Monroe's Handwritten Poetry Hits Auction for 100th Birthday
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- Heritage Auctions is releasing a trove of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia to the highest bidders for the first time, timed to what would have been Monroe's milestone 100th birthday on June 1, 2026.
- The collection features handwritten letters and poetry, watercolor paintings, and motivational notes to self — many revealed to the public for the first time — with letters reading like diary entries in which Monroe reflects on her relationships with Arthur Miller and Joe DiMaggio.
- All items come from the estate of playwright Norman Rosten and his wife Hedda, who befriended Monroe through their connection to Miller; Hedda later worked for Monroe as her personal assistant and secretary, and Monroe gifted her many of the pieces.
- The archive spans 1955 to 1962 and includes a Christian Dior wool skirt suit Monroe famously wore on her honeymoon with DiMaggio, along with jewelry and other clothing she gave to Hedda.
- Joe Maddalena, Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions, called the collection "a remarkable archive of primary material" offering "unprecedented clarity" into Monroe's inner life rather than the familiar Hollywood image.
- Monroe's centennial celebrations also include an Official Centenary Book featuring more than 200 photographs by Cecil Beaton, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Richard Avedon.
Why it matters: For collectors, scholars, and fans, this is one of the first public chances to encounter Monroe through her own handwriting — poetry, diary-like letters, and self-motivational notes — rather than through her screen image, with provenance tracing to the estate of her closest confidant during her final seven years.
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