Fictional collectibles are a rich vein for writers.
We explored them a little in our first post on the subject:
Here are some more made-up - or fictionally placed - collectibles that have delighted readers and viewers over the years.
And remember, we’d love to hear from you if you have more examples for us to include in future lists.
The Rare Books in the Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Philip Marlowe is on another Raymond Chandler’s confusing but beautifully written twisting tales when he stakes out a rare book store in Los Angeles.
But is Geiger’s rare books really all its cracked up to be?
Brilliant disguised as a book enthusiast - he puts on a pair of dark glasses, turns up the brim of his hat and affects a nerdy accent - Our hero asks the assistant, Sonia Darrin as Agnes:
“Would you happen to have a Ben Hur, 1860?”
“A first edition?”
“No. Third – the one with the erratum on page one sixteen.”
“I’m afraid not at the moment.”
“How about a Chevalier Audobon – the full set of course?”
“Uh – not at the moment.”
“You do sell books?
“What do those look like – grapefruit?”
Over the road, sharing a drink, hiding from the rain and flirting furiously with genuine bookstore owner Dororthy Malone, Marlowe reveals he made up those rare titles to test the store out.
There are no such books.
The scam is revealed. Geiger is peddling smut (much to Marlowe's disgust, he was quite a prude at times).
The bookshop scenes are a pair of wonderful set pieces in one of the best Hollywood noirs, starring the quintessentially hardboiled Humphrey Bogart.
There are rare books to be found here though.
Sonia Darrin was not selling rare books.
Raymond Chandler’s autograph is not especially valuable in its own right, but good quality first editions of his classic books can be worth 10s of thousands of pounds.
A Ben Hur first edition? Certainly several hundred pounds.
Nathan Garrideb in The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
The real prize isn't in Nathan Garrideb's collection.
Nathan Garrideb isn’t a collectible, he’s a collector.
In one of the cleverest Sherlock Holmes plots he’s an annoying stay-at-home who’s sitting on a fortune he has no idea is there.
Sadly for our purposes it’s in the shape of a counterfeiting set up rather than in Nathan’s collection, which is largely worthless despite its enormous size and range.
The coins, archaeological finds, skulls, bones and assorted other curios bring its owner a great deal of joy though.
And that’s the way in for the villainous John Garrideb (aka “‘Killer’ Evans, of sinister and murderous reputation.”).
Like many collectors - and Nathan is an exaggerated fictional stereotype - there’s a touch of obsession about his passion.
So the offer of a big sum of money is everything:
“There are a dozen specimens in the market at the present moment which fill gaps in my collection, and which I am unable to purchase for want of a few hundred pounds. Just think what I could do with five million dollars. Why, I have the nucleus of a national collection. I shall be the Hans Sloane of my age.”
Sadly, Nathan is on a wild goose chase and is so disappointed that he couldn’t indulge his collecting with that enormous sum that he ends up in a nursing home.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a highly collectible author and historic personality.
For Holmes fans, the story is perhaps best remembered as the one in which Sherlock - fearing Watson shot dead - actually shows some emotion as he runs to save his old friend.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his creation Sherlock Holmes are both extremely collectible personalities.
Doyle autographs start at hundreds of pounds and head up into the thousands for good signed books and interesting papers or letters.
The $226,555 copy of The Hound of the Baskervilles once owned by Rolling Stone drummer Charlie Watts set a new record for a printed work by the author at auction last year.
And in June 2024 a twice-signed manuscript copy of the Sign of the Four may set another record if it hits its $1.2 million estimate.
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon is the perfect MacGuffin. Everyone’s chasing it without really knowing what it is.
And it’s at the heart of the perfect noir thriller.
Sam Spade, the detective around which Dashiel Hammett’s novel and the 1941 film directed by John Huston revolve is one of the most compelling characters in American art.
Thanks, on screen, to Humphrey Bogart.
The Falcon itself is a jewel-encrusted treasure, chased down centuries and across continents.
But, the one that so much blood has been shed for is a fake and we close on the villains planning their next step to get their hands on the real one.
They are not pleased, as Joel Cairo rants at Gutman “You bungled it! You and your stupid attempt to buy it... No wonder we had so little trouble stealing it! You imbecile! You bloated idiot!”
Hand over your birds of prey! Cairo and Gutman will go to any lengths to get the statue.
It’s a collectible of a sort. A priceless yearly tribute from the Knight’s of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in rent for the island of Malta.
And the ones that we saw on screen are certainly collectibles.
They were made by American artist Fred Sexton.
Four were sculpted and two have been sold, one for a world-record (for a film prop) $398,500 in 1994 and another for more than $4 million in 2013.
Not bad growth.
Bogart’s collectible too. One of the most desirable Hollywood autographs.
And original posters for this classic movie can get up to around $20,000.
Collecting your passions
If you’re a collector you probably have your own favourite fictional collectible.
Let us know, using our contact page.
