A piece of Hollywood history: Child actress Shirley Temple's most prized possessions, including toys, film costumes and a $30,000 baby grand piano, to go up for auction

  • More than 550 items from her family's private collection will go on sale on Tuesday
  • The memorabilia was first collected by Ms Temple's mother Gertrude and passed down through the family for the past 80 years  
  • Ms Temple died from emphysema in February 2014 at the age of 85
  • The polka dot dress she wore in the 1934 film Stand Up and Cheer has a suggested price of $20,000  

A selection of Shirley Temple's film costumes, props, celebrity gifts and toys that she collected during the height of her career, between 1928 and 1940, will be put up for auction this week after the iconic keepsakes were featured in a traveling exhibition. 

At the end of April, more than 550 items from the late actresses' time in Hollywood traveled to museums across the country before reaching The Little Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, where Theriaults will auction the items on Tuesday.

Highly-coveted memorabilia including the polka dot dress from her 1934 film Stand Up and Cheer and a children's racing car gifted to her by tap dancer Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson, have suggested prices of  $20,000 and $10,000, respectively. 

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Legendary actress: Shirley Temple posed in a cadet costume for this undated file publicity for her 1937 film Wee Willie Winkie

Legendary actress: Shirley Temple posed in a cadet costume for this undated file publicity for her 1937 film Wee Willie Winkie

Iconic uniforms: Ms Temple's Scottish regimenta ensemble from the film (left), and her marching outfit from Toy Trumpet in 1938 are two of the costume that will be auctioned off on Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri
Iconic uniforms: Ms Temple's Scottish regimenta ensemble from the film (left), and her marching outfit from Toy Trumpet in 1938 are two of the costume that will be auctioned off on Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri

Iconic uniforms: Ms Temple's Scottish regimenta ensemble from the film (left), and her marching outfit from Toy Trumpet in 1938 are two of the costume that will be auctioned off on Tuesday in Kansas City, Missouri 

'She tore around the lot at 35 miles per hour,' Ms Temple's son Charles Black, Jr. told The Guardian of the car featuring a lawnmower engine. 'She ran into a publicist, not very hard, but tore his pant leg.'

He added: 'But because it was an unmuffled engine, it disrupted production. And they eventually put a governor on it to slow it down. And they sent it home to her and she drove it around her driveway and lost interest because it was no fun anymore.' 

Other mementos that were collected by Ms Temple's mother Gertrude and passed down through the actress' family before going up for auction include toys such as a hand-tooled leather saddle that studio executive Joseph Schenk had given her, a diamond -studded police badge, which was another gift from Mr Robinson, and an Italian felt salon doll known as 'Pinkie'.

Breaking boundaries: Ms Temple and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson made cinema history in 1935 when they became the first interracial pair to dance together on film 

Breaking boundaries: Ms Temple and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson made cinema history in 1935 when they became the first interracial pair to dance together on film 

History toy: Ms Temple's child-sized gas-powered tether racing car (pictured), which was gifted to the actress by Mr Robinson has a suggested price of $10,000 

History toy: Ms Temple's child-sized gas-powered tether racing car (pictured), which was gifted to the actress by Mr Robinson has a suggested price of $10,000 

Authentic toy: Mr Robinson also gave Ms Temple a diamond police badge, which is one of the hundreds of items being auctioned
Authentic toy: Mr Robinson also gave Ms Temple a diamond police badge, which is one of the hundreds of items being auctioned

Authentic toy: Mr Robinson also gave Ms Temple a diamond police badge, which is one of the hundreds of items being auctioned 

Among the costumes that will be available for bidding on Tuesday are Ms Temple's Scottish regimental costume from the 1937 film Wee Willie Winkie, her aviator costume from the 1934 film Bright Eyes, the satin gown and faux ermine robe she wore in the 1939 film The Little Princess, and her dress from Heidi.

And while fans of the legendary actress will no doubt be thrilled to bid on big ticket items, as well as smaller moments including a teddy bear and crayon drawings signed by Ms Temple, starting at $500 and $300, respectively, her children admitted that they don't have a particularly strong connection to many of the items being auctioned off because they weren't in contact with her childhood items. 

However, Mr Black noted that there are some truly unforgettable pieces that will be difficult to let go of when the collection, which has been in the family for 80 years, goes on sale. 

Family affair: Ms Temple's son Charles Black Jr, who is pictured with his mother at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006, said he and his sisters didn't have a lot of contact with her old costumes and toys 

Family affair: Ms Temple's son Charles Black Jr, who is pictured with his mother at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2006, said he and his sisters didn't have a lot of contact with her old costumes and toys 

Big ticket item: Mr Black noted: 'It’s much harder to say goodbye to something like the baby grand piano' (pictured). The Steinway company piano  has a presale estimate of over $30,000

Big ticket item: Mr Black noted: 'It’s much harder to say goodbye to something like the baby grand piano' (pictured). The Steinway company piano  has a presale estimate of over $30,000

Captured image: This oil painting of Ms Temple in brown dress by the artist Tino Costa will also be available to bid on

Captured image: This oil painting of Ms Temple in brown dress by the artist Tino Costa will also be available to bid on

'It’s much harder to say goodbye to something like the baby grand piano, which was given to my mom by the Steinways,' Mr Black said of the Steinway company piano, which has a presale estimate of over $30,000. 

'That’s been around the house since our earliest memories,' he explained of the sentimental value. 'We all learned to play on that.'

The auction also includes seven autograph books, which include the signatures from 1930s movie stars and President Franklin D Roosevelt, with suggested prices ranging from $6,000 to $8,000.

Collection of keepsakes: The auction features more than 550 pieces of memorabilia that was saved by Ms Temple's mother Gertrude and passed on through her family for the past 80 years 

Collection of keepsakes: The auction features more than 550 pieces of memorabilia that was saved by Ms Temple's mother Gertrude and passed on through her family for the past 80 years 

Unforgettable costumes: Ms Temple's polka dot dress from her 1934 film Stand Up and Cheer has a suggested price of $20,000. The actress' dress from Heidi is also up for grabs
Unforgettable costumes: Ms Temple's polka dot dress from her 1934 film Stand Up and Cheer has a suggested price of $20,000. The actress' dress from Heidi is also up for grabs

Unforgettable costumes: Ms Temple's polka dot dress from her 1934 film Stand Up and Cheer has a suggested price of $20,000. The actress' dress from Heidi is also up for grabs 

Hollywood royalty: Ms Temple wore this satin gown and extended faux ermine robe in The Little Princess in 1939

Hollywood royalty: Ms Temple wore this satin gown and extended faux ermine robe in The Little Princess in 1939

Film history: Ms Temple was a young Hollywood star throughout the 1930s, and her former costumes and toys are expected to attract numerous bidders 

Film history: Ms Temple was a young Hollywood star throughout the 1930s, and her former costumes and toys are expected to attract numerous bidders 

The young actress had a colorful history with the Roosevelt family. 

In addition to using a slingshot to hit first lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the back, President Roosevelt famously told the public during the Great Depression that 'as long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right'. 

Ms Temple was the youngest person to win an Oscar at five-years-old, receiving a miniature Juvenile Oscar for her work in 1934. (Actress Tatum O'Neal later became the youngest person to win a standard Oscar at 10-years-old for her role in the 1973 film Paper Moon.)

And the child star made history in more ways than one. 

Pretty in pink: Ms Temple's legendary Italian felt salon doll known as 'Pinkie' will also hit the auction block tomorrow 

Pretty in pink: Ms Temple's legendary Italian felt salon doll known as 'Pinkie' will also hit the auction block tomorrow 

Perfect porcelain: A fast majority of the actress' doll collection will be available for fans to bid on 

Perfect porcelain: A fast majority of the actress' doll collection will be available for fans to bid on 

Amazingly crafted: This as Iki-Ningyo or living doll was gifted to Ms Temple when she was a child 

Amazingly crafted: This as Iki-Ningyo or living doll was gifted to Ms Temple when she was a child 

She and Mr Robinson became the first interracial pair to dance together on the screen in the 1935 film The Little Colonel.

'It was the first time ever an interracial couple danced together on film,' Theriault auction house president Stuart Holbrook told The Guardian. 'It was really a moment that changed history, a little white girl holding a black man’s hand.'

He added: 'Now, you wouldn’t think anything of it. But theater owners said: "We won’t show it unless you delete the scene."'

Action star: Fans can bid on Ms Temple's horse saddle (left), as well as her aviator costume from the 1934 film Bright Eyes (right)
Action star: Fans can bid on Ms Temple's horse saddle (left), as well as her aviator costume from the 1934 film Bright Eyes (right)

Action star: Fans can bid on Ms Temple's horse saddle (left), as well as her aviator costume from the 1934 film Bright Eyes (right)

Tiny pilot: Ms Temple's aviator hats from Bright Eyes are also being sold 

Tiny pilot: Ms Temple's aviator hats from Bright Eyes are also being sold 

Ms Temple eventually left Hollywood for a career in politics. 

After she unsuccessfully ran for congress in California in 1967, she was later appointed an ambassador to Ghana by President Gerald Ford in 1974, and ambassador to Czechoslovakia by George Bush Sr in 1989.

'She was much more interested in what was happening in the present,' Mr Black noted. 'She didn’t shun the little girl.

'She always said she and the little girl were a great team because the little girl would get the door open, and then she had a chance.'

Young fan: The auction also includes seven of the actress' autograph books 

Young fan: The auction also includes seven of the actress' autograph books 

One of a kind: The suggested prices for each autograph books ranges from $6,000 to $8,000 

A-list pals: Signatures in Ms Temple's autograph books include 1930s movie stars and President Franklin D Roosevelt 

A-list pals: Signatures in Ms Temple's autograph books include 1930s movie stars and President Franklin D Roosevelt 

 

  

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