CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Asset liquidation
Asset sales	$ 6,260us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet	$ 2,046us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNet
Commissions and other	7,926us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet	6,022us-gaap_SalesRevenueServicesNet
Total asset liquidation revenue	14,186us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	8,068us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Intellectual property licensing	0hgbl_IntellectualPropertyRevenue	824hgbl_IntellectualPropertyRevenue
Total revenue	14,186us-gaap_Revenues	8,892us-gaap_Revenues
Operating costs and expenses:
Asset liquidation	4,631us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold	2,706us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
Patent licensing and maintenance	43us-gaap_LicenseCosts	191us-gaap_LicenseCosts
Selling, general and administrative, including expenses paid to related parties	10,989	9,660
Depreciation and amortization	566us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	472us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Total operating costs and expenses	16,229us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	13,029us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Operating Income (Loss) Before Earnings Of Equity Accounted Asset Liquidation Investments	(2,043)	(4,137)
Earnings of asset liquidation investments	143	1,200
Operating loss	(1,900)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(2,937)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Other income (expenses):
Gain on sale of equity-method investment	551	0
Earnings of other equity method investments	261	126
Interest expense - third party	(514)us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	(388)us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Interest expense - related party	(190)us-gaap_InterestExpenseRelatedParty	(168)us-gaap_InterestExpenseRelatedParty
Total other income (expenses)	108us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense	(430)us-gaap_NonoperatingIncomeExpense
Loss before income tax expense	(1,792)	(3,367)
Income tax expense	24,722us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	3,029us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net loss	(26,514)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(6,396)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Currency translation adjustment (net of tax of $0)	10	(37)
Comprehensive loss	$ (26,504)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	$ (6,433)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic and diluted (in thousands)	28,167	28,610
Net loss per share - basic and diluted	$ (0.94)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.22)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted

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Company's proportionate share of Joint Ventures' net income (loss) reported in the consolidated statement of operations as Earnings (Loss) of Equity Accounted Asset Liquidation Investments and attributable to the Company as its share.

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Amount of interest expense incurred on a debt or other obligation to related party.

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Costs incurred and are directly related to generating license revenue. Licensing arrangements include, but are not limited to, rights to use a patent, copyright, technology, manufacturing process, software or trademark.

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