Auction of Raquel Welch items fetches over $1 million

Raquel Welch speaks at press conference in New York City, August 14, 1984. (AP Photo)

LOS ANGELES – An auction of items from the late actress Raquel Welch was a massive success, fetching over $1.08 million, three and a half times higher than the most hopeful estimates, officials said Saturday.

Nearly all the 500 marquee items owned by Welch were sold in a live and online auction conducted Friday in Los Angeles, according to Julien’s Auctions.

A necklace worn by Welch to the June 23, 1970 New York City premiere of her film “Myra Breckinridge” and taken during a 1970 photo shoot with celebrity photographer Terry O’Neill was the top-selling item, fetching $195,000 — 195 times its original estimate of $1,000. The turquoise and silver squash blossom necklace is designed in the style developed by the Navajo and adopted by other Southwestern tribes including the Zuni and Hopi.

Among the other sales were:
— A 2018 Mercedes SL 550 convertible owned and driven by Welch went for $104,000 (estimate: $70,000-$100,000).
— Welch’s 1975 Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her role in “The Three Musketeers” brought $26,000, far over the original estimate of $3,000.
— A two-piece bikini-style costume worn by Welch when she portrayed Lillian Lust in the 1967 comedy “Bedazzled” sold for $22,750, far beyond its estimate of $500.
— A shimmering Bob Mackie halter-neck dress embellished with gold, silver-tone, copper and dark brown sequins and rhinestones with sheer chiffon cutouts worn by Welch during a number of appearances, including her 1970s stage show and her 1978 appearance on “The Muppet Show,” sold for $16,250, eight times its original estimate of $2,000.
— A suede and faux fur bikini in the style of Welch’s film “One Million Years B.C.,” which was Welch’s most iconic image, sold for $13,000, 26 times the original estimate of $500.
— A beaded one-piece costume from the 1970 photo shoot with O’Neill, in which Welch stripped out of a gorilla suit to reveal a blonde afro wig and a custom-made, nude-illusion, burlesque leotard with handset embellishments, sold for $10,400, 34 times its estimate of $300.
— Welch’s La Jolla High School 1958 diploma, accompanied by her senior year report card, sold for $3,250, over 16 times its estimate of $200.

One of Hollywood’s most famous sex symbols, Welch was known for her roles in the films “Fantastic Voyage,” “Myra Breckinridge,” “The Three Musketeers” and “One Million Years B.C.”

She died Feb. 15. 2023 at the age of 82. (CNS)