The Irish auctioneer to the stars

Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Sinatra - you name 'em, Martin Nolan's sold their stuff

In a small, quaint hotel in Ireland, a gentleman with a strong County Roscommon answers the phone.

"Hello," he says with lively energy.

At the end of the line across the Atlantic Ocean is Martin Nolan, a man who won a green card in the visa lottery in the late 80s and has since won the hearts and trust of countless Hollywood megastars simply by being his charming Irish self.

Nolan, 46, is an auctioneer to the stars. He is in the business of getting the best price possible for umbrellas, dresses, pictures and the like.

However, these are not just anyone’s umbrellas, dresses and pictures. If Nolan's name is attached to them then you can be guaranteed they once belonged to a superstar.

And for the past month in Ireland, Nolan has been watching dearly over 150 personnel possessions once owned by actress and style icon Marilyn Monroe, as they were exhibited at the Newbridge Silverware Museum of Style Icons in County Kildare.

Michael Jackson auction drama

Just last March, Nolan, who is the executive director of Julien’s Auctions based in Los Angeles, made the headlines when pop superstar Michael Jackson changed his mind about selling hundreds of personal possessions. Jackson had hired Julien’s Auctions to sell his property, but when Nolan brought many of Jackson’s items for auction to Ireland for display the reclusive superstar changed his mind.

Weeks of negotiations ensued between lawyers, but a deal was struck and they parted on good terms. In fact, they parted on great terms. Jacko has since invited Nolan and the owner and president of Julien’s Auctions, Darren Julien, to attend his concert and meet him in London this summer.

“We are very happy now,” said Nolan, who hails from Kiltoom, Athlone, County Roscommon

“After nine months we had a huge financial commitment put into it. And when Michael Jackson changed his mind it was difficult for us, but we also didn’t want to do an auction with a cloud over it,” recalls Nolan.

“We didn’t want to spend the next two years in court, so his attorneys and our attorneys got together and reached an agreement that we are very happy with.”

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Nster.com