Signed and inscribed “To Joe /Love & Kisses / Marilyn Monroe”, this large photo-portrait got a Westport, Connecticut auction house wondering – could it really have been sent to the legendary Yankees baseball star, Joe DiMaggio?
The couple were married for just nine months in 1954 before Monroe filed for divorce, accusing DiMaggio of mental cruelty.
University Archives (25% buyer’s premium) left it to collectors to make up their own minds in a November 11 sale, but added the following note: “According to an advanced collector of Hollywood photos, Lt Tal Kanagher, a Burbank Police Officer (who we were unable to locate in a Google search) informed said collector that DiMaggio had informed him that Marilyn ‘NEVER’ signed a photo to him (DiMaggio).
“As of now this is unsubstantiated but worth noting. We do not know if ‘Joe’ is just some ‘regular joe’ or not and will let the bidders decide as to attribution.”
Where it has gone I cannot tell, only echo a famous line from a Simon & Garfunkel song in the headline – but it did sell, albeit a little under estimate at $18,000 (£13,635).
