The man who has everything ( almost)
Noted collector Joe Maddalena is setting up shop in the metro area
Joe Maddalena knows a good thing when he sees it. And he likes what he sees in Denver.
As CEO and founder of Profiles in History — a Los Angeles company that bills itself as the world’s largest auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia — Maddalena has been instrumental in discovering high- profile forgeries and helping museums and institutions such as the Library of Congress with historical exhibitions.
But “Hollywood Treasure,” which ran for three seasons on Syfy, introduced Maddalena as a TV personality in the vein of “Antiques
Roadshow” and “Pawn Stars.” With regular, multimilliondollar auctions of the rarest- ofrare items ( think Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz” or, recently, the entire Howard Hughes estate) he’s proven his expertise at hunting down and acquiring some of pop- culture’s most prized artifacts. So what’s he doing in Denver? Living part- time, he said, and preparing to open a new Profiles in History retail shop in Cherry Creek next year.
Maddalena likens his house in Denver to the sprawling, top- secret warehouse glimpsed at the end of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The recently built, 6,000- squarefoot abode in the Northfield development boasts numerous custom features, as well as most of Maddalena’s prized possessions.
We caught up with Maddalena via phone this week. ( This interview has been edited for length.)
Q : What brought you to Denver?
A: My son went to ( the University of Colorado) in Boulder so we frequently started coming out here to visit and had a place in Snowmass. A couple of years ago,
I got him a place here in Stapleton — or Central Park as I think it’s called now — and he opened a toy store called Rocky Mountain Collectibles, which sells Pokémon, Yu- Gi- Oh and Funko. I’ve spent so much time here this year because going back to L. A. ... it’s not the greatest place to be right now.
Q : Are you doing business here in Colorado?
A: We have clients in 160 countries, but I used to have a store in Aspen about 15 years ago on Hyman Avenue that sold historical books. It was a little too seasonal to be long- term. So right now we’re looking at a property in Cherry Creek where we’re going to open up a gallery with a showcase of the things we sell in L. A. If it works out, we’ll be open by the first of the year with rare photos, fine art, historical documents and other memorabilia. I’m excited about it because Cherry Creek reminds me of how Beverly Hills was 30 years ago. And none of this would have happened if not for
COVID.
Q : How packed is your house with artifacts right now?
A: I can’t move without my stuff! I’m really eclectic so I’ve got things like a 1950 Japanese sci- fi robot, a first- edition “King Kong,” a book signed by Babe Ruth, and Academy Awards. It’s whatever speaks to me. There’s a wide variety of art, like this great Mapplethorpe photograph or a William Trost Richards painting. I collect American paintings
from the Hudson River School, about 1860 to 1930, so people like Thomas Moran. I have Captain America’s shield from the first “Avengers,” and Judy Garland’s dress from “The Wizard of Oz.” I collect gems and minerals, too.
Q : Did you customize your new house much?
A: I don’t have antlers on the walls and sheepskin rugs, which I probably would in Aspen. In my bedroom, behind the bed, I have a giant painted mural of Tokyo, original art from Godzilla and King Kong, and Japanese furniture. It’s state- of- the- art in terms of energy efficiency. In L. A., the electric bill for a 6,000square- foot house would be $ 1,500 per month. Here, with my LEED certification, it’s $ 29. I’m a Tesla guy. I like going green. I’ve also always wanted a greenhouse — this super- modern, glass, architecturally amazing space with high ceilings where I could display things. I figured, “Here’s an opportunity to do that.”
Q : This is a tough economic time for many people. Is highend collecting realistic?
A: It’s exploded. I’ve been in
this business for 36 years and lived through four of these ( economic downturns). I started in 1987 on Black Friday. Every time we’ve gone through one of these cycles my field has grown. People want to be surrounded by things that make them happy. They want nostalgia, and beauty. Investors can diversify outside of the stock market. But it’s a
different kind of person. Some people can walk into a museum and be satisfied. Other people walk out and say, “I have to own one of those.” Many of us need those tactile experiences. We want things that make us happy.