The Irish auctioneer to the stars

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

Nolan and Julien are a force to be reckoned with. Nolan’s background in finance and Julien’s expertise in marketing makes them one of the most successful small house auctioneers in the U.S.

Prior to setting up his own business, Julien was working as an independent consultant with Sotheby’s.

“Darren’s background was in classic cars. He knew people like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld coming out of Indiana and going to California. From that he built on his celebrity network,” Nolan says.

In 2003 Julien set up his own company. When Nolan joined him in 2005 the company had two major auctions a year. This year they have eight.

"The little auction house that could"

“We are the auction house to the stars. We only do celebrity related auctions. That’s our niche and we have corned that market,” said the Roscommon man. 

So how do Nolan and Julien compete with famous auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s, companies that have been around for more than 300 years?

“We are the little auction house that could. We are different. We don’t have an auction house. We bring the auction to the people and this works fantastic,” he said. 

After hanging up from the Irish Voice newspaper, Nolan was making sure the Marilyn Monroe memorabilia was safely packed away and ready to be shipped off to Las Vegas, where all of the pieces from the Irish exhibition and another 750 pieces, some from Marilyn, and other items belonging to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, actress Ann Miller and legendary singer Frank Sinatra will be auctioned off at the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Vegas on June 26 and 27.

While people will come from all over the world to bid on these precious items, others will bid on the phone and others online at Julien’sauctions.com.

In the meantime, Nolan is in New York this week making a special guest appearance on the “Today” show on Thursday morning, and catching up with his brother Frank who is a barman in Connolly’s Bar and Restaurant on Third Avenue and 47th Street – before returning to the hustle and bustle of life as a celebrity auctioneer in Hollywood.

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Nster.com