Movie Memorabilia and Entertainment Collectibles on the Little Screen

If you’re a fan of the A&E reality series “Storage Wars,” you’ve probably been picking up a background education on collectible Hollywood memorabilia and movie memorabilia thanks to Barry Weiss, the retiree turned storage warrior. For those who have never watched the show, the premise is a simple one. It follows the adventures of several California entrepreneurs who battle each other at storage unit auctions. Each of the main characters has a persona; there is Dave Hester, who owns an auction house, and Darryl Sheets, who owns a thrift shop, and Jarrod Schulz and Brandi Passante, who own a secondhand store.

And then there is Barry Weiss, a self-styled collector, who is always on the lookout for the rare, the unusual and the valuable. A life-long collector of antiques and collectibles, Barry joined the show at the suggestion of his friend, who is the executive producer of the show. He loves finding what he calls “collector’s units,” storage units that might contain valuable collectible movie memorabilia, autographed sports memorabilia and other kinds of entertainment collectibles. Barry’s finds have included the shoes worn by Shelley Duvall in the movie “Popeye” and a set of rare horse racing posters netted him more than $6,000.

“Storage Wars” is only one of many shows that feature antiques, sports memorabilia, Hollywood collectibles and celebrity autographs. For lovers of memorabilia and collectibles the last few years have been a veritable feast. The venerable “Antiques Roadshow” has featured episodes that include framed presidential memorabilia, autographed movie posters and collectible sports memorabilia alongside their more standard family heirlooms and stately antiques. Spike TV’s “Auction Hunters” follows the adventures of Ton Jones and Allen Haff as they attend storage unit auctions around the country, often uncovering collections of baseball memorabilia and out-of-the-ordinary celebrity collectibles, like signed surfboards and signed movie posters.

As alluring as it may be to imagine uncovering a stash of mint condition Star Wars posters in an old storage locker, there are easier ways to acquire movie memorabilia. If you’re looking for home theater décor or ideas for a man cave, you’ll find plenty of inspiration browsing catalogues and listings posted by reputable dealers of collectibles – and you’ll be certain that the items you’re buying are the genuine thing. Reputable dealers will always provide you with certificates of authenticity for any celebrity autographs or movie memorabilia they sell.

Whether you’re looking for a Star Wars display for your home theater or the perfect piece of football memorabilia to finish off your den, your best option is always a well-known, reputable dealer of movie memorabilia and entertainment collectibles.