Profiles in History

Profiles in History is an auction house in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1985 by Joseph Maddalena and is one of the world's leading auctioneers and dealers of authentic and original collectibles, including Hollywood memorabilia, historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage signed autographs and manuscripts. Maddalena is the company's President and CEO.

Profiles in History host a number of Hollywood and historical auctions throughout the year.

October 2014 Profiles in History held their largest Hollywood Memorabilia auction to date. Auction highlights featured:

In July 2013, Profiles in History presented one of the finest collections of Lucille Ball memorabilia as part of their second of two Drier Collection auctions. Ball's signature "Lucy Ricardo" polka dot dress designed by Elois Jenssen for the I Love Lucy television series secured $168,000.00, greatly exceeding its $60,000.00 projected pre-auction estimate.

On June 18, 2011, Profiles in History launched the first of a series of auctions of the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Collection. In June 2011 Profiles in History garnered $5.52 million for Marilyn Monroe's "Subway" dress from The Seven Year Itch. The dress broke the Guinness world record for most expensive dress sold at auction. $4.4 million was secured for the Audrey Hepburn "Ascot" dress from My Fair Lady. In December 2011 (Debbie Reynolds Collection Part II), The Panavision PSR 35mmm camera that George Lucas used for principal photography on the first Star Wars film in 1977 was sold at auction for $625,000.00, a record price for a movie camera.

Eight lots of Albert Einstein material, including an unpublished poem, were sold at Profiles in History's historical auction held in Calabasas, California, in December 2014. The sale also included a total of seven Abraham Lincoln items, including the desk Lincoln used in 1840–42 during his last term in the Illinois state House of Representatives and an autograph letter he wrote on August 17, 1860, to Thurlow Weed; a collection of 27 crime scene and autopsy photos of Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Barrow (Bonnie and Clyde); and an autograph letter from Thomas Jefferson written while he was vice president.

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