The vigilant will watch eBay and other online auction houses on a regular basis, as these items regularly pop up and few of them are super-expensive. Just do a search for Lucille Ball (on eBay that often results in more than 1,500 items!) and be prepared to spend an hour or two at your computer surfing. But certainly those who love to go to flea markets and garage sales, antique shows and backyard specials will be rewarded, too. Many of these unique items were promptly forgotten after their initial run, and have undoubtedly spent some time on a back shelf, at the top of the closet, in the basement, or in the attic before being brought into the light of day (or cyberspace). And no matter how much you think you might know about collectibles, you don't know everything, and that special item will pop up now and then to give you a matchless frisson. Engrav-O-Tints, for example, were black-and-white movie star portraits issued in vending machines in the 1940s. Put in a penny to get your weight, and one of the cards would pop out as a reward. Lucy was on these cards, and probably Desi as well. I saw Lucy's offered on eBay some months ago. Lucy's Notebook (top) was a 40-page promotional item, probably offered at the height of I Love Lucy mania in the 1950s. It offers recipes, pictures, suggestions on entertaining, and much more. It, too, was found on eBay. About the only thing a collector really needs to satisfy his or her itch is the verve and a bit of patience. Happy hunting!
Scanning the Internet for Lucy news since 1996
…And All That Jazz Signed contracts, signed checks, cigar bands, Engrav-O-Tints, purchase receipts, matchbook covers, sheet music, colorized versions of Lucy's black-and-white movies, T-shirts, scrapbooks, out-of-print laser discs, switchplates - just about anything you can put an image or text on has become a collectible featuring Lucille Ball, Desi, Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley, I Love Lucy, and on and on.
Ask the Lucy Collector!
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