1976 Playboy Bunny Group
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APPRAISER:
Obviously, you're Candy.
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
Tell me about this "Playboy" costume.
GUEST:
Okay, well, this "Playboy" costume was the 1976 Playboy Bunny of the Year costume from Chicago. And the trophy was the award for the international pageant that was televised on ABC and it was held in L.A. at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. I have a long history with "Playboy." I started at the St. Louis Playboy Club, transferred to the Chicago club, lived in the mansion when Hef was in residence. I've done eight covers for "Playboy."
APPRAISER:
And I think this is a picture of you.
GUEST:
This is a picture of me. Yes, when I could fit in the costume, Laura. This was at, uh, the Jerry Lewis telethon that I worked. We did a lot of "Playboy" promotions and the Playmates and Bunnies always helped out.
APPRAISER:
What was it like?
GUEST:
It was absolutely surreal. I was a Playmate. I was a centerfold in '79. And all the Playmates, the girls, were very diverse, they were all beautiful, and it was like a sorority. I mean, there were, there were friends, there was no competition, no jealousies. Living at the mansion with Hef was surreal. The Rolling Stones would have parties there. Every celebrity that was in town would come, they would die to get to the mansion. I was in my 20s. I guess I really kind of took it for granted. And now, in hindsight, I think, I slap my forehead and think, "Wow, those were really heady days."
APPRAISER:
Who is the favorite person you've ever met at the mansion?
GUEST:
Well, I love Hefner. I mean, he's the best. I mean, he is the perfect gentleman. We still go to the parties in L.A. We still see him, my husband and I. He's always been a class act, and, and really way ahead of his time.
APPRAISER:
And of course, this is kind of a Chicago institution.
GUEST:
This is a Chicago, yeah, it started here. It started in Chicago.
APPRAISER:
I've worked on a couple of auctions of "Playboy" memorabilia that were done by the Playboy Enterprises. But they don't really have the suits, because the suits belonged to the, the Playboy Bunnies.
GUEST:
(laughing): Yeah, well, they're supposed to belong to the clubs, but I absconded with mine, so...
APPRAISER:
I think... You're not alone.
GUEST:
(laughs): Yeah.
APPRAISER:
Most of the, most of the Playboy Bunny costumes that have come up for auction have come from the Bunnies themselves.
GUEST:
Right. Well, you know, the costumes were all made to fit the individual girls. So it's not like they can reuse them anytime.
APPRAISER:
That explains a lot. They couldn't put them back into stock...
GUEST:
Right, no.
APPRAISER:
...because it was fit for you. And you even have on this one, you have my favorite part of the entire bunny...
GUEST:
(laughing): Yeah, the tail.
APPRAISER:
You have the tail.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Which I, I think is adorable.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
It's a wonderful addition. And the ears, of course, the ears.
GUEST:
And the ears. I have two sets of silver ears.
APPRAISER:
What struck me the most about your, your suit is that when they do come up for auction, I've never seen one in such complete condition. You have every piece of it. That makes it pretty extraordinary.
GUEST:
(laughs)
APPRAISER:
And I've never seen silver lamé.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Most of them come up are the primary satin colors.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
And the trophy, I've never seen one of the trophies.
GUEST:
Well, you know, this is the Bunny of the Year Pageant program. And actually, it, there was all these celebrities that were in the audience for the international pageant, because it was the first one that was ever televised. And the signatures are from O.J. Simpson, who signed it "Peace," Ringo Starr, Milton Berle, Jim Brown, Steve Martin, and Hefner. So I didn't even remember getting these signatures. But after I pulled it out of storage and looked at it, my husband said, "My God, do you know the names that are on here?" So it was pretty exciting.
APPRAISER:
The suit alone, in today's market, would sell at auction anywhere between $6,000 and $8,000.
GUEST:
(laughing): Oh, you're kidding me! Oh, my God!
APPRAISER:
And I've never seen a trophy come up. I think most of the women who won that, it was such a prestigious thing to win, that I would expect at auction for that to be estimated anywhere between $2,000 to $3,000.
GUEST:
(laughing): Oh, really?
APPRAISER:
And you also have that program over there...
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
...which would be at least $200 to $300, if not more.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
So altogether here, you have at least $8,200 to $11,300 worth of stuff.
GUEST:
(laughing): Whoa, that's awesome!
APPRAISER:
And I actually think it's conservative, because you're fabulous, and your story is fabulous. And you even have the cuff links on your cuffs. You have the bow tie, you have the story.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
You've got your name badge.
GUEST:
Yeah.
APPRAISER:
And it's just so wonderful to meet one in context with the person who wore it.
GUEST:
Oh, my God, thank you, Laura! That is thrilling!
APPRAISER:
Are you most comfortable wearing them?
GUEST:
(laughing): Yeah, I'm very comfortable wearing them.
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