Most families have jewellery as heirlooms. Anna Nicole Smith has lingerie.

Larry Birkhead, the father of Smith's daughter Dannielynn, spent almost $3000 on underwear the late playmate once wore in a photo shoot for Playboy.

Smith's former boyfriend explained he wanted something for their one-year-old child to remember her mother by.

"I have a lot of history I have to put together that she doesn't really know about," Birkhead said.

"Playboy was such a big part of Anna's career."

Birkhead added that the lingerie would one day hopefully help Dannielynn learn the life story of her mother.

"You know, it's not something I can show today, but something down the road," he reasoned.

"It's not going to be in any bedtime stories anytime soon."

Birkhead spent $1000 on a white negligee and $1800 on a pink bustier at the auction held at Las Vegas' Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

After Smith died in February 2007 of a prescription drugs overdose aged 39, Birkead was awarded custody of Danielynn.