT). THAT YEAR SHE MADE HER MOST SUCCESSFUL FILM, A LOAN OUT TO PARAMOUNT FOR 'THE PALEFACE'. BUT AT RKO SHE WAS CAST IN A SERIES OF POTBOILERS SUCH AS 'HIS KIND OF WOMAN', 'DOUBLE DYNAMITE', 'THE LAS VEGAS STORY' AND 'MACAU'. HUGHES REWARDED HER WITH A UNIQUE 20 YEAR CONTRACT PAYING $1,000 A WEEK, THEN HE SOLD RKO AND QUIT MAKING MOVIES. RUSSELL CONTINUED RECEIVING THE WEEKLY FEE, BUT NEVER MADE ANOTHER FILM FOR HUGHES. HER ONLY OTHER NOTABLE FILM WAS GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES', A 1953 MUSICAL BASED ON THE NOVEL BY ANITA LOOS. SHE AND MARILYN MONROE TEAMED UP TO SING 'TWO LITTLE GIRLS FROM LITTLE ROCK' AND 'SEEK ROMANCE IN PARIS'. SHE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH THE 1954 MUSICAL 'THE FRENCH LINE', WHICH LIKE GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES HAS HER CAVORTING ON AN OCEAN LINER. IN 1955, SHE MADE THE SEQUEL GENTLEMEN MARRY BRUNETTES (WITHOUT MONROE) AND STARRED IN SEVERAL WESTERNS SUCH AS 'THE TALL MAN' AND FOXFIRE'. BUT BY THE 1960s, HER FILM CAREER HAD FADED. 'WHY DID I QUIT MOVIES', SHE REMARKED IN 1999, 'BECAUSE I WAS GETTING TOO OLD! YOU COULDN'T GO ON ACTING IN THOSE YEARS IF YOU WERE AN ACTRESS OVER 30.' ALTHOUGH HER LOOK AND HER HOURGLASS FIGURE MADE HER THE SUBJECT OF NUMEROUS NIGHTCLUB JOKES, UNLIKE MONROE, RITA HAYWORTH AND OTHER PINUP QUEENS OF THE ERA, RUSSELL WAS UNTOUCHED BY SCANDAL IN HER PERSONAL LIFE. RUSSELL REMAINED ACTIVE THROUGHOUT HER LIFE, STAYING BUSY IN HER CHURCH AND WITH CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION UNTIL HER HEALTH BEGAN TO DECLINE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. IN RECENT YEARS FANS COULD SEE THE HOLLYWOOD LEGEND SINGING AT A HOTEL BAR NEAR HER SANTA MARIA HOME. RUSSELL ADOPTED THREE CHILDREN WHO SURVIVE HER ALONG WITH HER SIX GRANDCHILDREN AND TEN GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. RUSSELL'S HAND AND FOOT PRINTS ARE IMMORTALIZED ON THE FORECOURT OF HOLLYWOOD'S LEGENDARY GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER. SHE ALSO HAS A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.

LENA HORNE COLLECTION SELLS FOR $316,000 AT AUCTION

AN AUCTION OF 200 ITEMS THAT ONCE FILLED THE HOME OF JAZZ SINGER AND ACTRESS LENA HORNE SOLD WEDNESDAY FOR $316,000, MORE THAN DOUBLE THE HIGHEST PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. THE LATE STAR'S BELONGINGS FROM HER MANHATTAN APARTMENT WERE AUCTIONED AT DOYLE NEW YORK. THEY EPITOMIZED HER SOPHISTICATED TASTE: FRENCH-STYLE FURNISHING, ELEGANT COSTUMES, JEWELRY AND FINE ART. A SEQUINED CARDIGAN EVENING COAT SOLD FOR 41,125, WHILE A SMALL LOUIS VUITTON TRUNK WITH STICKERS INSCRIBED LENA HORNE HAYTON SOLD FOR $20,000, FAR ABOVE ITS PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $500 TO $700. AND A SOFT LEATHER VANITY CASE INSCRIBED LH WAS ESTIMATED AT $200 TO $400 SOLD FOR $6,250. HORNE'S FAVORITE DESIGNER WAS GIORGIO DI SANT ANGELO, AND A REVERSIBLE MINK COAT BY THE ITALIAN CREATOR WAS ESTIMATED AT $300 TO $500, BUT SOLD FOR $8,125. A CHANEL FIVE-STRAND CHOKER OF GOLD-TONE METAL AND FAUX BAROQUE PEARLS HAD A $1,000 TO $1,200 PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. IT SOLD FOR $2,000. THE AUCTION HOUSE SAID THE ESTIMATES WERE BASED ON CURRENT MARKET VALUES, BUT THE CELEBRITY PROVENANCE WAS THE 'X FACTOR' THAT WOULD DETERMINE THE PRICE AT AUCTION. THE HIGHEST PRICED ITEM IN THE SALE WAS A COLOURFUL PAINTING BY AFRICAN AMERICAN ARTIST AND MURALIST CHARLES ALSTON, WHICH WAS ESTIMATED TO BRING $30,000 TO $50,000, BUT IT ONLY BROUGHT IN $20,000. HORNE'S REFINED TASTE EXTENDED TO THE FURNISHINGS IN HER UPPER EAST SIDE HOME. A ROCOCO-STYLE GILT-METAL AND GLASS 12 LIGHT CHANDELIER ESTIMATED AT $1,500 TO $2,500 SOLD FOR $4,375. HORNE, WHO WAS ALSO A DANCER AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, DIED LAST MAY AT THE AGE OF 92. SHE APPEARED ON SCREEN, STAGE, ON RECORDS AND IN NIGHTCLUBS AND CONCERT HALLS. HER SIGNATURE SONG WAS 'STORMY WEATHER', BUT HER VOCAL RANGE EXTENDED FROM THE BLUES AND JAZZ TO SUCH RODGERS AND HART CLASSICS AS 'THE LADY IS A TRAMP' AND 'BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED'. A STRIKING FIGURE, HORNE WAS THE SUBJECT OF SOME OF THE ARTWORKS IN HER COLLECTION INCLUDING A 1959 PORTRAIT BY GEOFFREY HOLDER THAT SOLD FOR $10,625 AND A BRONZE SCULPTURE BY PETER LAMBDA THAT BROUGHT $5,938. THE COLLECTION ALSO INCLUDED BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AMONG THEM A GROUP OF BOOKS AUTOGRAPHED BY LANGSTON HUGHES, WHICH SOLD FOR $5,000, AND A SELECTION OF CONTACT SHEETS BY RICHARD AVEDON TAKEN DURING A PHOTO SHOOT WITH HORNE.

HOME MOVIE OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY DONATED TO SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM

THE RICE HOTEL IN HOUSTON WAS THE SECOND TRIP OF A PLANNED FIVE-CITY TEXAS VISIT THAT WAS TO HAVE FINISHED AT A FUND-RAISER DINNER IN AUSTIN. THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION HAPPENED IN DALLAS THE NEXT DAY. SHORTLY BEFORE 9pm IN THE HOTEL'S GRAND BALLROOM, PRESIDENT KENNEDY SPOKE TO A GROUP OF SEVERAL HUNDRED FROM THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC). HE THEN INTRODUCED FIRST LADY JACQUELINE KENNEDY WHO SPOKE, WITHOUT NOTES, IN SPANISH. THE ROOM ERUPTED IN CHEERS OF 'OLE'. AT THE TIME, ROY BOTELLO SERVED AS THE LULAC SCHOLARSHIP CORPORATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN. AS ONE OF THE TOP OFFICIALS OF THE HOST COMMITTEE, BOTELLO HAD CLOSE ACCESS TO THE KENNEDYS THAT EVENING. HE BROUGHT AMONG HIS HOME MOVIE CAMERA AND CAPTURED SILENT COLOUR FILM OF THE KENNEDY ARRIVAL, WELCOMING DIGNITARIES, A MARIACHI BAND AND BOTH KENNEDYS ADDRESSING THE CROWD. 'RAY BOTELLO SHOWED HIS HOME MOVIE FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLICLY LAST YEAR AND HAS GENEROUSLY DONATED THE ORIGINAL FILM TO THE MUSEUM FOR EDUCATION AND PRESERVATION', SAID GARY MACK, CURATOR AT THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA. 'WE COMMISSIONED A NEW FILM-TO-VIDEO TRANSFER THAT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES THESE HISTORIC IMAGES.' THE MUSEUM IS COMMITTED TO FINDING AND PRESERVING HOME MOVIES, PHOTOGRAPHS AND NEWS COVERAGE OF EVENTS RELATED TO JFK's 21-22.NOVEMBER.1963 TRIP TO TEXES AND HIS ASSASSINATION AND TO MAKING THESE MATERIALS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH EXHIBITION, PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES.

JOHN-PAUL GAULTIER BEBE

FRENCH DESIGNER, JEAN-PAUL GAULTIER HAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED A BABYWEAR COLLECTION, GAULTIER BEBE, FOR NEWBORN BABIES AND CHILDREN UP TO TWO YEARS. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME GAULTIER HAS GONE IN THE CHILDREN DIRECTION, HE ALREADY HAS JUNIOR GAULTIER. GAULTIER BEBE WILL FOLLOW IN THE SAME DIRECTION WITH HIS SIGNATURE PALETTE OF RED, WHITE AND BLUE ON DENIM, TULLE SKIRTS AND BODYSUITS. THE FORMER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S WEAR AT HERMES HAS BEEN KEEPING BUSY SINCE HE LEFT THE LUXURY LABEL. IN ADDITION TO THE NEW COLLECTION, IN 2010 HE LAUNCHED A RANGE OF LINGERIE WITH LA PERLE AND COLLABORATED WITH ROCHE BOBOIS ON HOME FURNISHINGS.

JULIEN'S TO SELL COLLECTION FROM ROCK GUITARIST SLASH

JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, THE WORLD'S PREMIERE ENTERTAINMENT MEMORABILIA AUCTION HOUSE LOCATED IN BEVERLY HILLS, ANNOUNCES THE SALE OF EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY FROM THE LEGENDARY GUITARIST AND MUSICIAN SLASH. INCLUDED IN THE AUCTION SALE ARE SOME OF THE ICONIC, GRAMMY WINING, ROCK GUITARIST AND SONGWRITER'S FAMOUS GUITARS, MEMORABILIA, VEHICLES AND PERSONAL FURNITURE AND DECOR FROM HIS HOLLYWOOD HILLS RESIDENCE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SUCH ITEMS FROM SLASH'S PERSONAL COLLECTION HAVE BEEN OFFERED GLOBALLY FOR AUCTION. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SALE INCLUDE GUITARS FROM SLASH'S FABLED PERSONAL COLLECTION, INCLUDING A ONE OF A KIND CUSTOM STRAVINSKI FENDER STRATOCASTER, WHICH IS ESTIMATED AT $3,000-5,000, A BC RICH RED MOCKINGBIRD GUITAR, ESTIMATED AT $2,000-4,000, AND TWO VERSIONS OF SLASH'S VERY OWN GIBSON AND EPIPHONE SLASH LES PAUL SIGNATURE MODEL GUITARS IN TOBACCO SUNBURST. CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A STAGE WORN CHROME HEARTS LEATHER TOP HAT, VARIOUS CUSTOM MARC VACHON LEATHER MOTORCYCLE JACKETS, INCLUDING ONE DECORATED IN A VELVET REVOLVER 'LIBERTAD' THEME, PERFORMANCE WORN T-SHIRTS FROM ALL PHASES OF SLASH'S LIFE AND CAREER AND A LEATHER CHORME HEARTS SUIT. THE AUCTION WILL ALSO FEATURE THE ECLECTIC RESIDENTIAL DECOR INCLUDING A NUMBER OF EXOTIC SOUTHEAST ASIAN FURNITURE ITEMS, SUCH AS A CARVED POLYCHROME PAINTED AND GILDED ARMOIRE, AS WELL AS CONTEMPORARY PIECES INCLUDING A PAIR OF MONUMENTAL RED SUEDE CONVERSATION SOFAS, ACCENTED BY LOTS THAT ALSO INCLUDE A PAIR OF SILVER AND BLACK BEADED SKULL PILLOWS. OTHER DISTINCTIVE ITEMS OFFERED IN THE SALE INCLUDE A VELVET REVOLVER NOLDE POTTERY SKULL, AN ASIAN-CARVED WOODEN COBRA STATUE AND A LARGE COLLECTION OF MODEL DINOSAURS, SOME CRAFTED BY NOTED PALEO-SCULPTORS BOB MORALES AND MICHAEL TRCIC. EVER THE ARCHETYPAL ROCK STAR AND RANKED AS ONE OF THE WORLD'S BEST GUITAR PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, SLASH HAS SPENT YEARS TRAVELING THE WORLD AND COLLECTING VARIOUS ITEMS WHICH WILL NOW COME TO THE AUCTION BLOCK FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. SOME OF HIS ECLECTIC COLLECTION TELLS THE STORY OF SLASH'S LOVE OF FILM, TELEVISION AND FAST CARS. OFFERED ARE ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE BENCH FROM THE 'ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST' MOVIE SET, A SOUTH PARK PINBALL MACHINE, A 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON V-ROD VRSCAW TWIN RACING STREET CUSTOM CRUISER AND THE STAR OF THE SHOW IS HIS 1966 CORVETTE EQUIPPED WITH A BIG BLOCK 427 CUBIC INCH V8 ENGINE WITH 435 HORSEPOWER, 4 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE STUNNING COLLECTION, BEING OFFERED IN THE EXCLUSIVE AUCTION, WILL GIVE THE WORLD A ONCE IN A LIFETIME GLIMPSE INTO THE OFTEN SECRET WORLD OF A ROCK STAR'S LIFE AND TRAVELS AND A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS BENEFITS LOS ANGELES YOUTH NETWORK IN WHICH SLASH IS VERY ACTIVE.

ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME TO PRESENT 'WOMEN WHO ROCK'

THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM, CLEVELAND, OH, WILL OPEN A GROUND-BREAKING AND PROVOCATIVE NEW EXHIBIT THAT WILL ILLUSTRATE THE IMPORTANT ROLES WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN ROCK AND ROLL, FROM ITS INCEPTION THROUGH TODAY. 'WOMEN WHO ROCK: VISION, PASSION, POWER' WILL HIGHLIGHT THE FLASH POINTS, THE FIRSTS, THE BEST, THE CELEBRATED AND SOMETIMES LESSER-KNOWN WOMEN WHO HAVE MOVED ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC AND AMERICAN CULTURE FORWARD. THE EXHIBIT IS SPONSORED BY PNC AND TIME WARNER CABLE. WOMEN WHO ROCK WILL OPEN TO ON 31.MAY.2011. THE EXHIBITION WILL SPOTLIGHT MORE THAN 60 ARTIFACTS AND FILL TWO ENTIRE FLOORS OF THE MUSEUM. THE EXHIBIT WILL FEATURE ARTIFACTS, VIDEO AND LISTENING STATIONS, AS WELL AS A RECORDING BOOTH WHERE VISITORS CAN FILM A SHORT STORY OR MOMENT OF INSPIRATION RELATED TO WOMEN IN ROCK. THE EXHIBIT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE ROCK AND ROLL ERAS, WEAVING A POWERFUL AND ENGAGING NARRATIVE THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW WOMEN HAVE BEEN THE ENGINES OF CREATION AND CHANGE IN POPULAR MUSIC, FROM THE EARLY YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY TO THE PRESENT. 'THIS EXHIBIT IS GOING TO ILLUSTRATE THE VITAL ROLE WOMEN PLAYED IN SHAPING THE EVOLUTION OF ROCK AND ROLL', SAID JIM HENKE, VP OF THE EXHIBITIONS AND CURATORIAL AFFAIRS FOR THE MUSEUM. 'VISITORS ARE GOING TO WALK FROM THIS EXHIBIT WITH A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF HOW THESE ARTISTS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL ART FORM AND CHANGED OUR SOCIETY. WOMEN WHO ROCK WILL COMPARE AND CONTRAST ARTIST EXPERIENCES, HIGHLIGHTING THE FEMALE SPIRIT AS THE ENGINE OF CREATION AND CHANGE IN THE MUSIC.'

AL HIRSCHFELD'S CHAIR AND TABLE TO BE DONATED LINCOLN CENTER

SHOW-BIZ CARICATURIST AL HIRSCHFELD IMMORTALIZED THE WORLD OF THEATER WITH HIS FLUID INK AND PEN PORTRAITS WHILE SEATED IN A BARBERSHOP CHAIR BEHIND A WORN CENTURY-OLD DRAFTING TABLE IN THE FORTH-FLOOR STUDIO OF HIS MANHATTAN TOWN HOUSE. NOW, EIGHT YEARS AFTER THE CELEBRATED ARTIST'S DEATH, HIS WIDOW IS DONATING THE STURDY TOOLS OF HIS TRADE TO THE LIBRARY FOR THE PREFORMING ARTS AT LINCOLN CENTER. 'IT TOOK EIGHT MEN TO GET THE CHAIR DOWN' THE FOUR FLIGHTS OF STAIRS, LOUISE HIRSCHFELD CULLMAN, A THEATER HISTORIAN WHO MARRIED HIRSCHFELD IN 1996, SAID IN AN INTERVIEW TUESDAY. I THOUGHT THIS LIBRARY WAS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR HIS WORK' SHE SAID. 'HE LIVED MOST OF HIS LIFE IN NEW YORK. HIS MAIN FOCUS WAS NEW YORK CITY AND THE THEATER...HIS PERSONAL VISION AND STYLE WAS SOMETHING I FELT BELONGED IN NEW YORK.' THE ARTIFACTS WERE SCHEDULED TO BE UNVEILED AT A RECEPTION AT THE LIBRARY TUESDAY NIGHT. HIRSCHFELD MADE VIRTUALLY ALL OF HIS DRAWINGS WHILE HE WAS ENSCONCED IN HIS CHAIR AT THE OLD DESK WITH HIS SUBJECTS SEATED ON A SOFA ACROSS FROM HIM. HIRSCHFELD, WHO CAPTURED THE APPEARANCE AND PERSONALITY OF THEATER PEOPLE FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY WITH A DISTINCT LINEAR CALLIGRAPHIC STYLE, DIED IN 2003 AT THE AGE OF 99. HIS WIDOW, WHO HAS REMARRIED, HAS RECALLED HOW WYNTON MARSALIS ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE TO HAVE HIS PORTRAIT DRAWN, 'BLOWING HIS TRUMPET ALL THE WAY UPSTAIRS'. ANOTHER TIME, MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS, WALKING PAST THE GRAND PIANO FOR HIS SITTING, STOPPED TO TICKLE THE IVORIES WITH GEORGE GERSHWIN'S 'RHAPSODY IN BLUE'. AMONG THE MOST NOTABLE FIGURES TO POSE FOR HIS PORTRAIT IN THE STUDIO WAS NICHOLAS CAGE, SHE SAID. THE TWO ARTIFACTS WILL BE DISPLAYED IN THE LOBBY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS LIBRARY. 'THE CHAIR WAS LIKE HIS THRONE', IT'S HEIGHT ALLOWING HIM TO 'LOOK DOWN AT HIS STUDIO', HIRSCHFELD CULLMAN SAID. IT CAME FROM A BARBERSHOP IN THE CHRYSLER BUILDING IN 1993, REPLACING ANOTHER BARBER CHAIR THAT HAD FALLEN APART FROM WEAR. THE DRAFTING TABLE IS FROM THE EARLY 1900s AND 'HAD MANY LITTLE DRAWERS FOR HIS PEN STUBS AND PENCILS, AND A VARIETY OF BEAUTIFUL BRUSHES WHICH HE NEVER USED, BUT THEY WERE SO THEATRICAL LOOKING', HIS WIDOW SAID. HIRSCHFELD TOOK HIS DAILY AFTERNOON TEA AT THE DESK AND CHAIR, NAPPED IN IT, READ IN IT AND DID HIS FINANCES IN IT, SHE SAID. THE AL HIRSCHFELD FOUNDATION ALSO WILL BE DONATING A VARIETY OF HIRSCHFELD LETTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MEMORABILIA AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST TO THE LIBRARY OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, SAID HIRSCHFELD CULLMAN, WHO IS THE FOUNDATION'S PRESIDENT. AMONG THE LETTERS WILL BE ONE FROM HIS DAUGHTER, NINA, WHOSE NAME HE ALWAYS EMBEDDED IN THE LINES OF HIS DRAWINGS.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON FOR MOET & CHANDON 2011

WHEN SCARLETT JOHANSSON WAS NAMED AS THE FACE OF MOET & CHANDON IN 2009 SHE POSED IN A GOLDEN GOWN. IMAGES FROM THE NEW 2011 CAMPAIGN HAVE BEEN RELEASED WHICH SHOW THE EFFERVESCENT BLONDE IN A STUNNING ROBIN'S EGG BLUE EVENING GOWN SURROUNDED BU CHAMPAGNE FLUTES. THE IMAGES SHOT BY PHOTOGRAPHER TIM WALKER WERE TAKEN AT TRIANON, AN IMPRESSIVE RESIDENCE BUILT BY JEAN-REMY MOET BETWEEN 1805-1817 ON THE MOET & CHANDON ESTATE IN EPERNAY, FRANCE. THE NEW CAMPAIGN CONSISTS OF THREE PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH WILL BE IN PRINT, OUTDOOR AND ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS.

MONTGRAPPA 'THE DRAGON 2010 BRUCE LEE'

WITH A NEW VERSION OF 'THE GREEN HORNET' ABOUT TO BE RELEASED IN THEATERS, MANY PEOPLE ARE REMEMBERING BRUCE LEE AND HIS PORTRAYAL OF KATO IN THE SHORT LIVED TELEVISION SERIES. ITALIAN PEN MANUFACTURER MONTGRAPPA HAS CREATED A RE-INTERPRETATION OF ONE OF THE COMPANY'S MOST COVETED PENS, 'THE DRAGON' TO HONOR THE STAR OD WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 70th BIRTHDAY. MONTGRAPPA FIRST PRODUCED THE ORIGINAL 'DRAGON' 15 YEARS AGO IN 1,912 PIECES TO CELEBRATE ITS FOUNDING YEAR. IT WAS PRODUCED IN BLACK MOTHER OF PEARL CELLULOID AND STERLING SILVER. ONLY 100 FOUNTAIN PENS WERE ISSUED IN 18K GOLD. 'THE DRAGON 2010 BRUCE LEE' LIMITED EDITION SERIES HAS BEEN DISTINGUISHED FROM THE 1995 RELEASE BY A CHANGE IN THE DESIGN OF THE POCKET CLIP, A NEW COLOUR, THE DETAIL OF THE DRAGON'S TAIL ON THE BARREL, THE FOUNTAIN PEN NIB AND THE TOP OF THE CAP. THE PEN ALSO FEATURES A BODY AND CAP MADE OF RED CELLULOID WITH BLACK VEINING, REFERRED TO AS 'CINNAMON'. TOPPING THE CAP IS THE YIN-YANG SYMBOL, REPRESENTING BALANCE. THE CAP AND THE BARREL ARE BOTH EMBRACED BY EXQUISITELY CARVED DRAGONS, THEIR EYES HIGHLIGHTED BY RUBIES ON THE STERLING SILVER VERSION AND BY MATCHING PRECIOUS STONES ON THE FULLY-ENCRUSTED VERSIONS. THE NIB ITSELF FEATURES THE PROFILE OF BRUCE LEE IN THE FAMOUS MOVE, FOOT AND FIST EXTENDED, SUSPENDED IN THE AIR. MONTGRAPPA WILL PRODUCE A TOTAL OF 2010 PIECES, WITH PRICES RANGING FORM $4,675 TO $102,200.

CHRISTIE'S SELL DENNIS HOPPER'S WARHOL PAINTING FOR $302,500

THE ANDY WARHOL PORTRAIT OF MAO ZEDONG THAT ACTOR DENNIS HOPPER SHOT TWO BULLETS THROUGH SOLD FOR $302,500 AT CHRISTIE'S ON TUESDAY, MORE THAN 10 TIMES ITS HIGH ESTIMATE. THE 1972 SCREEN PRINT FROM HOPPER'S ART COLLECTION IS DONE IN HUES OF MOSTLY BLUES AND GREENS, INCLUDING A DEEP BLUE FACE OF MAO, THE FOUNDER OF THE MODERN COMMUNIST STATE. IT HAD BEEN ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR $20,000 TO $30,000 AT THE TWO-DAY AUCTION OF HUNDREDS OF WORKS FROM THE ACTOR'S COLLECTION AND PERSONAL MEMORABILIA FROM HIS CALIFORNIA HOME. MAO WAS AMONG WARHOL'S ICONIC SUBJECTS. HOPPER'S PAINTING WAS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT INCLUDED BULLET HOLES FIRED AFTER THE NOTORIOUSLY WILD ACTOR GOT SPOOKED AND 'MISTOOK THE PORTRAIT ON HIS WALL FOR MAO HIMSELF AND SHOT AT IT', ACCORDING TO CHRISTIE'S. HOPPER, WHO DIED OF CANCER LAST YEAR, LATER SHOWED WARHOL THE BULLET HOLES, AND THE PAIR AGREED TO CONSIDER THE WORK A COLLABORATION. WARHOL DREW CIRCLES AROUND THE HOLES, LABELING THE ONE OVER MAO'S RIGHT SHOULDER 'WARNING SHOT' AND THE ONE AT HIS LEFT EYELID 'BULLET HOLE'. ANOTHER ICONIC WARHOL SCREEN-PRINT FROM 1967 OF MARILYN MONROE FETCHED $206,500, OR ABOUT FOUR TIMES THE PRE-SALE ESTIMATE. MUCH OF HOPPER'S MOST VALUABLE ART WAS SOLD IN NOVEMBER DURING CHRISTIE'S CONTEMPORARY AND POST-WAR AUCTION, RAISING MORE THAN $10 MILLION FOR THE ESTATE.

BARRETT-JACKSON TO SELL AMBULANCE THAT TRANSPORTED KENNEDY CASKET

THE BARRETT-JACKSON AUCTION COMPANY, WILL BE SELLING ONE OF THE MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT VEHICLES IN US HISTORY AT ITS 40th AUCTION ON 17-23.JANUARY, AT WESTWORLD OF SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA. THE 1963 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE AMBULANCE, LOT #1277, WHICH WILL SELL AT NO RESERVE, CARRIED PRESIDENT JOHN F KENNEDY'S CASKET FROM AIR FORCE ONE, AFTER HIS ASSASSINATION IN DALLAS. 'NOT ONLY DID THE AMBULANCE TRANSPORT JFK FOLLOWING HIS UNTIMELY DEATH, IT'S ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF AN UN-RESTORED AMBULANCE FROM THAT TIME PERIOD', SAID STEVE DAVIS, PRESIDENT OF BARRETT-JACKSON. 'IT'S ALSO, WITHOUT A DOUBT, ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AND HISTORICAL VEHICLES EVER OFFERED FOR SALE.' THE AMBULANCE MET AIR FORCE ONE AT ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE IN WASHINGTON DC FOLLOWING THE 35th PRESIDENT'S ASSASSINATION. IT TRANSPORTED PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S FLAG-DRAPED CASKET, HIS WIFE, JACQUELINE KENNEDY, AND HIS BROTHER ROBERT F KENNEDY, THE FORMER US ATTORNEY GENERAL, FROM ANDREWS TO BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL AND LATER TO THE US CAPITOL. THE GRAY AMBULANCE, MODEL 6-3-207G, WAS BUILT IN JUNE 1963. OF 69 AMBULANCE, ONLY 15 WERE CONTRACTED FOR MILITARY USE, INCLUDING LOT #1277. ITS US NAVY DATE PLATE REGISTRATION NUMBER IS 94-49196 AND SHOWS ITS ASSIGNMENT TO BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL. FOLLOWING ITS NAVAL SERVICE, THE VEHICLE WAS RETIRED AND SOLD AS SURPLUS.

CHRISTIE'S TO SELL DENIS HOPPER COLLECTION NEXT WEEK

DENIS HOPPER SHOT TWO BULLET HOLES THROUGH AN ANDY WARHOL PORTRAIT OF MAO ZEDONG, BUT INSTEAD OF EARNING THE WRATH OF THE ARTIST, WARHOL CALLED THE 'EASY RIDER' STAR A COLLABORATOR. WARHOL'S 'MAO' IS AMONG 300 WORKS OF FINE ART AND MEMORABILIA OWNED BY THE LATE ACTOR-DIRECTOR OF THE 1969 COUNTERCULTURE FILM UP FOR AUCTION AT CHRISTIE'S NEXT WEEK. THE 1972 COLOURED SCREEN-PRINT IS EXPECTED TO BRING $20,000 TO $30,000. MOST OF THE ITEMS ADORNED THE ACTOR'S VENICE BEACH, CALIFORNIA, HOME. HOPPER, WHO WAS TWICE NOMINATED FOR OSCARS AND EARNED A STAR LAST YEAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME, DIED OF PROSTATE CANCER AT HIS HOME IN MAY. HE WAS 74. HOPPER WAS ALREADY STRICKEN WITH CANCER WHEN HE ATTENDED THE CEREMONY FOR THE UNVEILING OF HIS COMMEMORATIVE STAR. THE FRAMED PLAQUE OF THE STAR THAT HE RECEIVED AS A MEMENTO OF THE EVENT IS BEING SOLD NEXT WEEK FOR AN ESTIMATED $1,000 TO $1,500. HOPPER BEGAN COLLECTING IN THE 1960s AFTER THE VENERABLE ACTOR, VINCENT PRICE, HIMSELF AN AVID COLLECTOR OF IMPRESSIONIST ART, TOLD HIM: 'YOU NEED TO COLLECT, THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR MONEY', SAID CATHY ELKIES, CHRISTIE'S DIRECTOR OF ICONIC COLLECTIONS. 'THIS REALLY WAS HIS CALLING.' HOPPER, A PHOTOGRAPHER AND PAINTER HIMSELF, BECAME IMMERSED IN THE WEST COAST ARTIST SCENE AND POP ART MOVEMENT, BECOMING CLOSE FRIENDS WITH WARHOL, ROY LICHTENSTEIN AND MANY OTHER ARTISTS HE COLLECTED. WHILE ECLECTIC, 'THERE IS SOME DEPTH OF CERTAIN ARTISTS' AMONG THE FINE ART WORKS IN THE COLLECTION, INCLUDING THOSE OF WALLACE BERMAN, BRUCE CONNER AND GEORGE HERMS. CONNER'S 'PICNIC ON THE GRASS' AND WARHOL'S 'MAO' ARE THE HIGHEST PRICED ITEMS IN THE SALE. 'PICNIC ON THE GRASS' ALSO IS EXPECTED TO BRING BETWEEN $20,000 TO $30,000. THE SHOOTING INCIDENT INVOLVING 'MAO' OCCURRED SOMETIME IN THE EARLY 1970s AT HOPPER'S LOS ANGELES HOME, SAID ALEX HITZ, A FAMILY FRIEND AND A TRUSTEE OF THE ESTATE. 'ONE NIGHT IN THE SHADOWS, DENNIS, OUT OF THE CORNER OF HIS EYE, SAW THE MAO AND HE WAS SO SPOOKED BY IT THAT HE GOT UP AND SHOT AT IT, TWICE, PUTTING TWO BULLET HOLES IN IT', HITZ TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IN A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW FROM LOS ANGELES. 'ANDY SAW IT, LOVED IT AND ANNOTATED THOSE HOLES' LABELING THEM 'WARNING SHOT' AND 'BULLET HOLE.' HOPPER'S FOUR CHILDREN ARE SELLING THE COLLECTION BECAUSE 'IT WAS DENNIS' WISH TO SELL EVERYTHING. ELKIES SAID HOPPER'S VENICE BEACH HOUSE WAS FILLED 'LITERALLY FROM FLOOR TO CEILING WITH ART, AND REALISTICALLY THEY (THE CHILDREN) COULDN'T TAKE THAT ON.' CHRISTIE'S OFFERED 30 WORKS FROM THE HOPPER COLLECTION IN NOVEMBER WHEN A 1987 JEAN-MICHAEL BASQUIAT MIXED MEDIA WORK, 'UNTITLED', SOLD FOR $5.8 MILLION.

STAN LEE GIVEN STAR ON WALK OF FAME

THERE'S A NEW SUPERHERO ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD. COMIC BOOK LEGEND STAN LEE, CREATOR OR CO-CREATOR OF SUCH MARVEL COMICS CHARACTERS AS SPIDER-MAN, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, X-MEN, THE FANTASTIC FOUR AND IRON MAN, HAS NOW BEEN ENSHRINED IN CONCRETE. THE 88 YEAR OLD LEE UNVEILED HIS WALK OF FAME SIDEWALK STAR ON TUESDAY IN FRONT OF THE LIVE NATION BUILDING ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD. IT'S THE 2,428th STAR DEDICATED ON THE FAMOUS AVENUE OF DREAMS. LEE IS FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF OFFICER OF POW! ENTERTAINMENT. MORE THAN 2 MILLION OF LEE'S COMIC BOOKS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN 75 NATIONS AND IN 25 LANGUAGES. HIS CHARACTERS HAVE BEN FEATURED IN 24 ANIMATED TELEVISION SERIES AND SEVERAL LIVE ACTION FILMS. IN COLLABORATION WITH SEVERAL ARTISTS, MOST NOTABLY JACK KIRBY AND STEVE DITKO, HE CO-CREATED SPIDER-MAN, THE FANTASTIC FOUR, THE X-MEN, THE AVENGERS, IRON MAN, THE HULK, THOR, DAREDEVIL, DOCTOR STRANGE AND MANY OTHER FICTIONAL CHARACTERS. INTRODUCING COMPLEX, NATURALISTIC CHARACTERS AND A THOROUGHLY SHARED UNIVERSE INTO SUPERHERO COMIC BOOKS. IN ADDITION, HE HEADED THE FIRST MAJOR SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE TO THE INDUSTRY'S CENSORSHIP ORGANIZATION, THE COMICS CODE AUTHORITY, AND FORCED IT TO REFORM ITS POLICIES. LEE SUBSEQUENTLY LED THE EXPANSION OF MARVEL COMICS FROM A SMALL DIVISION OF A PUBLISHING HOUSE TO A LARGE MULTIMEDIA CORPORATION. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE COMIC BOOK INDUSTRY'S WILL EISNER COMIC BOOK HALL OF FAME IN 1994 AND THE JACK KIRBY HALL OF FAME IN 1995.

JOHN LENNON'S WHITE SUIT SELLS AT AUCTION FOR $46,000

THE WHITE TWO-PIECE SUIT JOHN LENNON WORE ON THE COVER OF THE BEATLES' ABBEY ROAD ALBUM HAS BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION IN CONNECTICUT FOR $46,000. THE SUIT AND OTHER BEATLES MEMORABILIA WERE SOLD SATURDAY AT THE BRASWELL GALLERIES' ANNUAL NEW YEAR'S DAY AUCTION TO AN ONLINE BIDDER WHO WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS. OWNER KATHY BRASWELL TELLS THE CONNECTICUT POST THE HOLIDAY AUCTION IS THEIR BIGGEST EVENT OF THE YEAR. THE SUIT WAS CUSTOM MADE FOR LENNON BY FRENCH DESIGNER TED LAPIDUS. HANK GIOIELLA OF DARIEN PAID $5,500 FOR A RUSTED GREEN 1972 CHRYSLER STATION WAGON LENNON AND YOKO ONO OWNED. THE ABBEY ROAD IMAGE IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC ALBUM COVERS OF ALL TIME AND THE FAMOUS SHOT FOR THE FINAL BEATLES ALBUM TOOK ON A LIFE OF IT'S OWN. FORTY YEARS AFTER FIRST BEING PUBLISHED, THE FAMILIAR IMAGE IS SO INDELIBLY IMPRINTED ON THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION IT SERVES AS THE CATALYST FOR THOUSANDS OF MULTI-GENERATIONAL BEATLES FANS TO MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE TO THE FAMED SPOT AND PAY HOMAGE.