Monroe`s personal letter auctioned

A young Monroe`s letter describing her married life sold for USD 52,460.

Los Angeles: An eight-page signed letter from a 16-year-old Marilyn Monroe to her foster mother Grace Goddard describing her married life in vivid details sold for USD 52,460 at an auction here.

The Bonhams sale of manuscripts from the estate of well-known collectors and autograph dealers, Tucker Fleming and Charles Williamson on April 20 brought over USD 1.53 million and featured an impressive collection of 600 lots that included personal letters, documents and photographs covering literature, art and film, the auction house said. The Monroe letter, with an estimate of USD 25,000-35,000 and signed Norma Jeane Dougherty, described the personal details of the star`s wedding at the age of 16 to Jim Dougherty. Charles Williamson often described it as "the greatest Marilyn Monroe letter in the world". In her letter, Monroe tells her foster mother that she has a "cute little house" and will take a picture of it and send it to her. She also draws a rough floor plan of her house in the letter. The other items on sale were related to icons like Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, Ian Fleming, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Ernest Hemingway, Audrey Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock, Vivien Leigh, Margaret Mitchell and Elizabeth Taylor, among others. PTI