Personal belongings belonging to the late French actress and activist Brigitte Bardot sold for nearly €1m in Paris, far exceeding expectations and triggering a public clash with her widower. The auction house Millon reported that the sale reached almost 20 times the original estimate.

Among the 285 items sold were a self-portrait that fetched nearly €40,000, a typewriter used for her autobiography that raised €4,634, and two guitars that sold for €8,600 and €1,900. A pair of dog collars with an identification tag sold for €9,400 to a Russian buyer, while three stuffed toys representing baby seals brought in nearly €2,200.

The proceeds will fund the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and her only child, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier. The charity, established in 1986, shelters 13,000 animals across four facilities and 150 partner centers. It supports 350 groups in France and operates in 70 countries. The sale mirrors a 1987 event Bardot organized to fund her organization's creation.

The auctioneer Alexandre Millon noted the financial success. “Brigitte Bardot has once again proved to be a remarkable alchemist: she transformed about €50,000 in estimates into nearly €1m, including fees,” he said.

Her last husband, Bernard d’Ormale, publicly opposed the sale two days before it occurred. “These are personal items. Why hold this sale? For the animals?” he asked. He argued that the collection should have been kept intact to honor her legacy and claimed she would never have approved the event. The foundation pushed back, stating the board approved the auction in June while d’Ormale served as its president. He was removed from his leadership role shortly after the disagreement surfaced.

Approximately 3,000 bidders registered for the event. Bardot, who died in December at age 91, stepped away from acting in the 1970s to focus on animal welfare. She later took on far-right political positions and faced five convictions for hate speech. The auction drew international attention to both her cultural impact and the ongoing debate over how her estate should be managed.