Photo by me when I had the chance to visit in person ahead of the auction
This is your chance to own an iconic piece of Old Hollywood History!  In 2017 this spectacular dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1954 film Sabrina reemerged on the scene as part of Debbie Reynolds's legendary collection. But here's the wild thing – it almost slipped through the cracks!
Imagine, hidden away in a warehouse on Reynolds' sprawling 44-acre ranch (for who knows how many years) lying in a trunk was the famous Sabrina dress. It took Profiles in History, the auction house tasked with the historic sale of Reynolds' 1500 or so personal items, which included numerous pieces of Old Hollywood history, to discover it right as the auction house had just finalized plans for the 4th and final auction of Reynolds estate.
Joe Maddalena, the President and CEO of Profiles in History, recalls the moment of discovery vividly. They had been hard at work for 5 months cataloging items when the trunks were discovered. “There were three trunks in the back of a warehouse," he recounts.
“We had been told it was vaudeville stuff, nothing important. But we had a few hours to kill, so we opened up the trunks and started pulling stuff out."
Lo and behold, alongside a few Mae West costumes, lay the Sabrina dress, a shimmering reminder of Old Hollywood's golden era and one that any fan of Old Hollywood would imminently recognize.Â
He added that if they hadn't opened the trunks, "it would have likely ended up at Goodwill." Can you just imagine being the Old Hollywood fan who found it there?! I would have truly felt like I won the lottery!!
Shots I took ahead of the auction
But how did such an iconic dress end up in a forgotten trunk in a warehouse for countless years? Maddalena speculates that even Reynolds, a savvy collector, might have lost track amidst her treasure trove of acquisitions. In the 2017 auction, it fetched a cool $204,000, but guess what? And it's back for round two!
Yes, you heard that right – you've got another shot at owning this piece of cinematic history. The bidding ends March 12th, 2024 at Prop Store Auction, with estimates ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 (it currently sits at $70,000 on March 10th). And hey, if you've got a spare quarter-million lying around, why not indulge in a slice of Hollywood royalty?
I recently had the privilege to lay eyes on this masterpiece up close and personal myself, I can attest – it's breathtaking nature. The elegance, the allure, the sheer aura of all that Old Hollywood history – it's all there. While there I interviewed Prop Shops costume expert, we delved into the fabrics, construction, and the contentious issue of the dress's designer. In brief, there's a debate: some claim Givenchy was the mind behind it, snubbed when only Edith Head was soley credited for the film's costumes and won an Academy Award. Others argue it's solely Edith Head's creation, while some suggest it's a collaboration.
Stay tuned for more on this in a future post, but for now you can catch insights from the Prop Shop's expert in my YouTube video for now!
So, we eagerly await its new owner, I can't help but dream it could be mine, at least until the moment the hammer comes down. And to the lucky bidder – call me let’s be friends!
Here's the link to it's current listing -Sabrina Dress
