Hollywood Memorabilia Has To Be Purchased With Care!

These days, there is absolutely no sating for people’s appetite related to collecting celebrity memorabilia or investing in collectibles related to Hollywood. In fact, the craze of garnering these items has reached such enormous levels that avid collectors are willing to go to any extent to get the stuff that they desire to have in their possession. For instance, the blue gingham dress worn by Judy Garland in the “The Wizard of Oz” had fetched high returns at an auction thronged by noted celeb memorabilia collectors. This hobby has been further fueled by the internet which has managed to revolutionize the marketplace for these types of collectibles, thereby giving rise to an explosion in the number of online auction sites offering objects that once belonged to Hollywood’s greatest icons.

At the same time, there has been an upsurge in the number of fraudulent sales related to bogus celebrity memorabilia. There are forged autographs as well as dubious provenance galore that have added to the suspicions prevailing in the minds of genuine buyers. The fraudulent sales of Hollywood based celebrity items have become so prevalent that the authorities have sprung into action to curb illegal sales. Understanding memorabilia value proves to be a tough task as the ephemeral nature of the items need in-depth research for the assessment of their authenticity. Here are some essential factors to consider while buying celebrity memorabilia:

1. It is important to know more about a celebrity’s career. Having adequate knowledge about the dates and locations of a celeb’s landmark career moments are important for assessing the originality of autographs, provenance and photos alike.
2. It is a good idea to ask as many questions that you can before going ahead with the freezing of your collectible buys. It is good to know when and how the item came into the possession of the seller. In case the answers are not very convincing it is better to let go of the item rather than get trapped into buying fakes. Also, it is important to note that even though documentation happens to be a must in case of Hollywood collectibles, certificates of authenticity may or may not be a guarantee of authenticity.
3. In case you are opting for a signed collectible, it becomes essential to know why the same was signed by the celebrity, and where. Was it a red-carpet gala event where it was signed? Or, did the Hollywood celebrity choose to sign it for charitable causes? It is also advisable to check upon the dates of the manufacturing of the article and when the product was autographed.
4. Be skeptical of “great deals” that leave you open-mouthed with too good to be true prices on offer. As per memorabilia enthusiasts and experts, the overall marketplace for such goods is quite strong. So, you need to be extra cautious of the sort of deal that is being offered to you. A thorough check of the credibility of the dealer in question will help you understand what’s in store for you.

Go ahead, keep these pointers in mind and you can look forward to making sound investments in Hollywood memorabilia.