Diane Keaton's nail clippers for $960: the boom in celebrity estate auctions

The market for deceased celebrities' personal items, dubbed 'deleb,' has exploded since Marilyn Monroe's 1999 estate sale. Bonhams, in collaboration with The Fine Art Group, is auctioning 787 items from Diane Keaton's estate across four sales. The first sale raised $1.2 million, with 47 of 50 lots exceeding estimates. Keaton's Annie Hall script sold for $394,000, a box of safety pins and nail clippers for $960, and a box of polka dot scarfs for $6,144. Bonhams' estate sales division grew 185% last year, averaging 28.5% annual growth since 2022. Gene Hackman's collection fetched over $3 million in 2025. Specialist firms like Julien's Auctions and Heritage Auctions compete fiercely for celebrity estates, often taking 20% of proceeds. Buyers are increasingly younger and include other celebrities. The trend reflects a desire for personal connection, with fans valuing items tied to celebrities' lives over professional memorabilia.