Computer-matching for U.S. investors

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 22

Computer-matching for U.S. investors

By

Maryin Schwartz

of the “Dallas Morning News,” through NZPA

Forget those businesses that try to match people looking for meaningful relationships. They’re so passe. A Los Angeles businessman, Cole deKay, says he has a matchmaking service that is much more in tune with the 1980 s. He does not match people who are looking for love — just people who are looking for investments. “It’s a whole new concept,” says Mr deKay, who is vice-president of the Los Angeles-based Investment Matchmaker. “We com-puter-match buyers and sellers with some of the world’s most extravagant properties.” For instance, suppose you have an authentic lock of George Washington’s hair and you want to sell it for a million dollars. You cannot advertise something like that in the classifieds, so where do you go? “You call us,” says Mr deKay. “We’ll match you with the right buyer. Right now, we are working with someone who has a braid of George Washington’s hair. The owner is Jim Washington, who is in real estate in Washington state."

Among items the company has helped sell, Mr deKay says, is George Gershwin’s original manuscript score of “An American in Paris.” “The score was originally written for two pianos. Gershwin and Oscar Levant were going to take it on tour. But Levant didn’t want to tour, so the twopiano version was never used. “The score was bought by the Library of Congress for JUSIOOO a page. There were 70 pages.” Mr deKay says he has to be just as careful matching merchandise with customers as a dating service would matching men and women. “When you’re dealing with this kind of merchandise, you’ve got to know your clients,” he says. “All we do is get people together, we don’t get into any price negotiations.” His firm’s fee for matchmaking, he says, ranges from J4OO to $lOOO. Mr deKay says one of the most unusual properties that his company is looking to match is a man-made island anchored off Sausalito, California. The owner has built a 15-room mansion under the island. “Everything is underwater,” Mr deKay explains. “But on top of the roof is an acre and a half of island planted with grass and palm trees. The man uses it for parties. Oxygen is pumped in and you look out windows into the water.” He says the seller is put-

“He is a descendant of George .Washington. The hair has been passed down from generation to generation. By the way, it’s redorange. Not many people know George Washington was a redhead under all those powdered wigs. The hair is enclosed in a locket that was made from some planking from the battleship Old Ironsides.” 'J"

ting the island on the market because he wants to build a bigger one. The asking price is $1.5 million. Investment Matchmaker also is trying to find a home for the Aston Martin car used in the James Bond movie “Goldfinger.” “This is the one with all the gadgets, like the oil slicks that can be produced by pushing a button and the tyre slashers that come out of the hubcaps. A lot of celebrities and rich Texans are interested in this car. The right person can have it for $200,000.” Another car he is trying to sell is the 1928 Porter used in the television series, “My Mother the Car.” For $lO,OOO the buyer can even get recordings of the car’s TV voice, which was provided by the actress, Ann Sothern. Investment Matchmaker also is representing the owners of a $750,000 diamond collection that once belonged to King Farouk and a $15,000 black Thunderbird previously owned by the actor, John Travolta. Finally, there is what Mr deKay says is the only priv-ately-owned collection of moon dust from an Apollo flight. “This is a small bottle of moon dust that was vacuumed off a space suit. The owner bought it for about $25 in an auction. He’s selling it for $75,000.” But, alas, even in investment matchmaking there are wallflowers. So far, he has not even had a nibble moon dust.