Monroe, Sinatra memorabilia on sale

Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe memorabilia is set to be the highlight of an auction.

Los Angeles: An array of contemporary and classic sports, music and entertainment memorabilia, alongside new emerging markets such as punk and hip hop, designer toys, and street art related to celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe will be the highlight of an auction scheduled for September 3 in Philadelphia.

Under the direction of Simeon Lipman - of Antiques Roadshow fame - the auction is aimed at appealing to a broad audience, including movie buffs, sports fans, and urban art enthusiasts alike. A rare highlight of the auction is a remarkable two-page letter from Sinatra to Chicago Daily News writer Mike Royko, written after Royko criticized Sinatra and his relationship with the Chicago police. The letter, with a pre-sale estimate of 10,000-15,000 dollars, was famously penned and copyrighted by Sinatra in May 1976. Another piece of New York nostalgia sure to bring Manhattanites to the Philadelphia sale room is an autographed baseball signed by seven of the 1927 New York Yankees, including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, for 15,000-20,000 dollars. In addition to the letter and baseball, this auction will include more than 310 items from celebrities like Monroe and the Beastie Boys, props and costumes from movies like `Blade Runner` and `Terminator 2`, and original graffiti art from underground artists. In total, there is something for any fan of current and past movie, music and sporting traditions, the auction house said. PTI