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Where have all of the vintage Hollywood collectors gone?

One thing I've noticed recently on the board is that collectors of vintage/classic Hollywood seemed to be missing in action. Or maybe posts are not gaining traction and getting buried in discussions?  I do miss the sharing and opinioning of that kind of material. 

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hi Nick---but how many people living today remember herbert marshall.........the man was a great actor and Etienne makes his point. I never owned a Herbert Marshall autograph, but I watched some of his movies through the years.

I see your point there, but to play devils advocate I have no idea who the hip hop artists and rappers are of today and I am at the age that I should know. I will say this, I belong to the Turner Classic Movies message boards too and there is still a large community of people who still know these people by watching the films on TCM. The Little Foxes is a classic and it is routinely talked about on the boards, including the supporting players like Marshall. Collecting their autographs is another story where you can pick some of these names up for a song and a dance.

I do think that it's true that the desirability for classic Hollywood has waned.  Some of the iconic names like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe always continue to command primo prices.  Classic horror (the Chaneys, Lugosi, Karloff, etc.) also certainly have their well heeled fans. I think a few big recognizable comedy teams like the Stooges, the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy have their devoted fanbase.  But heck, it seems like even Abbott and Costello have slipped in value.   

I'd definitely argue that as the classic stars have continued slowly fading in memory from our shared culture, they are indeed not as coveted as they were a couple of decades ago.  

Etienne==you are on target and I agree with you.

Eric, My face was better, and your ink was better….the bet was on the photo….you have a larger following….It was great fun….David

I am also a vintage fan. Time marches on and with it comes change. Most collectors seek the heroes of their younger years. As one generation fades another takes it's place but the legends will always command our attention. At any age.

Right, Joe! With the explosion of the internet, nack in the late 90's/early 2000's a lot of material from the silent era on was making it's way for the first time onto eBay.  Also, autograph firms like GOLDEN AGE AUTOGRAPHS, ODYSSEY, GALLERY OF HISTORY, etc. were running on all cylinders presenting vintage material to the market.

It was really an exciting time to be a collector!

Indeed, it was. I miss Tom Kramer!

Someone on one of the Golden Age of Hollywood podcasts that I listen to occasionally made an interesting observation.  They theorized that "nostalgia" is usually focused at any given time mostly upon roughly 40 years before.  

They use the example of how there seems to be a nostalgia for the 1980s currently.  This would be current Generation x middle-aged folks looking back upon their childhood.

Another example was the 1970s. Then middle-aged folks were looking back at say the Marx Brothers in the 1930s. In popular culture, the Brothers were "rediscovered" in the 70s.

Yes, demand in many collectables fields is like that.  

"Nostalgia" is a good word for the temporary popularity.  If a celebrity becomes an icon then they might transcend the nostalgia phase.

Examples are Elvis Presley, Marylin Monroe, etc.

Etienne, Everyone remembers the flavors and the shows they watched in childhood….as they grow older they seek these items out as comfort foods and pleasant memories….

I agree. Years ago when I was around 10 years old I always loved to visit Grandma's house. She let me watch tv into the wee hours of the morning. There was a show host named Sammy Terry who dressed up as a ghoul and ran horror films all night. Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, and the like. Fond memories. Don't own any of their autographs but maybe someday.....

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