Doyle’s Mary Tyler Moore Auction Draws Active Bidders and Strong Results

This June, collectors flocked to an exciting sale from Doyle that highlighted the personal collection of groundbreaking television icon Mary Tyler Moore. The 300-lot catalog, which included items personally owned by Moore in her Greenwich, Connecticut home, delivered strong results. Many lots soared above their high estimates as bidders competed for a piece of Moore’s legacy. Here are some of the key results. 

The Mary Tyler Moore Show Memorabilia

Mary Tyler Moore’s career memorabilia took center stage in this sale from Doyle, especially items from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Leading this section of the catalog was a screen-used wall-mounted letter “M” that appeared throughout the show’s seven-season run. With a pre-sale estimate of USD 5,000 to $8,000, this piece exceeded expectations to sell for $35,200. It was painted in gold and included Moore’s signature on the back. 

The Mary Tyler Moore Show aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977. It remained a popular and critical success throughout its run, earning 29 Emmy Awards and yielding three spin-off series. The show also influenced popular culture, offering a groundbreaking depiction of a single, working woman in Minneapolis who prioritized her career. Moore pitched the show to CBS after a starring role in The Dick Van Dyke Show and used her platform to both redefine the classic television sitcom and explore emerging social issues. 

Other key lots from The Mary Tyler Moore Show sold well. A sheet signed by cast members and producers of the show achieved $1,088 against an $800 high estimate, and a set of scripts for various television appearances sold for $2,048. 

Mary Tyler Moore Portraits

Mary Tyler Moore’s personal collection included numerous portraits made by the actress’s friends and admirers. Doyle sold a set of Mary Tyler Moore portraits by Peter Max for $15,360, slightly exceeding a high pre-sale estimate of $15,000. Executed in 2001, these colorful portraits echo the repetition of Andy Warhol’s Pop Art silkscreens. Each image shows Moore resting her chin on one hand, giving a half-smile to the viewer.

Many artists found a muse in Mary Tyler Moore. Portraits offered in this sale ranged from Peter Max’s exuberant screenprints to a delicate, muted painting by Richard McKenzie (sold for $4,800) and original caricatures by Al Hirschfeld (sold for $6,080 – $7,680 each). These portraits captured Moore as a cultural icon, part of the 1970s zeitgeist. 

Mary Tyler Moore Jewelry

Fine jewelry items owned and worn by Mary Tyler Moore also performed well in the recent Doyle sale. Leading this category was an 18-karat yellow gold cuff bracelet from Tiffany & Co. and Paloma Picasso. Sold for $10,240 against a high estimate of $8,000, this bracelet is dated 1969. Picasso was at the start of her career in the late 1960s, when she was experimenting with jewelry design and starting a partnership with Yves Saint Laurent. Her collaboration with Tiffany & Co. evolved and was formalized in the late 1970s; she would be associated with the brand and the cutting edge of fashion for years to come. 

Other notable Mary Tyler Moore jewelry lots in this sale included a tricolor gold ‘Trinity’ bangle bracelet from Cartier (sold for $8,320), a Cartier stainless steel and gold ‘Santos’ wristwatch (sold for $4,480), and an oversized white gold, cubic zirconia, and cabochon emerald dragonfly brooch (sold for $3,840). 

Mary Tyler Moore Personal Items

Mary Tyler Moore’s personal items attracted bids and attention this month. Collectors found treasures from Moore’s home, as well as items celebrating her career successes. Among the notable lots was a collection of four awards presented to Moore in the early 2000s. These standing awards recognized Moore’s roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, as well as her later film work. They sold together for $4,800 against a high estimate of $600. 

Moore’s stylish taste in home furnishings was on display as well. A Victorian sterling silver centerpiece bowl made a splash, selling for $12,160 against a $5,000 high estimate, and a pair of Potter-Spitzmiller painted porcelain table lamps soared past their $900 high estimate to achieve $7,040. 

To browse the complete auction results from the June 4, 2025 Mary Tyler Moore auction, visit Doyle. 

Looking for more celebrity memorabilia and auction results? Find coverage of Julien’s television memorabilia sale and Doyle’s Iris Apfel collection by visiting Auction Daily.