Mid-Hudson Galleries To Auction Unique Archive Of Liberace’s Personal Effects, Dec. 3 The Dec. 3 sale will include personal jewelry, stage apparel and mementos.
also owned many handmade bow ties embellished with rhinestones, crystals and faceted stones. For especially important occasions – including the first time he met President Reagan – Liberace would select an After Dark by Serrano navy blue satin bow tie accented by a crown-shape brooch. This personal favorite is included in the Dec. 2 auction.
The collection contains manuscripts or other written representations for each of Liberace’s books. Of particular interest are three spiral notebooks containing the handwritten original manuscript (92 pages total) for one of Liberace’s autobiographies, which he wrote while on tour and between shows.
Also to be auctioned are thousands of vintage photographs documenting Liberace’s life, from his childhood and teenage years in Wisconsin through his long career as an international superstar. Some of the pictures are of Liberace with celebrity friends, at home with his staff or at other private occasions. Many are the actual photos seen in Liberace’s three books, while others have never before been published. A trove of ephemera includes letters and holiday cards sent to Liberace by movie stars, TV personalities, U.S. presidents and other notables.
“Liberace made headlines throughout his career, and with the upcoming HBO production about his life, which will star Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, we anticipate there will be strong interest in the items in this collection,” said Joanne Grant. “He was one of a kind and a true Hollywood legend.”
‘Liberace The Auction’ will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, commencing at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. All forms of bidding will be available, including live at the auction venue, absentee, by phone or live via the Internet through www.LiveAuctioneers.com. The auction will be held at 171 Temple Hill Rd. (Rt. 300) in New Windsor, NY 12553. For additional information call 914-882-7356 or e-mail mag2715jag@aol.com. Online: www.midhudsongalleries.com.
A gala wine and hors d’oeuvres auction preview will be held at Mid-Hudson Galleries’ auction venue on Friday, Dec. 2, from 6-9 p.m. A 7 p.m. talk by Joanne Grant will discuss the auction, its origins and the items being sold. Admission is $20 per person, with proceeds benefiting Orange AHRC, a nonprofit whose programs both encourage those with unique abilities and provide support to those who are challenged. To RSVP, call 914-240-4795.
CAPTION:
In this photograph, Liberace is dressed to entertain in a dazzling stage costume, his fingers bedecked with gold and diamond jewelry. Mid-Hudson Galleries image.
