Posted By:
brianMark, I'm sure there are people who know a lot more than I do about collecting hair, but I'll try to answer your questions. Not sure if there are any books on the subject but I have read a lot about it online over the last couple of years.
I won the religious locks of hair in a European catalogue auction a few years ago and they came from a source within the Vatican. Nowadays, it would probably be considered rude to ask a celebrity for a piece of hair, so people probably get them off the salon or barber floor. But back in the old days (1800s and before), people asked for a lock of hair more often than they did autographs. Also heard that it wasn't safe to auction hair belonging to a living person since they might sue. One of the astronauts...I think Buzz Aldrin....sued his barber for selling his hair to Mr. Todd Mueller and I never did hear the outcome of the court case.
There must be thousands of hair collectors today and from what I have heard, a great number of them are the rare art collectors and ultra wealthy.
edited to change buyer's name to the correct person