Scanning the Internet for Lucy items since 1996

Being a collector is serious business. Lucille Ball collectors are a serious bunch. And they're serious about memorabilia associated with Lucille Ball, her various TV series (I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, Life With Lucy); her co-stars, especially Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley, but literally anyone who ever made an appearance on any Lucy-related program; her TV specials; her movies; her personal life; her children; and so on. Lucy's never been hotter.

Check out eBay on any given day, do a search for "Lucille Ball," and you'll find thousands of items. A Google search brings up hundreds of Lucy-centric sites. But I don't have to tell you that. If you're here, you're already part of the Lucille Ball extended family, one that includes people of all ages, races, creeds, and colors. Enjoy, and if you have a question, click on the "Ask the Lucy Collector" logo at top left. Return here periodically for an inside look at lotsa Lucy memorabilia on our expanded collectibles pages.

Spotlight Collectible This month's collectible is a rarity that's nonetheless been popping up recently in e-mails to me: a plastic/cloth Lucy giveaway doll. It was a promotional item made to celebrate Lucy & Desi's 1954 movie, The Long Long Trailer, given out as a contest prize. (There's a different picture of it on the Dolls page in this section; that particular doll sold on eBay several years ago for $610.)

For whatever reason, two fans recently wrote me, one asking, "Dear Michael: In cleaning things out for an upcoming garage sale, we have come across a 1954 I Love Lucy Doll, show in the attachment I sent you [see pic above left]. I was wondering what you think the best course of action might be to sell it; it's not in the greatest condition, because it was used as a normal doll by my mom, but it is overall in pretty good shape. What do you think?" Another noted, "I have one of those dolls that you were talking about [on your website]: the 1954 I Love Lucy doll that was given away a a promotional contest for a movie promotion. I want to sell it, and was wondering if you could tell me the best place to do this."

I responded that If they wanted to test the doll's worth, put it up on eBay with a high reserve price (so it won't sell...) and see who bids and what the top bid is. If eBay makes you uncomfortable, there are many other reputable auction houses that have online sites, and, if they accept your merchandise, will photograph it, write up a description and sell it for you, giving you as much as 85 percent of the final bid. Of course, as I always say, all you need is to find that one person who knows of the doll and REALLY wants it, and you've got a sale.

Click on the individual Lucy collectible categories below to find out more about your favorites. Happy collecting!

 Ask the Lucy Collector!
Books » Magazines » Comic Books » Dolls » Movies » Trading Cards
Music » Toys & Games » Foreign Shores » DVDs » Personal Effects » Miscellaneous
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