Auction in Paris: Personal Items of Brigitte Bardot Go Under the Hammer

Bardot's Retreat to Saint-Tropez

Already during her lifetime, Bardot had, according to her own statements, turned her residence in Saint-Tropez — specifically the estate La Madrague — into a place of retreat. Several of the items now on offer originate from this setting and provide insight into the living culture of the artist.

Alongside clothing and accessories, a copy of the Kama Sutra stands out among the lots. The book, known in several languages as a guide to amorous practices, is among the personal items that Bardot had kept for many years, according to the auction house.

The auction is part of a series of celebrity sales in which personal objects belonging to internationally known personalities come to market. Alexandre Millon has made headlines in recent years on several occasions with prominent estates and collections.

Commitment to Animal Welfare

Bardot withdrew from the film business in the mid-1970s and dedicated herself to animal welfare. Since then she has appeared predominantly as an activist. The items now being auctioned date from her time as an actress and from the years that followed.

Among the personal pieces are also memorabilia connected to her family. Her son Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, whom she had with her second husband, was briefly active as an actor in the 1970s; individual objects in the auction catalogue reference this phase of her life.

Given Bardot's international fame, the auction house expects interested parties from several countries. Based on experience, it is above all collectors who want to acquire individual memorabilia from the world of French cinema history, the house explained.

The lots will be offered over several days. Before the actual auction, the objects can be viewed at a public exhibition. Interested parties also have the option of bidding online or by telephone.

Procedure and Estimated Values

A precise estimated value for the collection has not yet been given by the auction house. Comparable auctions of props and personal items belonging to internationally known film actors and actresses have, however, regularly achieved six-figure sums in the past.

According to the organisers, the proceeds of the auction will not flow into Bardot's animal welfare foundation but to private owners of the items. The auction house pointed to standard practice for estates and collections from private ownership.

With the sale of the objects, a chapter of personal memorabilia spanning more than six decades comes to a close. For museums and collectors, the auction offers the opportunity to acquire authentic pieces from the world of one of the defining film figures of the 20th century, the auction house said.