Description:

Laurence Olivier
n.p., n.d.
Rare Vivien Leigh & Laurence Olivier Dual Signed Photo
Signed photograph
A candid black and white photograph depicting Hollywood couple Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier, undated. Signed along bottom edge as "Vivien Leigh" (left) and "L Olivier" (right), both in blue ink. . 1p, 4.5" x 6.5". The image shows Olivier's arm around Leigh while they smile warmly at each other. Slight grain to image, with minor residue present near edges; areas of uneven pen strokes. Otherwise, a very good example.

There is perhaps no greater Hollywood love story than that of Vivien Leigh (1913-1967) and Laurence Olivier (1907-1989). The couple first met in 1935 after Olivier's performance in Romeo and Juliet, where they were introduced by a mutual friend. While both parties were married at the time, an undeniable connection was made between them. Olivier and Leigh began an affair while acting as lovers in "Fire Over England" (1937), although it was not for another three years that their respective separations would be finalized and they were allowed to make their relationship public.

The couple were married on August 31, 1940 in a small ceremony, and they would go on to collaborate on a number of projects throughout the early part of the decade. Leigh's struggles with bipolar disorder often led to turbulent outbursts in between filming, however, and in 1944 her health would further deteriorate after being diagnosed with tuberculosis in her left lung. Despite their evident love for each other, her health ultimately strained the relationship, leading to the end of their marriage in 1960. Leigh, who sensed months earlier that the marriage was over had begun seeing actor Jack Merivale, while Olivier remarried actress Joan Plowright soon after the divorce. Upon Leigh's death in 1967, Merivale contacted Olivier in order to pay his respects. His autobiography notably describes the distressing scene in which he "stood and prayed for forgiveness for all the evils that had sprung up between us".

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 4.5" x 6.5"
  • Medium: Signed photograph

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Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

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Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

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August 7, 2024 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000