The June 2-5, 2002, Pre-Long Beach Sale, Sale 14
Lot 1771
Custom-Made Shirt. An
important part of the Sinatra image was the look -- perfectly put together
whether he was in the recording studio, going to a ballgame or performing,
Sinatra was always the best-dressed man in the room. Careful about fabric,
construction and fit, with exacting standards, Sinatra patronized the best
haberdashers and tailors and kept his wardrobe at home perfectly organized.
This ¾ length sleeve shirt and the one below were designed by Sinatra
and constructed for him by Anto of Beverly Hills. Sinatra had many of his
clothes custom made to his specifications and, because he did not like long
sleeves and was uncomfortable in a too-short sleeve, this was his compromise.
He wore this shirt and the one below in Rancho Mirage and elsewhere.
Sporty with beautiful detailing. The inner placket bears three tags;
one identifies Anto, the other reads, "Frank Sinatra" and the third, "June
1991". Beautiful condition.
Estimated Value $300-400.
From the
Collection of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1772
Custom-Made Shirt. A
beautiful cotton shirt in Frank Sinatra's favorite color, orange, made to the
same specifications as the one above. Identical tags, also in beautiful
condition but for one small, faint stain on the front.
Such a lovely
shirt in a beautiful color, perfect for those hot days in the California
desert.
Estimated Value $300-400.
From the Collection of Tony
Oppedisano.
Lot 1773
Tuxedo Shirt. So
particular about his appearance, Sinatra had strict rules about formal wear.
Each tuxedo (always black) was chosen with care, shirts were tailored so that
½" of cuff extended from the jacket sleeve, trousers had to break just
so, and his "party heels" or "Mary Janes" were buffed to a shine on the
underside of couch cushions - ensuring that Frank Sinatra looked his best in a
tuxedo whether performing for heads of state or tipsy tourists. Although he was
a big fan of cufflinks, Sinatra also liked three button cuffs on his tuxedo
shirts - a dramatic touch that enhanced his sartorial splendor.
Egyptian cotton with mother of pearl buttons, made by Nat Wise.
Beautiful pleats with a slightly gathered shoulder, three button cuffs, a very
tailored cut. Tags at the neck identify Nat Wise, "Frank Sinatra", and "Jan.
1969". Absolutely gorgeous.
Sinatra onstage in this very shirt - an
image easy to conjure.
Estimated Value $300-400.
From the Collection
of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1774
Frank Sinatra's "Mary
Janes". Frank Sinatra took particular pains with his formal wear and black
leather shoes with a flat, grosgrain ribbon adornment were his choice for the
evening -- he called them his "Mary Janes" or "party heels" -- and the
distinctive footwear is visible in many photos or in live concert footage.
"Shine your Mary Janes on the underside of a sofa cushion" is an oft repeated
quote.
The pair of Mary Janes offered here, patent leather with red leather
interior and made by DiFabrizio of Los Angeles, are stamped in gold at the
right instep "Frank Sinatra ARP 16 8g", with the right shoe's stamp cut off
halfway through the number sequence. The shoes show wear on the soles and to a
few of the surfaces. How many stages and red carpets did these shoes
tread?
Because Sinatra had all of his footwear custom made, each shoemaker
had to have a mold (or "last") of his feet and, with the Mary Janes, we offer
the wooden molds that fit these shoes. Made by D. Mackay of New York, the lasts
are hinged for ease of use and help the shoes hold their shape.
Estimated
Value $600-700.
From the Collection of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1775
Brown Boots. Brown
leather boots, made by DiFabrizio of Los Angeles. These beautifully constructed
boots have a leather tag attached to the inner shank, which reads "Frank
Sinatra October 19, 1989 #1". The number 1 possibly refers to the mold number
used in the hand construction of these boots and is the same number written on
the molds offered with the Mary Janes above.
A nice basic style, with
obvious wear on the soles, one can almost picture Mr. Sinatra wearing them at
home or while traveling.
These two lots offer what is probably the only
opportunity you will have to put yourself in Frank Sinatra's shoes.
Estimated Value $400-500.
From the Collection of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1776
Frank Sinatra's Dodger
Jacket. A gift to Sinatra from his friend Tommy Lasorda, this personalized
jacket is seen prominently in many pictures of Sinatra. One of the New York/New
Jersey kids who stuck with the Dodgers after the move to Los Angeles, Sinatra
was so close to Lasorda he sang the National Anthem on Opening Day 1977, the
start of Tommy Lasorda's first full season as manager. The jacket is in
beautiful condition.
Estimated Value $600-700.
From the Collection
of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1777
Frank Sinatra's Giants
Jacket. Although his devotion to the Dodgers is well-known, Frank Sinatra
was also a huge New York Giants fan -- he saw many a game at the Polo Grounds
-- and he remained a supporter after the team moved to San Francisco. Sinatra
was known to wear this jacket to the ballpark, in order to tease his friend
Tommy Lasorda. The personalized jacket, embroidered "Frank Sinatra Honorary
Coach", is in perfect condition.
Estimated Value $600-700.
From the
Collection of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1778
Golf Cart License Plate.
Super graphics on this item, representativeof Sinatra's many years in
Rancho Mirage. The golf cart sold several years ago without the license plate
and we are delighted to offer it here.
There is minor, expected wear -- a
few small chips, minor wear at the bolt holes. Overall, the piece is in very
good condition.
Estimated Value $250-500.
From the Collection of
Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1779
Sinatra Lighter from Phil
Silvers. Frank Sinatra was known for his generosity and caring nature. If a
friend admired the cufflinks Sinatra was wearing, he would probably receive his
own pair in a day or two. Time and again, the Chairman came through for people
in need -- paying hospital bills, making sure a musician had rent money,
comforting friends through a loss. He was generous but didn't like to be
thanked directly, and his intimates took that to heart.
The lot offered
here is a token of gratitude given to Frank by one of his great friends, Phil
Silvers. The men were buddies at MGM and went on a successful USO tour
together; Silvers cowrote "Nancy with the Laughing Face," in honor of little
Nancy Sinatra. The bonds of their friendship, as well as Sinatra's loving
nature, are illustrated by the story behind this beautiful, 2½" long
Dunhill lighter.
When planning for the USO tour, Silvers taught Sinatra
several burlesque numbers he had perfected with his comedy partner, Rags
Ragland. The two then played the bits to great acclaim, especially "My Buddy":
Frank enters, singing "My Buddy" ("Days are long since you went away...");
Silvers interrupts, enveloping Sinatra in a big bear hug while exclaiming,
"Yes, my friends, there is no truer love than the love between a man and his
friend! Yes, you heard me, I said love! I am not ashamed to say I love this
boy!" Silvers follows that up with a big kiss, which gets a "look" from
Sinatra, who then starts the song again from the top. Silvers cuts in again,
with, "Yes, my friends! I'll shout it from the rooftops! I am not ashamed of my
love for this boy! This is a good boy, and I love this boy! I, Phil Silvers,
love this boy!" Another big kiss and a big smile from Silvers. Sinatra stares
at him, waiting, and then starts the song again: "Days are long since you went
away...", still waiting. Silvers just stands there, smiling, with Sinatra
watching warily. Then, the payoff: Frank grabs Phil and plants a big kiss on
his cheek.
In 1946, just a short while after Silvers and Sinatra
returned from the USO tour, Phil Silvers and Rags Ragland were booked at the
Copacabana. When Rags suddenly fell ill, Sinatra made sure he was admitted to
Cedars Hospital. When Rags passed on, Phil and Frank were by his side. Though
distraught, Silvers was a showbiz trouper and went to New York for the shows at
the Copa. The first night of the booking, as he sat in his dressing room
wondering what to do, Silvers heard the door open - and a voice. "Hi. What do
we open with?" Sinatra, in the middle of a movie shoot in California, had flown
to New York to be with Silvers on opening night. The two proceeded to do the
old burlesque routines, including "My Buddy." At the end of the night, Silvers
took a bow for Rags.
Phil Silvers knew not to thank his friend, not to
gush over the gesture or cry on his shoulder, but he needed to show Sinatra how
much he loved and appreciated him.
The lighter he had customized for
Frank is engraved "FS" on the top and has the opening bars to "My Buddy" picked
out in silver musical notes accented by diamonds and sapphires. More valuable
then the gemstones, though, is the inscription in gold: "I'm not ashamed of my
love for this boy - Phil".
Frank gave Tony O this lighter after
reminiscing about Silvers and the old routines. The lighter itself has been
appraised at over $1500, based on the gems and the custom work, but the story
about Sinatra coming through for his friend adds the weight of emotion to the
piece and makes it impossible to estimate a true value.
Estimated Value
$3,000-5,000.
From the Collection of Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1780
Sinatra Legacy Suite by
Kaufman / Artist's Proof. A suite of 4 silkscreens on canvas celebrating
Frank Sinatra's musical legacy, featuring indelible images of Sinatra enhanced
with intense colors and dramatic shading. Signed and numbered verso, 20 of 25,
an Artist Proof.
Two of the works are 36 x 31", the other two are 36 x 36".
Fine condition.
Estimated Value $15,000-UP.
From the Collection of
Tony Oppedisano.
Lot 1781
Sinatra Oil Painting.
40 x 40", Oil on Canvas, framed to 42" x 42". Signed bottom right, signed
and dated by Sinatra verso: "Frank Sinatra / Rancho Mirage, Cal /
1992".
Frank Sinatra was a painter. Not a casual, weekends-only,
just-filling-time painter, but a man moved to create art. His abstract
canvases, with their strong lines and brilliant colors, reflect the passion and
creativity that drove him on so many levels. As is clear from the myriad
examples in A Man and His Art: Frank Sinatra (Random House, 1991), the
oil pictured above is emblematic of the Sinatra style. Sinatra explained on
more than one occasion that the interplay between color and shadows fascinated
him. Orange was his favorite color -- "the happiest color", he said -- and the
stunning orange base of this work accents the strength and brilliance of the
red and turquoise geometric elements. Although he painted for much of his adult
life, particularly while in Palm Springs, very few of Sinatra's original works
have ever come up for sale. This bold work is likely the last finished Sinatra
painting, and we are privileged to offer it to our bidders.
In May of
1992, shortly after Sinatra completed this painting, he received the tragic
news that Jilly Rizzo, his dearest friend, had died in a car accident. Tony
Oppedisano, who was with Sinatra when he was told of Rizzo's death and who
spent a great deal of time with Sinatra in his last years, never saw him pick
up another paintbrush after Rizzo's funeral. Jilly's death and Sinatra's own
vision problems effectively ended his enjoyment of a fifty-year hobby. To the
best of Tony's knowledge, this is the final completed painting from Frank
Sinatra's studio.
Estimated Value $35,000-UP.
From the Collection of
Tony Oppedisano.