Julien’s Auctions will offer a vast collection of costume jewellery from the golden age of Hollywood in November.

Every piece was made by Joseff of Hollywood, which produced practically all of the jewellery for the early film industry.

Hundreds of pieces of jewellery will be offered in the sale

The archive has been housed in the company’s warehouse in Burbank, California ever since.

Joseff kept most of the jewellery it produced, renting pieces out to other productions over the years.

Some of the pieces offered in the sale, including the jewelled bib necklace Ona Munson wears in The Shanghai Gesture (1941), were used in several different movies.  

Eugene Joseff arrived in California in the late 1920s after studying art in Chicago. He soon fell in with the movie crowd and set himself the task of improving the costume jewellery used onscreen.

The collection includes pieces worn by Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind (1939), as well as Marilyn Monroe’s earrings from Some Like it Hot (1959).

The Daily Mail reports the collection is expected to sell for £1.6m-2.4m ($1.9m-2.9m).

Joseff of Hollywood remains in business today.

Perhaps uniquely, as well as costume jewellery, it also produces parts for the aerospace industry (Eugene got into that side of the business during the second world war).

We’re offering a fabulous relic from Hollywood’s golden age.

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