In the library and in some tall cabinets in the living room of her Manhattan apartment, Rue had heaps of DVD’s, CD’s, VHS tapes and cassettes, and now you can be the proud owner of 3 of each. We’ll include a Certificate of Authenticity from The Estate of Rue McClanahan so, in theory, by highlighting each item on the COA you can make 12 individuals gifts to “The Golden Girls” fans in your life. But quite honestly, the really exciting part of this collection is in two of the three cassette tapes. One, a voice lesson Rue had in 2002 with her sixth husband’s vocal coach, Luba, is excruciating; if you make it through the full tape, you’re much tougher than we are. The other, however, is actually fascinating because it captures the creative process between Rue and her musical collaborator as they worked together at the piano in Rue’s home. They wrote – and Rue produced during a hiatus from “The Golden Girls” – a musical farce entitled: “Oedipus Schmedipus, As Long as You Love Your Mother.” The show opened to rave reviews at The Golden Theatre in Burbank, California in the Summer of 1991. You can hear how much Rue is enjoying the process of creating music and lyrics, and experience how her creative process worked. This is an intimate and very personal recording from inside a star’s private life.
Stay Tuned…
New items will be regularly added to the Estate Sale. Please keep checking back for more great things from The Estate of Rue!Featured Items
Black and White Original Cardboard Mounted Rue Portrait From 1967
Rue owned two of these blow ups from a 1967 portrait shot by Jacques Cartier; he was the founder of The Hartford Stage Company where she performed for a season. We already posted the framed one that hung in Rue’s home office – you can see that one in the photos posted – but this is probably the one you can see without a frame in the photo taken in Rue’s Cloisters of Fort Lee home in 1972. This is a large piece – it measures 13.75″ high and 10.5″ wide, and it comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Estate of Rue.
$375 NOW $187.50
Window Valance and/or Scarf [SOLD]
Rue wore this as a scarf and kept it in the closet with her scarves, and yet when we were measuring it (2′ x a rather lengthy 10′) we couldn’t help but wonder if it was a swag window valance that she had yanked down and wore, just like Scarlet O’Hare in that one movie. So, we’re offering it as a combo Window Valance/Scarf and we’ll send it along with a Certificate of Authenticity from Estate of Rue.
$99 NOW $49.50
Rue's Big Brass Heart Cuff [SOLD]
This brass and enamel cuff has hearts painted on it and so it made the cut for Valentine’s Day. There is a small chip in the red enamel where Rue took a dive late one night – we’re not talking – but otherwise it is in solid shape. It measures 2.5″ across, but since it is a cuff you can open or close it as you wish. It is almost 2″ high at it’s center point and weighs 1.8 ounces. Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Estate of Rue.
$114.14
American Antique Primitive Child's Chair
You can see this primitive child’s chair in the library of Rue’s Manhattan apartment. Rue kept her vintage Shirley Temple Doll sitting in the chair. The doll freaked everyone out, but we all loved the chair. This piece is old, old, old, and obviously handmade. It is distressed, clearly, but that is part of what makes it so beautiful. This is not a chair for practical purposes – no kids ought to sit in it – but it is rare and certainly a collector’s item. Perhaps you could put one of your creepy dolls in it. Sorry, the Shirley Temple Doll wasn’t “creepy,” she was just so big it felt like another person in the room. Anyway, enough about our neurosis, the chair measures 20.5″ high and 14.5″ wide, and over 10″ deep; and it is fragile, so it is going to require some major box and padding activity to get ready to ship, but we’ll take care of everything and it will get to you in one piece. Comes with a couple of images of Rue with the chair in the background and a Certificate of Authenticity from Estate of Rue.
$375
Rue's Dream Catcher
As many of you already know, Rue McClanahan had some American Indian blood in her veins; Rue was a proud, card-carrying member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. It should comes as no surprise then that she had a dream catcher in her Manhattan apartment. Legend has it that this device catches all the negative or toxic dreams while you sleep, much like a spider’s web catches all that tries to pass through it, and then in the morning they disappear. This leaves only positive and good dreams to fill your nights. Of course, Rue really didn’t need a dream catcher since all she ever seemed to dream about was MEN! Rue’s dream catcher measures 7.5″ wide and is 1.25″ thick. We think Rue actually sewed the red fabric on the back of this handmade work of art, probably to make the beads and web stand out more. Rue’s dream catcher comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Estate of Rue.
$275
Original Martha Swope 8" x 10" Stage Shot
Martha Swoop is one of the most prolific and successful dance and theatre photographers in the world. This is an original rehearsal shot that she took of Rue in her early career. If we knew who the man was, we could figure out the show. Do you know? We’re thinking this may be “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,” but Rue looks a little too young for her turn as Martha. If you know, please email us at info@estateofrue.com. Ms. Swoop stamped this piece, so it is clearly marked as one of her photographs. Remember, because the photographer is famous, the piece is already highly collectible, but when you add in that it was OWNED by the Rue McClanahan, the provenance goes off the chart! Rue’s Martha Swoop original 8″ x 10″ comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Estate of Rue.
$325 NOW $162.50