The Autographs and Collectible Memorabilia Blog

Collecting Autographs: What Do People Collect?

CELEBRITY AUTOGRAPHS A celebrity implies a condition of public recognition and attention from the media. Those who fall into this category are many times asked to sign photos, programs, records and all kinds of objects - sometimes, bizarre ones. [IMAGE] The celebrated Greek-American soprano Maria Callas at Orly Airport, France,...

Autograph Authenticity: Is Authentic, Enough?

Many times we see this question in forums as well as in emails to us from collectors and private sellers. The short answer is NO. Autographs can be authentically signed by the signer but that does not mean they are valuable financially or collectable, and they may not be...

I want to SELL autographs - Do I need to Authenticate them?

The short answer is that for the most part, no. The buyer will most likely be a dealer, and he should know what he buys. If you are selling to a collector, he should also know what he is buying. [CLICKABLE IMAGE] A beautiful black-and-white photograph signed by Walter Lantz...

Investing in Autographs: 6 Things You Need to Consider

Investing in autographs is a compelling niche in the world of collectibles, combining the allure of personal connection with historical figures and celebrities with the potential for substantial financial gain. Every collector wants to also think his autographs are a good investment, but the truth is that is not always...

How to Avoid Buying Autographs from Fake Sites

SAFEGUARD YOURSELF FROM FAKE AUTOGRAPH SHOPPING WEBSITES As the world shifts more towards online shopping, it's crucial to recognize and avoid the pitfalls that come with it. One such pitfall is the proliferation of fake shopping websites. These sites appear legitimate but are designed to steal your money or personal...

7 Things to Do for An Autograph Session

You're going to meet someone famous at an event or party. Beforehand, there are several things you should consider doing to prepare for the experience. KNOW WHO YOU ARE MEETING If you're meeting someone who's well-known, you'll probably want to make sure you've done some research beforehand. This will help...

The History of Photographic Formats After 1924

The main challenge during the first 100 years of photographic printing was to develop a stable method for saving an image on paper. The following century was devoted to fine-tuning this process, yet, having reached the pinnacle of printing with exceptional clarity and vibrant colors, it is now largely ignored...

Personalized Autographs: What They Are and Are They Less Valuable?

A personalized autograph is one that includes the name of the recipient (for example “To Ken” or “For Ken”). Sometimes a short salutation or expression of good wishes is added (for example, “with best wishes”). This is what we also call a sentiment. There has always been a lot of...

To Frame or Not to Frame: That's the Big Question - Pros and Cons

The original Engrossed Copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence contains one of the most recognizable groups of historic autographs. The oversized piece of parchment paper is a priceless founding document and one of five that the government protects with extra security. The copy sits out on display every day...

Autograph Signature vs. Autograph Inscription vs. Autograph Sentiment

These three terms are frequently used and often confused in the autograph collecting world, so we thought it would be a good idea to clarify their true meaning. In the photograph below, we have highlighted what each term means, and we describe them further in the rest of this article. ...

Apollo's Angels: A Short History of Ballet

THE BIRTH OF BALLET When Florentine Catherine de Medici married french king Henry II in 1533, she introduced early dance styles into court life in France. Catherine brought the Italian influence to the French courts. She introduced chariots, floats, and parades, all of which demonstrated meaningful stories. Her sons, the...

Mozart Manuscript Scores and Documents: Mankind's Treasure

The biography and works of Mozart can only be traced down using several historical documents, mainly The Wolfgang family letters, contemporary documents, and Mozart’s autographs. THE WOLFGANG FAMILY LETTERS The Wolfgang family letters can be divided into several collections depending on when they are dated. However, it is important to...

Operetta - A Theatrical History and Timelines

An Operetta is a form of theatre combined with a light opera. It grew out as an independent genre around the middle of the nineteenth century. It originated, in Paris in the 1850s from the French opéra-comique, to satisfy a need for short, light works to contrast with the full-length...

Signed Bookplate: What it is and Why it Exists

Before signed bookplates existed, people used to tip in or add autographed cards, signed programs, and even handwritten notes signed by the authors. A bookplate is a sticky piece of paper that is attached or glued to one of the first pages of a book, so a signed bookplate will...

Historical Documents - A Window to the Past

Any official document which can be relied upon as the basis or as a support document for anything related to history is a historical document. A historical document can be from any field from politics to medicine, or any field of human experience. They are frozen moments in time, a...

Damaged Photos: Guidelines to Types of Damage

While photos may not look alive, the environment impacts them significantly. Most photo damage occurs slowly over time and catches many people by surprise. For collectors, avoiding damage in their photos is crucial. Some photographs have an incalculable value, but they are only worth as much as their quality at...

Autograph vs. Signature - What Is the Difference?

Autograph is a versatile word because it can be used as a noun, a verb, or even an adjective. An autograph is a person’s own handwriting (auto: self, graph: drawing or writing). It is a more general or broad term or concept than a hand-made signature, which is a person´s name handwritten in a particular style and calligraphy, in a distinctive way that can be used as identification.

Autograph Books - A Record of Past and Present

Autographs are some of collectors' most prized possessions, often scribbled onto photographs, programs, memorabilia, or any odd piece of material. But what is better than one famous signature? An entire collection, of course! Some of the most impressive collections of autographs are stored in autograph books from throughout history. ...

Autograph Collecting 101: A Beginner’s Guide

Collecting autographs: You might have thought about it or even done it over the years. Every time you go to a concert, you see a gaggle of autograph collectors lining up to get their music memorabilia signed by their favorite artist. Sometimes, you wonder if you’re bold enough to join...

How to Protect your Autographs from Fading

Welcome to this guide on the steps you can take to take care of your autograph collection. Over time, autographs will fade if they're not taken care of appropriately and there's nothing worse than a beloved autograph fading and becoming unrecognizable. By storing them properly, you can rest assured that...

Famous Signatures - Top 100 Celebrity Signatures in History

"The music of some composers resembles their handwriting: difficult to read, strange to look at once you get the hang of it. It is as if it couldn´t be any other way, handwriting belongs to the thought, the thought to the character" Robert Schumann, German composer (1810-1856) A signature...

Movie Memorabilia: The Many Items Collected Around the World

During the 1920s the movie industry really started to bloom, with big blockbusters capturing the imagination of old and small all over the world. For a select few that passion went further than just watching and re-watching their favorites on the silver screen, they wanted something more, something they can...

Autograph CoA: Certificate of Authenticity? Facts You Should Know

So, you're looking to purchase a genuine autograph, and you've heard that it's best to have a CoA. But what is a CoA? An Autograph CoA, or Certificate of Authenticity, is usually a seal on paper intended to demonstrate that an item, in this case, an autograph, is authentic....

Facsimile Autograph: How to Detect Printed Signatures

HOW TO KNOW WHEN AN AUTOGRAPH IS PRINTED OR IS IN FACT A REAL ONE CONTAINING REAL LIVE INK In an earlier blog article, we mentioned that “the most frequently asked question when authenticating historical autographs is how to tell if an autograph is real?” The article went on...

THE AUTOGRAPH BLOG

Collecting Autographs: What Do People Collect?

Autograph Authenticity: Is Authentic, Enough?

I want to SELL autographs - Do I need to Authenticate them?

Investing in Autographs: 6 Things You Need to Consider

How to Avoid Buying Autographs from Fake Sites

7 Things to Do for An Autograph Session

The History of Photographic Formats After 1924

Personalized Autographs: What They Are and Are They Less Valuable?

To Frame or Not to Frame: That's the Big Question - Pros and Cons

Autograph Signature vs. Autograph Inscription vs. Autograph Sentiment

Apollo's Angels: A Short History of Ballet

Mozart Manuscript Scores and Documents: Mankind's Treasure

Operetta - A Theatrical History and Timelines

Signed Bookplate: What it is and Why it Exists

Historical Documents - A Window to the Past

Damaged Photos: Guidelines to Types of Damage

Autograph vs. Signature - What Is the Difference?

Autograph Books - A Record of Past and Present

Autograph Collecting 101: A Beginner’s Guide

How to Protect your Autographs from Fading

Famous Signatures - Top 100 Celebrity Signatures in History

Movie Memorabilia: The Many Items Collected Around the World

Autograph CoA: Certificate of Authenticity? Facts You Should Know

Facsimile Autograph: How to Detect Printed Signatures

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Autograph Collecting Guide

Framing and Storing Autographs