Sharon Stone's AIDS help

Oct 29, 2007, 12:30 GMT

US actress Sharon Stone poses before a charity auction for AIDS reserch at the Fendi Palace in Rome, Italy, 26 October 2007. Stone acts as chairman of amfAR\' s (American Foundation for AIDS Research), whose first Cinema against AIDS benefit was held in Cannes, France, during the 1993 International Film Festival hosted by Elizabeth Taylor, amfAR\'s founding international chairman. EPA/ALESSANDRO DI MEO

Sharon Stone's AIDS charity auction has raised $1.35 million.

The 'Basic Instinct' actress - who is the global fundraising chairwoman of AIDS research charity amfAR - hosted the candlelit benefit in Rome, Italy, on Friday (26.10.07) and even sold her own necklace for $50,000.

Wearing a Fendi fur wrap and silver dress with a plunging neckline, Sharon said: "I want you to know that I love this necklace. We usually sell a piece of something and it's usually a piece of me!"

She told one bidder: "Don't flirt with me and not mean it, you know I hate that. I love that quiet talk but I can't quite hear you."

Sharon asked the guests, which included model Eva Herzigova, director Sofia Coppola and actress Mira Sorvino, to bid for contemporary art and De Grisogono jewellery.

When one person refused to raise his bid, she jokingly warned him: "I'm going to come over there and slap you!"

Italian fashion house Fendi held the auction and after-party at its exclusive headquarters near Rome's famous Spanish Steps.

A Fendi baguette purse signed by Sharon and several other celebrity guests raised $60,000, a portrait of Italian actress Alida Valli by artist Francesco Vezzoli fetched $140,000, while nine racy photographs taken by Mark Liddell went for $25,000.

Sharon admitted she felt nervous before the auction, because she feared nobody would turn up.

The 49-year-old actress, who has been hosting AIDS fundraisers since 1995, said: "Every time I come here I think nobody will come and it will be a disaster and I will cry at the end."

(C) BANG Media International