French Music Hall Treasures Go on Sale
Feathers, costumes and jewels sported by French musical legends from Josephine Baker to Maurice Chevalier are up for grabs next month at a rare auction in Paris.
More than 5,000 items from a private collection of star attire from the Casino de Paris -- a venerable city music hall -- will go under the hammer on January 26 and 27, the Arts Talents Encheres auction house said Wednesday.
They include a gown worn by American-born dancer, singer and actress Josephine Baker who became the first black artiste to gain global fame.
Baker used the sequinned outfit at her last public appearance -- a retrospective revue -- in 1975. It is thought to fetch up to 6,000 euros ($8,000).
Other memorabilia include Chevalier's trademark boater hat, which he always wore on stage. The French entertainer later became a Hollywood star.
The auction also features items from the wardrobe of Jane Avril, a French can-can dancer made famous by French post-Impressionist painter Henri Toulouse Lautrec.
