The Autographs and Collectible Memorabilia Blog

Strange Things that Celebrities Sign - With Photos

Part of being a celebrity is having to interact with your fans. With the exception of few stars that are known to be notorious grumps, most celebrities graciously accept this kind of attention and will take a few minutes to chat with their fans and sign things. In fact, signatures play a...

Marie Antoinette Autograph Letters: X-Rays Analysis Reveal Content of Her Censored Writings

Using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, researches uncovered previously unknown text from Marie Antoinette´s letters sent to her lover, the Swedish count Axel von Fersen.

Best Modern Opera Houses of the World

TOP 22 AMAZING MODERN OPERA THEATERS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Our selection of some of the best modern opera houses from around the world. BEIJING OPERA HOUSE (CHINA) Beijing Opera House - External View Beijing Opera House - Internal View BIALYSTOK OPERA HOUSE (POLAND) Bialystok Opera House...

Alberto Ginastera: A Life In Music

EARLY LIFE Alberto Evaristo Ginastera was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1916. Ginastera is called the greatest Argentinian composer of classical music. He is universally hailed as one of the leading figures of Argentinian twentieth century art-music. Furthermore, alongside his Brazilian colleague, Heitor Villa-Lobos, he achieved a level of...

The Birth of the Metropolitan Opera of New York: Opening Night

THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC In 1883, the year the Met opened, New Yorkers were used to attending opera in another capacious lyric theater and enjoying performances given by a starry opera company. The Academy of Music on 14th Street boasted a flamboyant impresario, Colonel James H. Mapleson, and a roster...

Giuseppe Verdi: A Life...in Color!

When it comes to Italian opera, few names have had such an impact as Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901). Considered one of the greatest composers of his generation, and probably of all times, Verdi is the author of opera classics like La Traviata, Aida, and Rigoletto, just to name a few. ...

William Kapell: Honest American Pianist of All Time

There are hundreds of great pianists from all parts of the world. But depending on their performance and composition, some are at the top of the game. Among the renowned American pianists, William Kapell tops the list. In his professional career, Kapell seemed to have the combined qualities of greatest...

Henryk Wieniawski: Violin Prodigy and Gifted Composer

The name of Henryk Wieniawski has been synonymous with perfection in violin performance, along with the virtuosic fireworks and sublime melodies his music offers. Wieniawski deservedly occupies a unique position in the history of violin playing. He was a brilliant virtuoso whom contemporary critics and music lovers regarded as the re-incarnation of...

Alessandro Moreschi: The Last Castrato

On the 21st April 1922, the very last singer of a Western musical tradition going back at least 500 years died. Young Alessandro Moreschi (shown here singing at a young age) was a castrato, and from him we have the only recordings of a voice type obtained through castration before...

Star Trek Memorabilia: Many Treasures From a Vast Universe

When it comes to memorabilia collectors, you're not likely to find many groups more passionate about their subject matter than those that collect Star Trek items. And considering the original show's multiple spin-offs, movies, books, graphic novels, an animated series, and its many other iterations, the abundance of potential collectibles...

Maria Malibran - Fame and Tragedy

Daughter of the celebrated singer and voice teacher Manuel García, Maria Malibran was to become one of the most revered and influential singers of the first half of the 19th century. Born in Paris in 1808, Maria Malibran started her journey from Paris. She was taken to Italy at the...

Anton Rubinstein – Talented Pianist and Educator

Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a widely respected Russian pianist, composer, and conductor during the second half of the 19th century. He is most famous for founding the Saint Petersburg Conservatory and a series of concerts that covered the history of the piano music. However, there is much more to the...

Manuel Garcia Senior (1775-1832), Patriarch of a Singing Dynasty

Although 18th century Spain produced many distinguished artists, only a handful of them reached long-standing stardom and exerted significant influence over bel canto. In the 17th century - and contrarily to Italy, France, or Germany - Spain was primarily the cradle of zarzuelas. These include the baroque zarzuelas, which arguably...

Paul Dukas – The Great French Composer and a Critic

A French composer, scholar, critic, and teacher of composition, Paul Abraham Dukas was born in Paris on October 1, 1865. A diligent man with a modest personality, Paul Dukas was an intense self-critic. For these self-critical characteristics, he destroyed many of his compositions. While he wrote lots of music in...

Opera Singers Who Died in the Holocaust

On 30 January 1933, life changed for every German citizen and for some, very dangerously indeed. Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party was declared the only legal political entity in Germany, and they began to put their plans in place for segregating everyone who did not fit their "Aryan" ideal. These people...

Grand Opera - The Story of the Met by Charles and Mirella Affron - Book Review

Review of the book Grand Opera - The Story of the Metropolitan Opera by Charles Affron and Mirella Affron.

Top 15 Famous Violinists of All Time

Violin playing technique and styles have evolved drastically and considerably over the past 300 years from the time of Giuseppe Tartini in the late 1600s till to-day. Many violinists have left a lasting legacy on the world of violin playing but only a few can truly claim their title as...

Marilyn Monroe Memorabilia - The Testament of an Icon

Marilyn Monroe was an icon. Even today, nearly 60 years after her death, Ms. Monroe's legacy endures and likely always will. Despite numerous efforts to replicate her fame — Marilyn Monroe, nee Norma Jean Mortenson, stands out among Hollywood royalty. Here she is depicted in a famous scene in the...

Opera Tenors: Top Historical Spanish Singers

MANUEL DEL POPULO VICENTE GARCIA (Sevilla 1775 - Paris 1832) A tenor of historic importance, the creator of Almaviva in the world premiere of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia in 1816. He also excelled as composer and teacher of singing, and wrote one of the most important and referential treatises on...

Anna Pavlova: Her Life and Career...in Color!

Anna Pavlova is one of the most famous ballerinas in the history of the artform. Born in Russia, she dazzled audiences around the world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with her artistry, grace, and athleticism. She was also a woman ahead of her time in other ways....

What Are the Factors that Determine Autograph Values?

Ok, so in another article, we have described how the value of an autograph can be estimated by comparisons. Here we discuss in a little bit more detail the factors affecting the value of your autograph item. And the most important factor is (hear drums): COST If you are a...

Archival Framing: 10 Best Recommendations to Protect your Autographs

As collectors and autograph dealers, we regularly come across framed historical photographs and documents, which have to be removed from the frame. WHAT IS ARCHIVAL FRAMING? Archival framing is a type of work done to place your items in a frame (framing) using a certain quality of materials and methods....

Frame Shop Selection: Finding the Best Frame Shop for Your Autographs

Like other forms of goods and services advertising, we are inundated with countless ads for framing services by arts and crafts chains as well as local mom and pop framing stores. These ads show you pictures of framed artwork and maybe even the interior of their stores with their attractive displays. However, behind...

Opera vs Operetta vs Musical...What's the Difference?

Learn about the differences between opera vs operetta vs musical. Like many artforms, the dividing lines between stage works including music are blurred.

THE AUTOGRAPH BLOG

Strange Things that Celebrities Sign - With Photos

Marie Antoinette Autograph Letters: X-Rays Analysis Reveal Content of Her Censored Writings

Best Modern Opera Houses of the World

Alberto Ginastera: A Life In Music

The Birth of the Metropolitan Opera of New York: Opening Night

Giuseppe Verdi: A Life...in Color!

William Kapell: Honest American Pianist of All Time

Henryk Wieniawski: Violin Prodigy and Gifted Composer

Alessandro Moreschi: The Last Castrato

Star Trek Memorabilia: Many Treasures From a Vast Universe

Maria Malibran - Fame and Tragedy

Anton Rubinstein – Talented Pianist and Educator

Manuel Garcia Senior (1775-1832), Patriarch of a Singing Dynasty

Paul Dukas – The Great French Composer and a Critic

Opera Singers Who Died in the Holocaust

Grand Opera - The Story of the Met by Charles and Mirella Affron - Book Review

Top 15 Famous Violinists of All Time

Marilyn Monroe Memorabilia - The Testament of an Icon

Opera Tenors: Top Historical Spanish Singers

Anna Pavlova: Her Life and Career...in Color!

What Are the Factors that Determine Autograph Values?

Archival Framing: 10 Best Recommendations to Protect your Autographs

Frame Shop Selection: Finding the Best Frame Shop for Your Autographs

Opera vs Operetta vs Musical...What's the Difference?

Learn about the differences between opera vs operetta vs musical. Like many artforms, the dividing lines between stage works including music are blurred.

Tags

Autograph Collecting Guide

Framing and Storing Autographs