Gallery of Period Costumes to be sold in largest auction ever

What an astounding collection!

It is a shame that these outfits and memorabilia lovingly acquired over 4 decades by actress Debbie Reynolds are now to be sold individually at auction. Many of us would have loved to see a museum created to house these period pieces but sadly that did not happen and not for lack of trying on Reynold's part!

However, since they're now up for auction, it gives us a chance to see them! Here I've posted just a sample of the period costumes in the catalogue for Profiles in History!

Shown on left: Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Ascot dress from My Fair Lady (1964) designed by legendary costume designer Cecil Beaton. (listed at $200,000 to $300,000)

See results of items sold at auction June 18, 2011

The Virgin Queen (1955)
1. Bette Davis “Queen Elizabeth I” golden yellow brocade royal gown
2. Joan Collins “Beth Throgmorton” rose brocade gown
3. Bette Davis “Queen Elizabeth I” rose-colored silk royal gown



The Sound of Music (1965)
Three dresses worn by Julie Andrews as Maria Von Trapp (The brown jumper worn by Maria as she sang Do-Re-Mi, is listed at $30,000-60,000 while the green dress is listed for $6-8,000 and the beige peasant dress is listed at $30-50,000)

The Sound of Music (1965)
"Drapery" costumes worn by Debbie Turner “Marta” and Kym Karath “Gretl”



Marie Antoinette (1938)
1. Norma Shearer “Marie Antoinette” umber silk velvet two-piece dress
(Also worn by Lucille Ball as “Madame Du Barry” in Du Barry Was A Lady)
2. Norma Shearer “Marie Antoinette” ivory with black velvet two-piece gown



Marie Antoinette (1938)
1. John Barrymore “King Louis XV” peach silk brocade jacket
2. Joseph Schildkraut “Duke d’Orleans” wine velvet period coat



Pride and Prejudice (1940)
1. Laurence Olivier “Mr. Darcy” green wool tailcoat
2. Ann Rutherford “Lydia Bennet” Green wool dress
3. Melville Cooper “Mr. Collins” grey wool tailcoat



Raintree County (1957)
Dresses worn by Elizabeth Taylor as “Susanna Drake”



Mary of Scotland (1936)
1. Florence Eldridge “Elizabeth Tudor” green velvet gown
2. Katharine Hepburn red period gown
3. Florence Eldridge “Elizabeth Tudor” black, red and silver gown



Little Women (1949) Designed by Walter Plunkett
1. Edna May Oliver “Aunt March” burgundy dress
2. Elizabeth Taylor “Amy March” lavender dress
3. Katharine Hepburn “Jo” brown dress
Little Women (1949)
Worn by Janet Leigh (Meg) and June Allyson (Jo)



Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
1. Olivia de Havilland “Lady Penelope Gray”
2. Worn by a Lady of the Court



Diane (1956)
1. Lana Turner “Diane de Poitiers” champagne velvet pearl-encrusted court gown
2. Marisa Pavan “Catherine de Medici” rose velvet court gown



Diane (1956)
1. Lana Turner “Diane de Poitiers – Countess de Breze” black satin gown
2. Marisa Pavan “Catherine de Medici” green velvet and satin court gown



Desirée (1954)
1. Marlon Brando “Napoleon Bonaparte” coronation costume
2. Merle Oberon “Empress Josephine” Coronation gown

Desirée (1954)
Pair of ivory satin Coronation gowns worn by Napoleon's sisters



How the West Was Won (1962)
1. Debbie Reynolds “Lilith Prescott” pleated silk gown with lace overlay
2. Debbie Reynolds “Lilith Prescott” silk floral gown
3. Thelma Ritter “Agatha Clegg” blue silk gown



Romeo and Juliet (1936)
1. Leslie Howard “Romeo Montague” black-velvet doublet and pants
2. Norma Shearer “Juliet Capulet” purple velvet embroidered dress



A Midsummer Night's Dream (1953)
3 court gowns worn by extras



Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
1. Hermione Baddeley “Buttercup Grogan” peach silk floral gown
2. Debbie Reynolds “Molly Brown” signature lavender lace gown



Young Bess (1953)
1. Jean Simmons “Queen Elizabeth I” beige silk gown
2. Deborah Kerr “Catherine Parr” blue and gray damask gown



The Swan (1956)
1. Jessie Royce Landis “Princess Beatrix” beaded silk gown and
2. Grace Kelly “Princess Alexandra” ivory silk chiffon evening gown
3. Estelle Winwood “Symphorosa” red silk beaded gown



Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
1. Dolores Costello “Isabel Amberson” aubergine silk-velvet and lace robe
2. Agnes Moorehead “Fanny Minafer silver satin floral pattern ball gown



Mrs. Parkington (1944)
1. Greer Garson “Susie ‘Sparrow’ Parkington ivory lace gown
2. Greer Garson “Mrs. Parkington” portrait



1. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) worn by Judy Garland “Esther Smith”

2. Anna Karenina (1935) worn by Greta Garbo “Anna Karenina”

3. Beau Brummel (1954) Elizabeth Taylor “Lady Patricia”

1. Gigi (1958) worn by Eva Gabor “Liane d’Exelmans”
2. The Three Musketeers (1948) worn by Angela Lansbury “Queen Anne”
3. Gaslight (1944) worn by Ingrid Bergman “Paula Alquist”

1. Desirée (1954) worn by Jean Simmons “Desirée Clary”
2. Salome (1953) worn by Rita Hayworth “Princess Salome”

View more of the collection
(I've uploaded 100+ photos to photobucket)