The original swimsuit worn by movie star Ester Williams in the movie “Million Dollar Mermaid”. The story of Australian Annette Kellerman.
The swimsuit would have been made by MGM studios Hollywood. It appears to be made of calico with sequins of fake fish scales sown on . The original colour was Turquoise, which can be seen in particular areas. The movie was produced in 1953 . It was worn by Ester Williams in the last sequence , when the glass tank ,she was swimming in ,shatters and breaks. The garment was given to my mother in law Carole Gill née Carole Mee , when she won Miss Teenage of Victoria in 1953 and the prize was a trip to MGM studios Hollywood .It was presented to her by Ester Williams and MGM studios Hollywood . Carole had worn on many occasions to raise money for the Royal Women’s Hospital ,in Melbourne, as part of her contract with 3 . A.W radio , for their Community Sevices Board
Length 72 cmWidth 36 cm
Inherited
Yes
Hi Lyndee,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
Esther Williams (1921–2013) was a champion swimmer turned Hollywood star who became MGM’s premier “aquamusical” actress in the 1940s and early 1950s. A national swimming champion poised for the 1940 Olympics (canceled due to WWII), she brought authentic athleticism to films that combined Busby Berkeley–style spectacle with synchronized swimming. Her movies—like Bathing Beauty (1944) and Neptune’s Daughter (1949)—made elaborate underwater choreography a box-office draw and helped define a uniquely American Technicolor fantasy.
Released in 1952 by MGM, Million Dollar Mermaid is Williams’ most ambitious film and her only Technicolor biopic. She portrays Australian swimmer and vaudeville star Annette Kellerman, who popularized synchronized swimming and scandalized audiences by wearing a one-piece bathing suit in the early 1900s. The film is famous for its opulent, extended water ballet finale—one of the most extravagant ever staged.
To give you an idea of the auction market for movie swimsuits, here are a few other high-selling swimsuits that have sold very well at auction:
The famous gold-metal bikini worn by Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was sold at auction for about $175,000 in 2024.
The iconic white bikini worn by Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film Dr. No has also been auctioned. In 2001 it sold at Christie's South Kensington for about £41,125, and it has been resold and re-offered over the years given its significance in film and fashion history. It's important to note that in both cases, the initial pre-sale estimates were far below what the swimsuits eventually brought.
Without the provenance to your mother-in-law, Carole Gill née Carole Mee, I would estimate this at $15,000-25,000 but adding her provenance to the mix, I think this would sell well between $15,000 and $30,000. In the right auction, I would not be surprised to see this exceed that range.
If you're considering selling this, you should sell this at an auction house that has a dedicated entertainment memorabilia department, like Bonhams, Christie's or Heritage.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia
