How Much is a Piece of Jackie Kennedy’s Swimsuit Worth?
A curious reader wonders about the value of her framed swatch of a swimsuit worn by Jackie Kennedy in 1960. We dive right in to come up with the answer.
Question: I was recently gifted with a framed and matted piece of art. It has two pictues of Jackie Kennedy and a pice of her bathing suit. It’s in a frame that is approximately 17” by 21”. In an envelope in the back of the frame is a letter of explanation. It was put together by Mary Barelli Gallagher, who was the secretary to both President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy. I’ve tried to find some information about this piece, but have come up with nothing. Do you have any idea of the value of this item?
Answer: For collectors of twentieth century American memorabilia, it doesn’t get any better than something that once belonged to Jackie Kennedy. A reader submitted an inquiry about such a piece. The piece, literally a piece, is a 1.5” by 2.5” swatch from a bathing suit worn by Jackie in 1960. The swatch is accompanied by a photo of Jackie wearing the bathing suit and a letter of authenticity from Jackie’s personal secretary, Mary Barelli Gallagher. Unfortunately, the photograph, taken by Jacques Lowe on the beach at Hyannis Port, Mass., in August 1960, is in black and white and most of the suit is covered by what appears to be a floating device or seat cushion. The letter describes the suit as having “a single-shoulder strap” when the image clearly shows Jackie wearing a bathing suit with a halter. I suppose I am nitpicking, but as an appraiser we look for inconsistencies as well as supporting evidence. That being said, I have no reason to believe this in not actually what it purports to be.
The letter accompanying the swatch reads: “This one-piece bathing suit in blue and white cotton flowered/vise print has a single shoulder strap with side, elasticized shirring and back zipper. It is made by PECK & PECK – Fifth Avenue – New York. Acquired from Mrs. Kennedy during one of her regular, periodic, closet-cleaning sessions at her Georgetown / White House / Georgetown residence.” The letter continues with: “This is to serve as proof of authenticity regarding the above item,” and is signed by Mary Barelli Gallagher who served as secretary to Sen. John F. Kennedy from 1953 to 1956 and as Personal Secretary to Jackie Kennedy from 1956 until 1964. In May 2019, a maternity dress worn by Jackie when she was seven months pregnant with John, accompanied by photographs of her wearing the dress and a letter of authenticity from Mary Barelli Gallagher, sold for $6,456. Currently, an entire Jackie Kennedy bathing suit accompanied by documentation is being offered online for $5,795.
So, the question is, what is a swatch of material from a bathing suit worn by Jackie Kennedy worth? Appraisers work on experience and comparative sales, and I have never been involved in such a sale, nor am I able to find any sales for a swatch of material having once belonged to Jackie. According to online sources, it takes about 1,350 square inches to make bathing suit. Doing the math for a $5,795 bathing suit, it comes to about $4.30 per square inch. An appraisal determined by this method would be quite inaccurate. In researching other Kennedy items sold at auction, I would place a conservative value of $400 to $500 for this. It could sell higher at an auction featuring historic items – auction results are tough to predict. This leaves us with the question: what happened to the rest of this bathing suit?
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Dr. Anthony J. Cavo is an honors graduate of the Asheford Institute of Antiques and a graduate of Reisch College of Auctioneering. He has extensive experience in the field of buying and selling antiques and collectibles. Cavo is also the author of Love Immortal: Antique Photographs and Stories of Dogs and Their People.
