There’s a marketplace out there for celebrity and historical figures’ hair and it’s absolutely fascinating.
When it comes to the distribution of hair, there are two sides to it: the commercial and the personal. Some invest in hair in order to then sell and distribute it on, the motivating factors of passion and profitability driving them on. Meanwhile others are at home, making phone calls, sending emails and perusing the internet in order to acquire new strands to help build up their personal collections.
And these personal collectors, who are they?
Some collect hair with a kind of fervour akin to children and their Lego – they’ll do whatever it takes to find new strands and build their hair empire. Then there are those that are more particular, only wanting the hair of a very specific celebrity or figure; these people might never have purchased hair before, but want to feel a special connection with a certain someone.
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Hair gives you an unparalleled level of intimacy… Hair wasn't just touched or used by the historical figure/celebrity, it was the historical figure.
With some strands centuries old, and some going for as much as £250,000, the marketplace for celebrity hair is a fascinating place. We sat down with a dealer who specialises in famous hair, among other things, Paul Fraser of Paul Fraser Collectibles, Bristol, to learn more about this incredible world.
Barnebys: Selling celebrity hair is pretty niche. How did you come to be in the business?
Paul Fraser: It’s a natural extension of autograph collecting, which is the area in which I began.
Hair gives you an unparalleled level of intimacy with the historical figure/celebrity in question. It's a step beyond owning an autograph or a piece of clothing they wore. Hair wasn't just touched or used by the historical figure/celebrity, it was the historical figure. That is unique in the world of collecting.
Alongside celebrity hair, you also sell signed autographs, film and other memorabilia, and plenty more. What is the most expensive item you’ve ever sold, both hair and otherwise?
We sold Henry VIII’s personal divorce plea to the Catholic Church, priced at £250,000, in 2013. Henry was seeking the annulment of his marriage from Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope refused, and Henry turned his back on Catholicism – establishing the Church of England.
Our most valuable hair currently on sale is a Marilyn Monroe lock snipped by her hairdresser just hours before she sang Happy Birthday Mr President for John F Kennedy in 1962. It is priced at £250,000 (single half-inch strands from the same cut are just £399). The price is a reflection of the importance of the moment in popular culture – the dress she wore that night sold for US$4.8 million in 2016.
See also: The 7 Most Expensive Harry Potter Collectors’ Items
Do you ever get requests for a particular celebrity’s hair? If so, who is the most sought-after?
Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe are our best sellers, while our Mary Queen of Scots strands are popular north of the border.
We’re expecting our newest strands, from Kurt Cobain, to be popular. There’s only a small amount of Cobain memorabilia around as he died so young and he has a huge fanbase.
Where do you get all your celebrity hair from?
We purchase some locks at auction and others in private sales.
We recently acquired several strands of Hollywood A-listers’ hair from a wigmaker. She has produced wigs for many films and TV programmes. She takes hair samples from the actors to ensure the wigs exactly match their hair; the majority of stars use wigs or hair extensions on screen. Names from this source include Daniel Radcliffe, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Costner and Game of Thrones’ Kit Harington.
Some of the hair you have available for purchase is centuries old, for instance King Edward IV’s. When you’re on the hunt for hair to acquire and sell, how can you tell if it’s the real deal?
It's all about tracking the provenance. We are meticulous at Paul Fraser Collectibles. Is there a clear history of ownership? Was it once in a prestigious collection? If you have the root, DNA testing is also possible although most hairs do not come with this.
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And what tips do you have for buyers wanting to spot authentic hair from a fake?
For buyers, spotting a fake can be difficult. I recommend buying from a dealer who offers a lifetime money back guarantee of authenticity.
What kind of buyers do you encounter and what do they typically do with the hair, do you know?
Hair attracts two types of buyer:
Fans – people who love a particular star, such as Daniel Radcliffe, Paul McCartney, Elvis, and want to feel that personal connection to them.
People fascinated by history – men and women who are amazed when they discover they can own a piece of a world-changing historical figure – someone they’ve previously only read about in books. Whether that’s Edward IV from the Wars of the Roses, George Washington, Napoleon, Charles Dickens, or Neil Armstrong.
Each hair comes mounted on a display so I’m assuming they get pride of place on office and living room walls throughout the world.
Do you have any tips for storing hair?
Have them framed behind light-filtering glass so that the hair and display do not degrade over time due to sunlight.
Any other unique tidbits to offer?
Our most grisly item is without doubt the beard hair Charles I was sporting on the day of his execution in 1649. The hair was removed following the body’s exhumation in 1813. Charles was famed for his goatee – almost all pictures of him show him with one.
The vest – and other garments – Charles was wearing during his execution is going on display at the Museum of London later this year.
Among our most popular strands are hairs from celebrated racehorses. Red Rum is by far our best seller of the racehorses. We also have Arkle, Desert Orchid, Nijinsky and many more.
