Madonna's wedding dress exceeded expectations when it was sold in a celebrity memorabilia auction for £51,000. The iconic gown, which the Queen of Pop wore to marry actor Sean Penn back in 1985, was originally estimated to fetch £37,000. But when it was unveiled at the Icons & Idols: Rock 'n' Roll auction, hosted by California-based business Julien's, bidders from around the world scrambled to offer the highest price by phone, online and in the auction room.
Madonna's 1985 wedding dress sold for £51,000
More than 140 items from Madonna's life and career went on sale, amassing hundreds of thousands of pounds over the two-day period. On top of her wedding dress, Madonna and Sean's post-marital agreement that was drawn up three years into their marriage also went under the hammer. The couple divorced in 1989. The actress' most valued item, however, proved to be the jacket she wore in hit film Desperately Seeking Susan, which went for a record £158,000, while one of her earrings from the blockbuster was bought for £21,000. Another piece of clothing from Madonna's career that raked in the big bucks was the fuchsia gown and stole she wore in her Material Girl music video, which reached bids of £46,000.
Madonna's outfit from Material Girl went for £46,000
Memorabilia went as far back as the chart-topper's school years, with her 1971-72 Michigan year book also on offer. The seventh page of the book shows a photograph of a teenage Madonna. Some of her more unusual items included the actress' used Versace powder compact and her expired American Express card from 1985, which had been cut in half. "This is the biggest collection of Madonna items ever to come to auction at one time," said Martin Nolan, the executive director of the auction house, who added that "she really is a true icon, highly talented and a very smart businesswoman".