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Lucy Ricardo's (Lucille Ball) photo-matched master dress and dickie from Ball's television series I Love Lucy. Lucy wore a variety of similar polka-dot-patterned dresses throughout the show, including in the Season 3 episode "The Girls Go Into Business." This particular dress served as a master dress from which Ricardo's many iconic dresses were made. It photo-matches to a black-and-white portrait photograph of Ball making one of her signature expressions, though it remains unknown if the dress was used in a particular episode.

Designed by Elois Jenssen, from whose estate it originates, this navy blue and white polka dot print silk satin dress is lined with black cotton satin and built-in shoulder pads, as well as navy blue plastic gem-cut nonfunctional buttons and white cotton cuffed sleeves. It also has a pleated white cotton and nylon dickie with faux pearl nonfunctional buttons, a rounded flat collar, an attached faux flower, and snap closures. Notably, the neckline of the dress was designed with a distinctive scoop to allow for easy costume transition and preserve Ball's makeup. The interior of the dress features Elois Jenssen's maker's label. This lot exhibits discoloration and adhesive residue on the dress' interior collar.

Additional Provenance: Letter of Authenticity from Allan Glaser, who received the dress directly from Jenssen in the 1980s; Fujifilm copy of the black-and-white portrait.

Estimate: $40,000 - 80,000



View all lots from I LOVE LUCY (1951-1957)