Julien's Auctions

About Julien's Auctions

Julien's Auctions is the world's leading auction house for celebrity and entertainment memorabilia, a distinction it has held since its founding in 2003 by Darren Julien. Based in Beverly Hills, California, at the epicenter of the global entertainment industry, the firm has built a Guinness World Record-holding reputation for handling the personal collections and estates of the biggest names in music, film, television, fashion, and sports.

History

Darren Julien founded the company to treat celebrity and entertainment memorabilia with the same seriousness and market-making expertise that the great fine art auction houses brought to paintings and sculpture, a category previously relegated to the fringes of the auction world by generalist firms. Julien's client list includes property from the estates and collections of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Prince, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Madonna, Cher, and Barbra Streisand, among many other cultural icons, alongside authorized sales for living artists and entertainers.

Landmark sales

Julien's Auctions entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2009 for the sale of Michael Jackson's iconic white glove, which sold for $480,000. In 2020 the firm sold the guitar used by Kurt Cobain during Nirvana's MTV Unplugged performance for $6 million. John Lennon's 12-string Hootenanny guitar, used during the recording of the Help! album, sold for $2.9 million, a world record for a Beatles guitar at auction. In 2023, a Jacques Azagury evening dress worn by Princess Diana achieved $1.15 million, a new record for the most expensive Princess Diana dress ever sold.

Auctions and partnerships

The firm conducts auctions throughout the year from its Beverly Hills gallery, with major sales often timed to coincide with cultural events, anniversaries, or estate dispersals. Julien's has also held auctions at iconic venues including the Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood, and various Las Vegas locations, creating theatrical events that generate enormous media coverage and public interest, an ability to turn an auction into a cultural event that is one of the firm's distinctive strengths.

Julien's Auctions has forged exclusive partnerships with major cultural institutions, serving as the exclusive auction partner for Gibson guitars, Turner Classic Movies, MusiCares (the charitable arm of the Recording Academy), and the Black Music Action Coalition, among others, providing the firm with access to extraordinary material while supporting charitable causes close to the entertainment industry's heart.

Julien's has expanded its categories beyond pure entertainment memorabilia to include rock and roll memorabilia, sports memorabilia, historical artifacts, and fine art with celebrity provenance. The firm has handled major sports collections, vintage automobiles owned by celebrities, and significant fine art collections with Hollywood connections, a diversification that has broadened its appeal while maintaining its core identity as the premier destination for entertainment-related material.

Buying and selling

The buying process at Julien's Auctions is designed to be exciting and accessible. Bidding is available in person at the Beverly Hills gallery, by telephone, and through the firm's robust online bidding platform, with detailed lot descriptions, extensive photography, and provenance information. For major sales the firm produces lavish printed catalogs that serve as collectible reference works, and preview exhibitions are held before major auctions, often drawing large crowds of fans and collectors.

The firm's fee structure follows standard auction house practices, with a buyer's premium added to the hammer price. Sellers pay a negotiated commission, and the firm offers free evaluations for potential consignments, with an established buyer base ensuring that significant items receive the competitive bidding they deserve. The firm's cataloging and research department deserves special mention: each lot is thoroughly researched, with provenance traced and authenticated to the highest standards, and for items of particular significance the firm provides detailed essays placing the item in its cultural and historical context, a scholarly approach that helps justify the premium prices the best material commands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Julien's handle memorabilia from contemporary entertainers?

Yes, alongside estate and vintage material.

Is authentication included in the consignment process?

Yes, with certificates of authenticity provided for all lots.

Are the auctions open to the public for viewing and bidding?

Yes, with free preview exhibitions before major sales.