Designed by Adrian. Sold for $2,750 on 6/11/2010 at Live Auctioneers. Lot 0784.

Site text:  

Joan Crawford Adrian-designed crème silk satin wedding gown from Dancing Lady (MGM, 1933). This full length crème satin gown was designed by Adrian and worn by the character "Janie Barlow" portrayed by actor Joan Crawford in the 1933 motion picture Dancing Lady starring Clark Gable. The gown is in excellent condition with the original labels; one handwritten "A-109" in the skirt, the other "V-5" near the collar. This is the first time Fred Astaire appears on screen portraying himself and dancing with Joan Crawford.

Designed by Adrian. Sold for $2800 at the June 22, 2006, Christie's Auction. Lot 235.

Christie's site text:

A dazzling full-length skirt designed by Adrian, the skirt of flesh-coloured cotton encrusted all over with rows of gold and silver sequins, with a deep boned corset waistband -- made for Joan Crawford as Crystal Allen in the 1939 M.G.M. film The Women; accompanied by a silver v-shaped waistband encrusted with vari-shaped rhinestones.

This skirt was designed by Adrian to be worn with a brassiere top in a harem-style gown. This was Adrian's first design to feature a bare midriff since Mata Hari made 8 years earlier in 1931 and it was designed with a specific scene in mind - in the film, Joan Crawford, plays shop girl, Crystal Allen, who entraps and later marries the husband of Socialite Mary Haines. She appears in this skirt with brassiere during the scene in the Casino Roof nightclub, instantly looking out of place amongst the other more somberly-dressed women. Apparently, when Louis B. Mayer saw Crawford wearing the dress in the rushes, he insisted the gown be changed, claiming it was in poor taste. Adrian then designed a replacement gown similar in style to that worn by Norma Shearer in the same scene, knowing Shearer would object and, after much argument, Crawford remained in her gold sequins.

The vendor purchased this skirt and belt from the David Weisz auction of the M.G.M. wardrobe in May, 1970. The skirt was not in the original catalogue but was an extra lot added on the day - the vendor recalls that when the auctioneer read out the details of this skirt, the audience clapped and cheered.

Please note that the belt included in this lot is similar to but not identical to that worn with the skirt in the film.

Polka-dot dress. Sold for $27,500 at Nate D. Sanders auction, 2/27/2014.

Nate D. Sanders site text:

Polka-dot dress is worn by Crawford in the film's promotional posters, in a still captured from the scene in the beginning of the film when she goes on a date, set at the Malibu beach house of her scheming beau Monte Beragon. Rayon dress, originally white, has since been dyed to a flesh tone color, with polka dots in a darker nude shade. Design features a slightly A-line cut shirt, long sleeves, pleated bodice and square neckline flanked by a simple bow on either side. A Warner Bros. Pictures label is sewn into the placket and has a hand note, ''B - 2nd Dress / 18905-638''. Written inside the top in black felt tip is the note, ''TBS / 209''. Dress fastens up the back and at the waistline with alternating snaps and hook-and-eye closures, also found at the cuffs. Discreet side zipper is placed over the hip. Likely altered for use in a later Warner Brothers film, dress measures 17.75'' from underarm to underarm, with 21'' sleeve and a petite 11'' across the waist. Original self-belt is absent; dress is accompanied by later grosgrain belt in brown with a cream stripe through the center. Scattered pinholes and stray threads, else near fine.

Harriet Craig (1950)

Sold for $13,000 at the 9/6-9/8, 2011, Julien's "Legends: Hollywood & Royalty" auction. Lot 908.
Provenance: Collection of Debbie Reynolds

Julien's site text:

A pink and grey check-day dress composed of wool with three-quarter length sleeves and a fold-over collar with neck-tie. The fitted bodice with a high neckline is cut on the grain while the skirt is cut on the bias. The skirt is open and cut wide so there is volume similar to Dior’s New Look dresses. The tea-length hem-line, secretary bow tie, and pointed cuffs with contrasting fabric were popular design elements of the decade. The dress has a zip closure at the back with blind snaps at the left side of the collar to help put the garment on. A Columbia handwritten label reading “Joan Crawford." This dress is in good condition, there are several moth holes at the collar and the skirt.  ... This dress is worn by Joan Crawford as Harriet Craig in the scene where she visits her mother in the nursing home at the beginning of the film.

Designed by Helen Rose.  Sold for $2880 at the June 23, 2018, Julien's "Hollywood Legends 2018" auction. Lot 495.

Julien's site text:

A costume worn by Joan Crawford while performing "Two-Faced Woman" in black face in Torch Song (MGM, 1953). The costume comprises a teal sequin-covered leotard with rhinestone and artificial crystal droplets embellishing the left cuff and collar with a multi-layer tulle skirt with sequin embellishment. A bias label in the leotard reads "1631 Joan Crawford." Costume design by Helen Rose. Accompanied by a pair of studio sea foam rhinestone embellished fishnet stockings with an MGM cleaning tag that may or may not be original to the costume and three black and white studio images.

Previously exhibited at The Sharon Landa Gallery in Hollywood, California, 1971.
Provenance: "M-G-M Auction After Sale," David Weisz Co., Los Angeles, 1970. From the Collection of Glenn Brown.

Joan's silver fox stole. Label inside: "Furs Alixandre  New York Paris." 6 ft 10 in long, 17 in wide.

This is the stole worn by Joan during her 1959 photo shoot with Eve Arnold (photo at left). Offered for auction at Doyle New York on 12/7/11.

Click HERE to see 13 other furs owned by Joan and auctioned by Doyle.

Displayed at San Francisco's Metreon theater, April/May 2010, as part of "Hollywood Legends: The Barry Borsamian Collection."