Around 50 people, including Guernsey’s Lieut-Governor, Sir Fabian Malbon and Lady Malbon, plus States Members were at the opening to see signed photographs of stars including Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Laurel and Hardy and Pablo Picasso.
The Monroe photograph, taken by Cecil Beaton and which was sold for £18,000 this year, is held in the company’s vaults while the picture of the old-time Hollywood comedians Laurel and Hardy – which has appreciated by 388% in the last eight years – is on offer at £4,500.
The AIM-listed company is registered in Jersey although it has no office here and its headquarters is in the Strand in London.
It has around £10 million of assets under management in Guernsey, said director Adrian Roose, and its main selling tool is the internet.
‘We have around 20 million hits each year and it’s doubled year on year for the past five years, with 10% of those from China,’ he added.
He confided that around 50% of the Guernsey customers leave their acquisitions in the company vaults with the other 50% preferring to hang them on their walls at home.
