You Can Buy Hugh Hefner's Stuff at Auction ー and Some of It's Cheap
*By Carlo Versano*
If you've ever wanted to sleep in Hugh Hefner's silk pajamas, you're about to get your chance.
Various pairs of those pjs in a rainbow of colors ー "straight from his closet at the Playboy Mansion" ー are among the items going on the auction block in Los Angeles Friday and Saturday. Julien's Auctions, known for its sales of ephemera from high-profile stars like Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra, is inviting the public to bid on any of the available [836 items](https://www.juliensauctions.com/exhibition-press-release?id=202) .
Martin Nolan, the executive director of Julein's Auctions, gave Cheddar an up-close look at a few of his favorite pieces. And some are priced to sell.
Bidding for Hef's famous sailor hat will start around $100, while the first key to the first Playboy Club is expected to go in the $200 to $400 range. Nolan called the items for auction "great conversation pieces" but also "tangible assets."
"Over time, it's likely they will appreciate in value," Nolan said.
Indeed, some already have. When Hefner was starting Playboy Enterprises, he famously paid $500 for previously unreleased nude photos of Marilyn Monroe, which he then used as the centerpiece of the inaugural Playboy issue in 1953. Hefner's personal copy of that issue, which originally sold on newsstands for 50 cents, is expected to fetch up to $5,000. Monroe, whose image Hefner appropriated to start his lucrative business empire, once [said](https://books.google.com/books?id=i1DVLf3y36kC&lpg=PA84&dq=%22I%20never%20even%20received%20a%20thank-you%20from%20all%20those%20who%20made%20millions%20off%20a%20nude%20Marilyn%20photograph.%20I%20even%20had%20to%20buy%20a%20copy%20of%20the%20magazine%20to%20see%20myself%20in%20it%22&pg=PA84#v=onepage&q=thank-you&f=false) she never got a thank you from Hef, and that she paid for her own copy of the issue to see her photos. Hefner, who died in 2017, bought the crypt next to Monroe's and is now interred there.
The proceeds from the auction will benefit the Hugh Hefner Foundation, his personal philanthropy that promotes issues of civil liberties and First Amendment rights.
Gabrielle Bernstein, author of 'Happy Days: The Guided Path from Trauma to Profound Freedom and Inner Peace,' joins Cheddar News to discuss her new book.
Cheddar's Azia Celestino sits down with Katori Hall, creator of 'P-Valley,' to talk all about her journey creating the Starz series and what viewers can expect in season two.
Cheddar's Azia Celestino sits down with actors J. Alphonse Nicholson and Shannon Thornton to talk all about the new season of the Starz drama 'P-Valley.'
Cheddar's Azia Celestino sits down with actors Brandee Evans and Nicco Annan from the popular Starz series 'P-Valley' to talk all about the new season and their characters.
Akbar Hamid, co-founder of People of Crypto Lab, joins Cheddar News to discuss how the company is bridging culture and crypto with new metaverse hub, 'Valley of Belonging.'
We take a look back at the amazing Asian American and Pacific Islanders who joined Cheddar News as they reflect on what AAPI Heritage Month means to them. Plus, Filipino-American entrepreneur Jelynn Malone talks all about Mostra Coffee and what makes it different.
Career opportunity platform Guild raised $175 million in a Series F round led by Wellington Management. Global media icon Oprah Winfrey also participated in the round, which comes just months after Guild was named one of Time's most influential companies. Guild partners with employers to help them offer education opportunities to their employees. Customers include some of the biggest companies in the world, including Walmart, Pepsi, and Disney. The startup's funding comes amid a historically tight labor market, with demand for workers remaining strong across the country. Rachel Romer Carlson, Co-Founder and CEO of Guild, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Day two of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee are underway on Friday in the United Kingdom, as the country continues to honor the monarch's 70 years on the throne. While most of the attention is on the Queen, brands around the world are also hoping to use the cultural moment to get the attention of consumers with limited-edition Jubilee-themed products. The Centre for Retail Research estimated consumers will spend the equivalent of $510 million on Jubilee-related expenses throughout the celebration this weekend. Hilary Fordwich, global business analyst and British royals commentator, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Lagoona Bloo, a New York City-based drag queen, joined Cheddar News to talk about Pride Month and her music (that’s TOTALLY giving Britney vibes by the way). "Something that drag queens don’t really do is sing," Bloo said. “I wanted to create music that I loved as a kid." The artist also touched on the serious matter of the spate of anti-LGBTQ laws being enacted across the nation.
