Auctioning the Estate of ZELDA KAPLAN

reporter: Miguel Dominguez

On July 10th, Hutter Auction Galleries had their preview of the estate of Zelda Kaplan

Zelda Kaplan was a New York's art, nightclub, and fashion socialite. She often frequented popular New York nightclubs until closing. Her favorite nightclub outfits were matching African-print dresses, handbags, shoes, and a tall cloth hat.

She was a philanthropic and humanitarian activist, frequently traveling to Africa to speak out against female genital mutilation and to campaign for the right of women to inherit; in 1995 she spoke to villages in South Africa about birth control.

In 2003, she was profiled in the New York Times. Later that same year HBO premiered the documentary Her Name Is Zelda, which followed her life from housewife to socialite. Kaplan also once posed as a subject for the notorious photographer Andres Serrano.

Kaplan died in 2012, at the age of 95, after collapsing at a runway show for designer Joanna Mastroianni's new collection at Lincoln Center in New York City's twice yearly fashion week.

Zelda's sister Shirley Dworkin and her daughter Barbara Binder hold photos of Zelda, while Kathy Herrera, Zelda's close friend of and traveling companion to Africa, displays a rainbow outfit

Adam Hutter of Hutter Auction Galleries, shows off one of Zelda's more colorful costumes

Many among us would consider this travel bag a prized collectible

Lee Martins, Lois Mirviss and Demetria Daniels

To see more photos of this event, click here