Some collect stamps, others collect action figures, then there are those who collect handwritten letters from Charles Manson.
While the latter is a rarer fascination, items associated with dark events are collectable enough to get their own name: Murderbelia. It is in this area of collectables where Vancouver local Robert Applewhite excels, running Canada’s largest for sale collection of murderbelia on his website Cult Collectables.
Applewhite developed the fascination as a “hardcore goth kid” in high school but he didn’t sell murderbelia at first. Applewhite instead sold standard collectables like sports cards, Pokemon cards, action figures and retro games. It was when he started to follow his natural fascination with U.S. cults like Jonestown and Heaven's Gate that he started another collection.
“I realized there's not much to collect for this group,” Applewhite explained in a recent interview with Vancouver Is Awesome. “I'm going to look into this other group just to kind of have a cohesive sort of theme.”
From there Applewhite’s collection grew, eventually leading to a choice between keeping his day job and going full time selling murderabilia. The decision was made easier when eBay took issue with his darker listings like some O.J. Simpson-themed pogs. Not long after Applewhite created his website which he was able to populate with his already substantial collection.
While Cult Collectables still lists items within the counterculture and horror genres, Applewhite says over the last year his sales have transitioned to true crime items.
Applewhite says his collection is the largest available to the public but he is confident there are larger private collections in the country.
How does one even find these things?
Applewhite says when he sold regular collectables it involved a lot of thrifting or buying large collections on Craigslist. With the murderabilia items though it's a lot more legwork, meeting with collectors from the U.S., making phone calls and doing heaps of research.
Throughout his searching, Applewhite says his most valuable items are always changing as they are constantly bought and sold. That being said, there are a few items that stand out among the rest.
"I have a few John Wayne Gacy paintings right now that I think are really neat, because he did quite a few paintings when he was in prison,” Applewhite said. “They're not the rarest thing in the world but they've kind of transcended beyond a true crime subculture into more of a pop culture thing.”
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As a result, some of Gacy’s paintings are currently on the market with price tags ranging between $1,500 to $5,500.
On the Cult Collectables website though some of the highest ticket items include a signed photograph of Charles Manson, handwritten letters from Ted Bundy, and hand tracings of Robert Willie Pickton.
If at this point you’re having some moral quandaries, you aren't alone. On Applewhite’s various social media accounts where he markets his wares, concerns regarding offensive content are raised.
Applewhite argues that war memorabilia collectors deal in similar items yet receive a fraction of the flak but he understands the criticism.
"I definitely understand why people would have a problem or be upset," he said. "I just do my best to not antagonize people or not cause conflicts with anybody.”
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Applewhite says though that more often people will just find the items he sells creepy and not particularly offensive.
Occasionally Applewhite is accused of glorifying these darker periods of history through his work.
"I can almost guarantee that a producer who makes a series about Ted Bundy on Netflix will make more money from that series than I will ever make my entire life selling this stuff and buying this stuff," Applewhite said.
"A lot of people kind of say that the documentaries and books have an educational aspect to it. And I totally understand that but so does this stuff in a way."
As his collection has grown Applewhite has been in talks with a private true crime museum in the U.S. who may feature some of his pieces.
For more information you can visit Cult Collectables or the associated social media accounts.
