HollywoodMemorabilia Blog

Those who are fans of Hollywood memorabilia may know that Hard Rock boasts the largest music memorabilia collection with over 70,000 items ranging from Eric Clapton’s Lead II Fender guitar to the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour Bus. This May to August, a special tour trailer will stop at numerous Hard Rock Cafes across the country to 40 of the best memorabilia pieces in the collection. While the exact tour dates have not been announced, many music fans have already made plans to check out the greatest collection of music memorabilia this summer.

As Profile in History’s Auction 44 approaches, Hollywood memorabilia collectors are finding out more about which items will be for sale. Out of over 1,600 lots to be offered, lots featuring Walt Disney and John Lennon memorabilia are just a couple that are sure to receive much attention. Visitors can expect to see a handwritten letter from Walt Disney to Ub Iwerks, the creator of Mickey Mouse. Beatles fans may also anticipate John Lennon’s draft of lyrics to the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”. These are just a few of a vast collection of memorabilia to be auctioned this May.  

A pair of boxing gloves marketed as those worn by Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky” have been pulled from an upcoming Hollywood memorabilia auction. Stallone’s lawyer recently filed a cease and desist order against bosses at Profiles in History for selling the fraudulent memorabilia. As investigation proceeds, the auctioneers have agreed to pull the iconic gloves from the auction. Those who are interested in authentic television and movie memorabilia should always purchase from a trusted source.

On April 10, writer/director Kevin Smith held an auction called “Kevin Smith Sells Out: The Official Askewniverse Garage Sale” in Pasadena, California. The auction served to help finance Smith’s next independent horror film, Red State. Among a vast collection of props, set pieces, costumes and art, there was a set of angel wings worn by Ben Affleck in Dogma and the Bluntman costume from Jay and Silent Bob. Movie fans were able to bid on hundreds of items that Smith had amassed over the years from his own films and projects.

Fans of John Lennon memorabilia may be interested to hear that Little, Brown will publish a compilation of John Lennon’s letters in October 2012. Lennon’s widow, Yoko Ono gave permission for some of his letters to be published in “The Lennon Letters”. Editing and writing the introduction is Hunter Davies, the official Beatles biographer who had a hand in tracking down correspondence from Lennon. In recent years, John Lennon’s letters have proven to be valuable at auctions. In 2003, a letter to an art critic sent in 1971 sold for more than $38,000.

Hollywood memorabilia fans, particularly fans of the 1997 blockbuster “Titanic”, will be interested to hear that the infamous Kate Winslet drawing was reportedly sold for $16,000 at an auction last weekend. For those who are unfamiliar with this piece of film memorabilia, the sketch of Winslet was actually drawn by James Cameron and was one of the highlights at Premiere Props’ memorabilia auction. “Titanic” held the title of highest grossing film of all time for twelve years before “Avatar” came out in 2010.

Those who are fans of Hollywood memorabilia may be interested to discover what will be available at the Profiles in History auction this May. Among a plethora of rare collectibles that will be up for auction are: a tweed jacket that James Dean wore in “Rebel Without a Cause” and Sylvester Stallone’s boxing gloves from “Rocky”. In addition, the everlasting gobstopper from “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” will be available along with many other valuable items. Many collectors are expected to participate in the Profile in History auction this spring.

Since Elizabeth Taylor’s passing last week, sales of memorabilia from the late actress have seen tremendous growth. In addition, there has been an increase in interest in her films. With the growing popularity of shows such as “Antiques Roadshow,” there has been a higher demand for signed memorabilia and collectibles, especially those of late celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor. While there is no guarantee that these collectibles will be valuable in the future, many Hollywood memorabilia collectors continue to invest in them every day.

Fans of the Grateful Dead are in for a treat. In celebration of their upcoming 72-disc collection, Europe ’72: The Complete Recordings, the Grateful Dead are offering a free download of an unreleased performance of “Playing in the Band.” The song was recorded on April 14, 1972 at their concert in Copenhagen, Denmark. Stored in a replica steamer trunk, Europe ’72: The Complete Records is the ultimate collector’s piece for Grateful Dead memorabilia fans.

Those who are fans of Hollywood memorabilia may be interested in checking out the second season of “Auction Hunters,” which premieres on April 5 on Spike TV. Starting in South Florida, the show will document Allen Haff and Clinton “Ton” Jones as they scour storage-unit auctions around the country. As can be seen on “Auction Hunters,” abandoned storage units have a high potential to contain rare and valuable items. Those who are interested in items such as vintage movie posters, props, and photographs will find many options available.