A watch that Marilyn Monroe reportedly gave President Kennedy as a birthday gift has fetched $120,000 at an auction.

The gold Rolex is inscribed: "Jack, With love as always from Marilyn May 29th 1962." Kennedy was born May 29, 1917.

Bill Panagopulos, founder of the Alexander Autographs auction house, said the buyer was an East Coast collector, but he didn't release a name. The watchcase contains a poem, written on a small piece of paper, titled, "A Heartfelt Plea on Your Birthday."

The poem reads: "Let lovers breathe their sighs/ And roses bloom and music sound/ Let passion burn on lips and eyes/ And pleasures merry world go round/ Let golden sunshine flood the sky/ And let me love/ Or let me die!"

Monroe performed a sultry rendition of "Happy Birthday to You" for Kennedy on May 19, 1962, at New York's Madison Square Garden. The actress is believed to have given the watch to Kennedy aide Kenneth O'Donnell, who passed it on to the president, Panagopulos said. But when Kennedy saw it, he told O'Donnell to "get rid of it," according to a note that was sold with the watch, Panagopulos said.

The watch, which was sold Saturday, had been expected to sell for between $40,000 to $60,000.

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Posted by Lawren at October 20, 2005 09:28 AM | Trackbacks (0)

You Said

I'm really surprised that it didn't go for much more.

Says: Nanc' at October 20, 2005 12:23 PM

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