John Reznikoff has built one of the world’s strangest historical collections: hair from some of the most famous people in history. The Connecticut-based collector and authenticator holds the Guinness World Records title for the largest collection of hair from historical figures. When he received the record in 2001, his collection contained hair representing 115 historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, Albert Einstein, John F Kennedy, Napoleon, Elvis Presley, King Charles I and Charles Dickens. Guinness valued the collection at $1 million at the time. Reznikoff, who runs the historical memorabilia business University Archives, has spent decades collecting, authenticating and documenting rare objects connected to prominent figures.
How John Reznikoff started collecting famous hair
Reznikoff’s interest in historical memorabilia began when he was young and eventually developed into a career dealing in historical documents, autographs and other collectibles. He established University Archives in 1979 and became known for examining and authenticating historical material. His interest in hair collecting grew after he acquired a large collection belonging to Margaretta Pierrepont, the wife of former US attorney general Edwards Pierrepont. The collection contained locks of hair connected to historical figures and helped spark Reznikoff’s interest in preserving similar relics. Hair had long been kept as a personal memento, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries, when a lock could serve as a tangible reminder of a loved one or famous person.
Abraham Lincoln’s hair came from the night of his assassination
One of the most notable pieces associated with Reznikoff is hair from Abraham Lincoln. According to University Archives, three strands in the collection are connected to Lincoln’s assassination at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. The provenance traces the hair to Dr Charles Sabin Taft, one of the doctors who attended Lincoln after he was shot, and the material is accompanied by historical documentation including correspondence, auction records and contemporary reports. University Archives sold the three strands for $7,500 in February 2026, making the small relic a documented connection to one of the most consequential nights in US history.
Abraham Lincoln’s hair was sold alongside a blood-stained telegram about his 1865 assassination. Nikki Brickett/RR Auction/AP
Marilyn Monroe’s hair helped investigate her parentage
Reznikoff’s collection also contains hair associated with Marilyn Monroe, whose samples later became part of an investigation into her biological father. According to University Archives, the hair came from Monroe’s embalmer and DNA extracted from the sample was compared with genetic material from Francine Gifford Deir, a granddaughter of Charles Stanley Gifford, who had long been identified as a possible biological father of Monroe. The comparison was reported to support the conclusion that Gifford was Monroe’s biological father, giving the preserved hair significance beyond celebrity memorabilia.
Albert Einstein is among the famous names represented
Albert Einstein is another major historical figure represented in Reznikoff’s collection. Guinness lists Einstein alongside Lincoln, Monroe, John F Kennedy, Napoleon, Elvis Presley, King Charles I and Charles Dickens among the figures whose hair is held in the collection. The archive therefore spans scientists, presidents, entertainers, royalty, writers and other influential figures from different periods of history.
Elvis Presley hair sold for $115,120
Reznikoff has also been involved in one of the most expensive hair sales ever recorded. In November 2002, a large quantity of Elvis Presley’s hair sold for $115,120, including the buyer’s premium. The hair had been collected by Elvis’s personal barber, Homer “Gill” Gilleland, and the auction lot included letters of authenticity from several people, including Reznikoff’s University Archives. Guinness World Records recognises the sale as the most expensive hair sold at an online auction.
The Neil Armstrong dispute changed his collecting policy
One episode involving astronaut Neil Armstrong changed the way Reznikoff approached his unusual collection. In 2004, a representative working for Reznikoff approached Armstrong’s barber, Marx Sizemore, who had been saving Armstrong’s hair clippings, and Sizemore eventually sold the hair for $3,000. Armstrong later discovered the transaction and threatened legal action, with his lawyers seeking the return of the hair and other remedies. Armstrong also requested that proceeds from the transaction be donated to charity. Following the dispute, Reznikoff said he would no longer collect hair from living celebrities, and Guinness says his collecting now focuses on people who have died.
His collection includes controversial historical figures
Reznikoff’s collection extends beyond entertainers and admired public figures. Guinness reports that it includes hair associated with Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler’s wife, while he has also dealt with material connected to John Wilkes Booth, the actor who assassinated Lincoln. Reznikoff has said his approach eventually shifted from collecting only people who had positively influenced history to documenting historically significant figures regardless of how they are remembered.
A collection worth millions
When Guinness awarded Reznikoff the record in 2001, the collection representing 115 historical figures was valued at $1 million. Guinness’s 2026 profile estimates that figure would be about $1.8 million today and says the collection has probably grown considerably since then.
