When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
FROM THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF ANNA STRASBERG
FRANKLIN MINT MARILYN MONROE COLLECTOR DOLL
Purple Glitter Dress • Microphone & Stand • Original Box
Documented Provenance Accompanies Purchase
A glamorous portrait of Marilyn Monroe with a compelling connection to the woman who helped preserve and manage her legacy for decades.
Offered by Deco to Disco Collectibles, this approximately 15-inch Franklin Mint Marilyn Monroe doll comes from the Personal Collection of Anna Strasberg, widow of Marilyn’s acting coach and mentor, Lee Strasberg. I acquired it at a reputable sale with documented provenance, and supporting provenance documentation will accompany the purchase. With her blonde curls, red lips, sparkling purple dress, gold-tone shoes, and microphone, the doll captures Marilyn as a performer. The ensemble appears to evoke her celebrated February 1954 appearances entertaining American troops in Korea—a memorable chapter in her life beyond the Hollywood soundstage.
The doll remains secured in its original presentation packaging, with its protective hairnet, packing restraints, and Franklin Mint hanging tag visible. The black display box includes a clear window-front cover with a printed Marilyn signature graphic. A microphone and stand, display base, and small accessory tray containing miniature jewelry are shown in the photographs.
THE MARILYN MONROE STORY
Born Norma Jeane in Los Angeles in 1926, Marilyn Monroe became one of the defining stars of twentieth-century cinema. Films including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, The Seven Year Itch, and Some Like It Hot established her extraordinary screen presence, musical appeal, and gift for comedy. Her performance in Some Like It Hot earned her a Golden Globe.
Behind the famous image was an actress determined to develop her craft. Her relationship with Lee Strasberg, the influential acting teacher associated with the Actors Studio and Method acting, became an important part of her artistic life.
When Marilyn died in 1962, she left the principal share of her residual estate to Lee Strasberg. Following his death in 1982, that inheritance passed to his widow, Anna Strasberg, placing Anna at the center of Marilyn’s continuing legacy.
ANNA STRASBERG: THE WOMAN BEHIND THE COLLECTION
Anna Strasberg was an actress, teacher, and an important figure in the continuation of Lee Strasberg’s work. Together, Anna and Lee opened the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in 1969. She subsequently devoted decades to both the Institute and the stewardship of Marilyn’s estate.
Her responsibilities extended beyond preserving personal papers and possessions. Anna also oversaw the commercial use of Marilyn’s name and image, helping guide a licensing program that brought Marilyn to new generations through collectible dolls, decorative plates, apparel, posters, and other commemorative merchandise.In 2011, Authentic Brands Group and NECA announced their acquisition of the intellectual property of Marilyn Monroe LLC, with Anna remaining involved as a minority partner. The agreement marked another chapter in Marilyn’s transformation from a beloved film star into an enduring international cultural presence.
A COLLECTIBLE FROM WITHIN THAT STORY
Franklin Mint portrait dolls offered collectors a way to celebrate Marilyn through miniature recreations of her recognizable looks and performance wardrobe. This example combines that tradition with provenance from Anna Strasberg’s own personal collection.
That ownership history gives the doll an additional dimension: it belonged to the woman whose work helped shape the world of Marilyn memorabilia represented by the doll itself.
This is a later commemorative collector doll from Anna Strasberg’s personal collection, made years after Marilyn’s lifetime. It was not Marilyn Monroe’s personal property.
DETAILS & APPROXIMATE MEASUREMENTS• Maker: The Franklin Mint
• Subject: Marilyn Monroe
• Doll height: Approximately 15 inches
• Box dimensions: Approximately 18 × 8 × 4½ inches
• Dress: Purple glitter fabric with narrow shoulder straps
• Packaging: Original black presentation box with clear window-front cover
• Hanging tag: “Made in China for The Franklin Mint”
• Provenance: From the Personal Collection of Anna Strasberg
• Supporting provenance documentation accompanies purchase
• Sale includes one doll and the box, stand, microphone, and accessories shown
CONDITION
The doll is pictured secured in its original packaging, with its protective hairnet and packing restraints still present. The box shows visible surface marks, scuffing, and wear to its edges and corners. The clear window cover also shows surface marks and reflections.The packaging has been opened for photography. Please examine the original photographs closely for the doll, accessories, packaging, and condition details. Only the items shown are included.
A distinctive addition to a Marilyn Monroe, Franklin Mint, celebrity memorabilia, or Hollywood collection—with documented ownership history connecting it to Anna Strasberg.
PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE EXTENDED HANDLING TIME.
DECO TO DISCO COLLECTIBLES CORNING N.Y.
