TAUNTON, MASS. – Frank Kaminski’s eight-day auction of more than 15,000 items from the Waldorf Astoria hotel began Saturday, October 17 and will end October 24. While individual prices were impressive, more impressive was the international participation in the sale, including the Saudi Royal family and other well-known names. The value of celebrity status and star power was easily evident, emphasized by a result for the bed from the Royal Suite, utilized by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, which realized $42,500 against a conservative estimate of under $1,000. Almost everything from their suite sold far above estimates. When not occupied by the Duke and Duchess, the suite and other comparable suites could be rented by others at between $2,000 and $10,000 per night.

Kaminski’s Saturday sale ended at 12:30 am Sunday and grossed more than $1,000,000. The auctioneer said that the day before bidding began, there had been more than 80,000 hits on the three internet platforms they use. He said that when the sale ended there were still more than 1,200 bidders online.

Items from the Marilyn Monroe suite drew high prices, proving that bidders wanted a piece of almost anything associated with the rich and famous. Photos of Monroe brought above $1,000 each and photos of Elizabeth Taylor, General Douglas MacArthur, Winston Churchill and others brought unexpected results. A full report will follow.