Audrey Hepburn was a Belgian-born actress trained in ballet in Amsterdam and made her London stage debut in 1948 in the chorus for High Button Shoes. On Colette’s recommendation she made her first appearance on Broadway in Gigi in 1951. She played small parts in English films before Hollywood stardom made her chic, gamine style a byword for fashion in the 1950s. Her grace, charm and pencil-slim looks made her famous in films such as Roman Holiday (1953, for which she won an Academy Award), Funny Face (1957), The Nun’s Story (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) and My Fair Lady (1964). Reference: National Portrait Gallery
Below are some examples and price guides to vintage photographs and prints of Audrey Hepburn including a Norman Parkinson chromogenic print and a Breakfast at Tiffany’s poster.
ROMAN HOLIDAY, 1953 TOMMY WEBER Audrey Hepburn holding her Academy Award for Best Actress for Roman Holiday with presenter Jean Hersholt at the 26th Academy Awards, New York, 25 March, 1954 gelatin silver press prints each with stamped photographer’s credit (verso) each sheet: 10 x 8 in. (25.4 x 20.3 cm.) (2)
Sold for GBP 4,375 at Christie’s in
HEPBURN, AUDREY Two film stills, the first in color being a still from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the second black and white from When it Sizzles, each signed “Sincerely/Audrey Hepburn” in blue ink, each approximately 9 1/2 x 7 1/2 inches (24.5 x 19.5 cm); framed separately. The color image with some show through of writing on verso visible in a raking light, unexamined out of frames.
Sold for $2,500 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle in
Gorgeous vintage glossy 8 x 10 double weight Paramount Pictures publicity photo of Audrey Hepburn from circa 1952, signed nicely in blue ink. In fine condition, with a few light surface creases. In the same year this photo was taken, Hepburn starred in her first significant role in Secret People before being discovered for William Wyler’s Roman Holiday. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA.
Sold For $3,391 at RR Auction in 2019
NORMAN PARKINSON 1913-1990 AUDREY HEPBURN WITH FLOWERS II, 1955 Chromogenic print, printed 2017. Signed, titled, dated, numbered 20/21 and annotated in black ink by Elizabeth Smith in the Norman Parkinson archive stamp on the verso. (unframed) image: 51 by 40.2cm.; 20 by 15⅞in. sheet: 61.2 by 51.2cm.; 24 by 20in.
Sold for 10,625 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2020
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S Paramount Pictures, 1961. U.S. one sheet poster, linen-backed. Artwork by Robert E. McGinnis. Audrey Hepburn plays the role for which she is best remembered, that of the vulnerable-yet-steely Holly Golightly in this romance which also stars George Peppard. Directed by Blake Edwards and based on a story by Truman Capote, the film was nominated for 5 Oscars® (including Best Actress for Hepburn) and won 2 for music by Henry Mancini. 28 x 42.5 in.
Sold for US$ 4,825 (£ 3,880) inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2019
AUDREY HEPBURN SIGNED BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH
An original print with a matte finish, depicting a pretty image of Audrey Hepburn in costume from her 1964 Warner Bros. film My Fair Lady, signed in turquoise fountain pen ink in the lower right corner “To Lenore/ from your/ most grateful/ lodger/ Audrey Hepburn.” The reference to Lenore is Lenore Weaver, a longtime hairdresser at Paramount Studios from the 1930s to the 1970s. Consigned directly by Weaver’s granddaughter. (Please note there is cardboard residue on the verso from being removed from a scrapbook, and the photo is trimmed.) 9 1/4 by 7 1/4 inches
Sold for $1,500 at Julien’s Auctions in 2019
