Jackie Kennedy's 1960 Election Night Coat Sells at Auction

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ November 1960 Election Night coat sold at auction via Sotheby’s for a final price of $50,800 — six times the initial estimate of $8,000.

Part of Sotheby’s inaugural Handbags & Fashion auction, the violet wool maternity coat features a rounded collar, long sleeves and double-breasted design with six button in a lighter violet tone. At the time, the late former First Lady of the United States was eight months pregnant with son John F. Kennedy Jr.

“The extraordinary response to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ election night coat speaks to the enduring power of objects that sit at the intersection of history, emotion, and impeccable design,” Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said in a statement.

“Achieving more than six times its high estimate in its first appearance on the market, this result underscores collectors’ deep appreciation for pieces that capture both an intimate personal story and a defining moment in American history.”

Beginning at its new global headquarters in New York City’s Breuer building on Dec. 8 and concluding on Monday, the coat, provided by a family with a deep connection to the Kennedys, per Sotheby’s, received 25 bids. The coat was immortalized on the night of John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential election on the cover of Life Magazine, featuring a photo of the Kennedy family in Hyannis Port.

A standout piece of then-first lady Jackie Kennedy’s wardrobe, the violet coat was a departure from the serious, muted wardrobe worn by previous first ladies. At the age of 31, Kennedy was among the youngest first ladies to occupy the White House.

From election night onward, Kennedy Onassis’ style and the ways in which she used her wardrobe became a focal point of her time as first lady. In the decades since, her clothing remains an enduring part of her legacy.

Along with Kennedy Onassis’ election night violet coat, Sotheby’s Handbags & Fashion auction included pieces like an Alexander McQueen green velvet and bugle beaded evening gown from 2007, a Yves Saint Laurent jumpsuit, a Dior Haute Couture by Gianfranco Ferre fur coat circa 1993 and a Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld blue and gold tweed jacket, among other pieces.