Joseph Maddalena Joins Heritage Auctions as Executive Vice President

Joseph Maddalena has been named Executive Vice President at Heritage Auctions.

He joins the company after founding Profiles in History in 1985 and building it into one of the leading auction houses for Hollywood and pop culture memorabilia.

“Joining Heritage has reinspired me,” Maddalena said in a release. “I already know a lot of the people here. I competed against them for years. It’s just so humbling how welcoming and supportive they have been.”

Jim Halperin, Heritage Auctions co-founder and co-chairman, said of Maddalena, “More than anything, he brings with him an infectious enthusiasm, and he’s quite simply a warm, empathetic, and genuinely nice person.”

While at Profiles in History, Maddalena oversaw the sale of such items as Luke Skywalker’s light saber and Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. In 2011, the company oversaw the sale of Marilyn Monroe’s “subway dress” from The Seven Year Itch for $5.52 million.

“This is one of the most significant moves Heritage has made in the last 40 years,” said Steve Ivy, Heritage Auctions’ co-chairman and CEO. “We’re incredibly excited Joe is joining Heritage. Joe will be based at Heritage world headquarters in Dallas, but will maintain an active presence in California.”