Greta Garbo’s Personal Items Bring Big Results At Auction

The late actress Greta Garbo has some wealthy admirers willing to open their wallets.

The star’s personal items fetched over a million dollars in an auction over the weekend. The Beverly Hills event began on December 14 and was hosted by Julien’s Auction House.

The Huffington Post reports that the auction, held over a two day period, brought in unexpected results. Pre-auction estimates were exceeded by as much as three times the amount Garbo’s effects were expected to net. The auction’s results put the actress in league with other iconic Hollywood legends, such as Marilyn Monroe.

Martin Nolan, the Executive Director of Julien’s Auctions, said in a statement:

“Greta Garbo commanded Marilyn Monroe prices today. Her beauty, extraordinary screen presence and fashion trending style were proven to be timeless in this extraordinary two-day event.”

An article by Today writes that members of Garbo’s family had been keeping the items in storage. A decision was made to sell the belongings and an auction announcement was made in August. The 800 items up for grabs by auction goers included clothing, accessories, jewelry, furniture, and memorabilia.

One of the highest selling items was Garbo’s Louis Vuitton streamer trunk, which sold for $37,500. High bids were also received for the actress’ US passport, a 1930’s velvet evening gown, and three leather driving caps from her 1924 car advertisement. The caps alone brought in a winning bid of $15,000.

The Swedish-born Garbo found fame during the Hollywood classic and silent film eras. Her work included roles in the films Anna Christie, Camille, and Anna Karenina. Her talent gained the actress four Academy Award nominations and she was given an honorary Oscar in 1954.

Greta Garbo passed away in New York in 1990 at the age of 84.

What do you think of the Greta Garbo auction results?