Joe DiMaggio Collection at Public Auction

[Eric]

From the ol e-mailbox


Hunt Auctions,Inc. historic sale of the Joe DiMaggio Collection will close to all absentee bidding tomorrow, Thursday May 18th at 5pm EST. Telephone bidding reservations may be requested by calling 610.524.0822. We strongly encourage bidders to reserve telephone lines as early as possible due to limited availability. To view the online catalogue and place bids go to the "Current Live Auction" section of our website at http://www.huntauctions.com (http://www.huntauctions.com/) . All items for the Joe DiMaggio auction are currently on display in the Manhattan ballroom at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York. We are currently accepting consignments for the 2006 Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest Live Auction to be held in Pittsburgh this July. Please call 610.524.0822 or email info@huntauctions.com for more information. Thank you.

[suave1477]

I find it interesteing I AM NOT SAYING ALL THE ITEMS, but I noticed a lot of the items that are being offered are not really close personal things to Joe DiMaggio, I saw about 15 watches being offered that were gifts to him from casinos along with many other items that were given to him for promotional reasons from places like that.
Think about it maybe the first couple of items you get your like "Wow thats really cool" but when your offered your thousandth item your more like "Wow another? ill throw that it in the closet with the others"

Just a thought!!

[skipcareyisfat]

Great stuff, but I'm still saving my money for the Wayne Krenchicki collection.

[Eric]

Hunt Collection on NPR

May 13, 2006 · Where has your stuff gone, Joe DiMaggio? Well, it turns out many collectibles from the late baseball icon's memorable life will soon be going... going.... gone at auction.
The gavel will fall during a two-day session on May 19-20 at the New York Marriott Marquis Times Square. The catalogue is already open for online and telephone bids.
Hunt Auctions of Exton, Pa., will sell a captivating assortment of the Yankee Clipper's keepsakes: World Series championship rings, trophies, awards, photos, relics of his brief marriage to Marilyn Monroe... and a uniform from his final World Series game in 1951.
David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, talks with Scott Simon about the collection.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW BY CLICKING ON LISTED AT THE TOP OF THIS LINK
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5402287

[Eric]

From San Francisco Chronicle

JOE'S BID-NESS
DiMaggio's granddaughters are selling off their memorabilia (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/05/17/DIMAGGIO.TMP)
- John Shea, Chronicle Staff Writer (jshea@sfchronicle.com)
Wednesday, May 17, 2006



Joe DiMaggio's last Yankees uniform is going for $200,000 to $300,000. His early '90s Mercedes 420SEL, driven 65,000 miles, is available for $15,000 to $20,000. A love letter from Marilyn Monroe? Between 20 and 30 grand.
Too pricey?
His driver's license, 50-year-old smoking robe and Oakland A's uniform (from an old-timers' game) are in the $2,000 range.
Still too pricey?
How about frequent-flier cards for 500 bucks?
Joltin' Joe's stuff is heading to public auction, and pretty much everything goes. World Series rings. Autographed balls and bats. Awards and certificates. Golf clubs and watches. Tables and chairs. All kinds of Marilyn keepsakes.
His two granddaughters, both residing in the East Bay, cleared out their garages, storage lockers and filing cabinets and made thousands of items available for a two-day auction in New York on Friday and Saturday. David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, Inc., estimated the collection is worth between $3 million and $4 million, but it could fetch twice that.
"I know about every great collection out there," Hunt said. "As far as a player collection, there are none to come into a public marketplace that compares as far as quality or quantity. In my opinion, it's not even close."
DiMaggio died in March 1999 at 84. He had one child, Joe Jr., who died five months later at 57. The granddaughters, Kathie Stein and Paula Hamra, were adopted, and each has two teenage children. Neither saw DiMaggio play.
Joe Jr., who was estranged from his father and had a hard time coping with his dad's fame, battled drug and alcohol abuse and often was homeless. His mother was Dorothy Arnold, an actress who married DiMaggio in 1939.
"We probably got along better with our grandfather than with our dad," said Stein, 45. "Joe Jr. didn't have his act together. That's the way it was. (Joe Sr.) had more hands-on with our schooling. He brought us something if we had good report cards and yelled at us when we didn't have good manners."
The granddaughters, who attended a recent private showing in Danville, are keeping a few things, mostly personal, plus his 1936 World Series ring, which he wore. It was from his first of nine World Series titles.
"He was a product of the Depression -- he kept everything," said Hamra, 42. "I still have things that are important to me. We thought people would appreciate a lot of this more than we would."
That might have been true in Martinez, where DiMaggio was born. For years, the city tried to open a museum to honor its native son. One proposal was to house the museum in an old office of Nancy Fahden, who served as Contra Costa County supervisor for 15 years through 1992.
The building sported a banner declaring "Future Home of the Joe DiMaggio Museum." But all attempts failed, largely because of DiMaggio's lack of interest and unwillingness to give up personal items.
"I think it's a shame," Fahden said Tuesday of this week's auction. "Some of that memorabilia should be in Martinez, but what can you do when the family has monetary rights? Martinez should have done everything to preserve Joe's history, greatness and achievements. He was a big star. The museum always came down to finances, and he had a team of lawyers. It wasn't easy."
According to DiMaggio's last will and testament, Stein and Hamra and their children are the chief beneficiaries of his estate. A trust fund was to pay Joe Jr. $20,000 a year, apparently the smallest gift in the document.
DiMaggio and Monroe were married at San Francisco City Hall on Jan. 14, 1954. One month later, she wrote him a two-page love letter, which is one of the prized items to be auctioned. Alone late at night (11:58 p.m., according to the letter), Marilyn wrote of wanting to be a faithful wife and give birth to his children. As Stein said, "The letter shows how close they were, and it meant a lot to him because he held onto it so long."
Marilyn filed for divorce nine months into the marriage -- Joe was extremely jealous and never approved of her Hollywood lifestyle -- though they remained close until her 1962 death.
The granddaughters said they're donating a portion of the auction proceeds to the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Florida. DiMaggio's attorney and friend, Morris Engelberg, has no financial ties to the auction, Hunt said. The granddaughters said Dom DiMaggio, who played 11 seasons for the Boston Red Sox, is fine with the sisters selling his brother's belongings.
"They've thought it through and have been careful and meticulous about they way they've approached this," said former 49ers tight end Brent Jones, who attended the private showing and is a friend of the granddaughters. "It's being done with class. I know Joe was extremely close to his granddaughters and great-grandkids, and I think it's a good idea to have these things out in public."
Jeff Idelson, vice president of communications of the Baseball Hall of Fame, would have loved some of the items, but said, "As a not-for-profit museum, we can't compete. We hope a few of the people who win items at auction consider donating or lending to museums to preserve his legacy. Joe DiMaggio is an important figure in baseball history, and you want his legacy to continue."
What would Joe have thought of the auction?
"Good question," Stein said. "I can't say 100 percent. It's a strange thing, selling off somebody's possessions. I'd have to say there's a reason he had it. He loved us and trusted us enough to know that there would be things we'd share with people and things we wouldn't. Most of it, we're sharing with people because it would mean more to other people than to us.
"I was a big Joe grandpa fan. I wasn't necessarily a big Joe baseball fan. I was a fan of my gramps. He was fantastic to our kids."
One story the family likes to tell is about the day one of DiMaggio's great-grandkids played a ballgame. The third-base coach was missing, and the team manager asked Joe to coach third, so Joe walked onto the field in sunglasses and a golf hat.
A parent was heard to say, "Does that old guy know what the hell he's doing?"
To which the manager smiled and said, "I think he knows a little bit about the game."
DiMaggio auction

What:
The Joe DiMaggio Collection at Public Auction, the sale of more than 1,000 items on behalf of the DiMaggio family.
When: Friday and Saturday.
Where:
New York Marquis Hotel in Times Square, NY.
More
information: huntauctions.com.
Marilyn's love letter to Joe:
I don't know how to tell you just how much I miss you. I love you till my heart could burst. All I love, all I want, all I need is you -- forever.
I want to just be where you are and be just what you want me to be.
I know it's lousy of me to be so late so often and I promise to try a million times harder. I promise.
I want someday for you to be proud of me as a person and as your wife and as the mother of the rest of your children. (two at least! I've decided)
I miss it so much when you don't love me and hold me and cuddle me to sleep every night. I want to be near you and I feel so sad tonight.
Darling, please don't leave me anymore.
Love Marilyn
This letter, written in 1954, was found in Joe DiMaggio's belongings. It's estimated value, according to Hunt Auction, Inc., is $20,000-$30,000. Page D - 1
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/05/17/DIMAGGIO.TMP

[Eric]

From NY Daily News


New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com (http://www.nydailynews.com/)A piece of Yanks' clipper
By DORIAN BLOCK
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Wednesday, May 17th, 2006

On the field, Joe DiMaggio let his bat do the talking. But in his star-crossed relationship with Marilyn Monroe, Joltin' Joe found it necessary to jot down tips on dealing with the emotionally fragile actress.
"Don't ever be critical," "Be nice to her friends," "Remember how lonesome and unhappy you are — especially without her," the Yankee baseball great wrote in a pocket-size journal some time after the couple's 1954 divorce.
The revealing writings, along with the couple's telegrams and love letters — and lots of DiMaggio baseball memorabilia — are going up for auction this weekend at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square.
David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, said DiMaggio's granddaughters, who inherited the Hall of Famer's estate after his 1999 death, wanted to present a range of items for the Yankee Clipper's fans.
The biggest prize could be a home jersey worn by DiMaggio during the 1951 World Series. The jersey from DiMaggio's final season is estimated to go for $200,000 to $300,000, though experts say the bidding could hit much higher.
Among the Monroe-related items are several love letters expected to garner more than $20,000 each, a signed "To Joe" photograph, along with her passport and marriage certificate.
The item that perhaps gives the most insight into the famous duo's tumultuous personal life is the journal, estimated to garner between $10,000 and $15,000.
"No jealousy. Remember this is not your wife. She is a fine girl and remember how unhappy you made her. Happiness is what you strive for — for HER," the first page says.
New Yorkers eager to get close to some of DiMaggio and Monroe's magic perused the exhibit yesterday.
"I grew up in the '40s and '50s, so the old-time uniform brings you back," said David Wein, 65, who traveled from Long Island to see the exhibit.
"I'm just looking, but I'll be back," said Albert Gallo, 80, a life-long baseball fan who watched DiMaggio play at Yankee Stadium many times.
Hunt noted that some items — including photographs and old credit cards — are expected to sell for as little as $40.
A portion of the proceeds from the auction, to take place over four sessions Friday and Saturday, will go to the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation in Hollywood, Fla. For more information, visit www.huntauctions.com.

Something for every budget
Some of the most expensive items up for bid at the Joe DiMaggio auction and what they are estimated to fetch:
Home uniform worn during DiMaggio's final World Series in 1951 ($200,000 to $300,000)
1947 MVP Award plaque ($150,000 to $250,000)
Set of Yankees World Series rings ($100,000 to $150,000)
Baseball that ended the 56-game consecutive hit steak in 1941 ($50,000 to $75,000)
Marilyn Monroe-signed photograph "To Joe" ($30,000 to $40,000)
Monroe's 1954 United States passport ($30,000 to $40,000)
Monroe letter written to DiMaggio found in his wallet ($20,000 to $30,000)
Some of the Joe DiMaggio auction items expected to be least expensive and what they are estimated to fetch:
Cashmere sport coat ($200 to $300)
Collection of 23 vintage photographs ($250 to $350)
Set of six custom-made Yankees drinking glasses ($250 to $350)
Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams cartoon by the Daily News' Bill Gallo ($300 to $400)
Collection of 37 personalized golf tees and six gold-plated tees ($300 to $400)

[Eric]

Anyone planning on going to the DiMaggio auction?

Anyone putting in absentee bids today?

I went through the catalog last night, and it appears Mr. Dimaggio got a llot of gifts and didn't throw away much.
E

[suave1477]

Eric thats what I said earlier, seem like most of the stuff up for auction were gifts to him and not exactly persoanl items.

[Eric]

Associated Press
Update 7: DiMaggio Series Uniform Sells for $195K
05.20.2006, 06:50 PM

A uniform worn by Joe DiMaggio in his final World Series sold for $195,500 Saturday during the second day of an auction of his memorabilia.

The pinstriped flannel home uniform was won by an anonymous bidder. DiMaggio wore the jersey during the 1951 World Series, when the Yankees defeated the New York Giants.

According to Hunt Auctions Inc., the matching pants - while worn during the 1951 season - couldn't be verified as being used in the World Series. DiMaggio retired after winning the championship, turning his spot in center field over to Mickey Mantle.

Also fetching top prices Saturday were items related to DiMaggio's one-time wife, actress Marilyn Monroe. The couple married in January 1954, but split after nine months.

Monroe's 1954 U.S. passport sold for $115,000. A photograph of herself that she autographed with the words "I love you Joe, Marilyn" sold for $80,500. And a Monroe-autographed handwritten letter sent to DiMaggio and dated March 1, 1954, sold for $51,750.

A pair of watches awarded to DiMaggio following his first two Most Valuable Player seasons sold for $92,000 (1939) and $86,250 (1941). The latter came in the year that DiMaggio achieved one of baseball's most enduring marks, his 56-game hitting streak.

"Presented to Joseph Paul DiMaggio, Jr. Outfielder of the New York Yankees by The Sporting News For Being Named Most Valuable Player in American League for 1941," the inscription reads.

On Friday, the first day of the two-day auction, DiMaggio's 1947 Most Valuable Player award was sold for $281,750 to New York collector Pete Siegel.

In all, more than 1,000 DiMaggio items went on the auction block. All sale prices included a 15 percent buyer's premium.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

[Eric]

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Dough DiMaggio
BY RICH SCHAPIRO and MADISON J. GRAY
DAILY NEWS WRITERS
Sunday, May 21st, 2006

Joltin' Joe DiMaggio memorabilia went under the hammer yesterday as Yankees die-hards bid thousands of dollars for his most-prized possessions.
Souvenirs from the Hall of Fame slugger included a home uniform he wore at his final World Series in 1951. The pinstriped flannel uniform, with the Yankee Clipper's No. 5 on the back, was bought from Hunt Auctions by an anonymous phone bidder for an astounding $195,500.

"It's unbelievable it went for so much," said Yankees fan Chris Johnstone, 37, of Florida. "But I think it should have gone for more. After all, it was the World Series."

One of the hottest items at the auction in the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square was the ball the Yankee Clipper whacked in 1941 to break Wee Willie Keeler's 44-game hitting-streak record. The ball fetched $63,250. The day's most costly item, DiMaggio's 1947 Most Valuable Player award, was sold for $281,750 to the owner of a midtown collectibles shop.

Two handwritten letters from DiMaggio's one-time wife Marilyn Monroe were also coveted by many fans and collectors eager for a piece of history.

Among the curious at to the two-day auction was 18-year-old Travis Viola, a recent high school graduate from Manhattan whose devotion to the Yankees legend was marked by his DiMaggio jersey.

"Joe DiMaggio is a hero of mine," Viola said. "To own a piece of memorabilia of his, that would be amazing."

The fans came from across the nation for the chance to own anything linked to DiMaggio. Vinnie Valentino, 43, of Tampa, admired a glass display case containing paintings of the slugger.

"One of these will be above my TV by Monday," Valentino vowed.

"I guess everyone wants a piece of Joe," said Gary Cypres, 42, a sports-memorabilia collector from Los Angeles who paid $15,000 for a trophy and a photo album that was presented to the center fielder at Yankee Stadium on "Joe DiMaggio Day," Oct. 1, 1949.

Bobby Brocato, a doctor from Louisiana, went to the auction to buy a silver-plated ice bucket that his father had given DiMaggio in the 1940s.

"I had to bring it home," he said after spending $2,100. "My daddy would've wanted me to do that."


With Jonathan Lemire and News Wire Services