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Autograph Collecting Tips
This small feature of three articles proved to be very popular in the club
newsletter so I thought I would reproduce them here.
Autograph Collecting Tips
1.Through the Post
I’ve been collecting autographs now for the best part of twenty years and
almost exclusively it’s been through the post. In this article, and the
following ones in this series, I will try to give you some tips, hints and ideas
as to how you would go about building up your own collection; all these have
proved successful to me in the past.
Always hand write your letter, don’t type it on a computer as it could look
too much like a standard letter you’re sending out to many stars. Handwritten
letters give a more personal touch and are more likely to succeed in getting you
a reply.
Start your letter Dear Sir or Dear Ms Smith – Dear John or Dear Jane may be
too forward at this stage. State that you are a big fan and mention how much you
enjoyed them in whatever their most recent show was or state what you consider
to be their finest role – a bit of flattery never hurt anyone!
Don’t make your letter too long, but don’t be too brief. Just saying Dear
Jane, Can I have a signed photo?, is hardly likely to get a result. If writing
to a model don’t tell them you’re a fan because of their physical attributes
(even if it is true!) – use a bit of tact and common sense. Remember to ask
politely for their autograph.
Mention that you enclose a stamped addressed envelope for the return postage (or
a return envelope and a couple of international reply coupons if writing to
someone abroad). The SAE is essential; most celebrities won’t reply without
one.
If you don’t mind losing them in the post or risk not having them returned it
is a good idea to enclose a photo or two of your own (though not too many) –
this increases the chances of a positive result as it saves the celebrities time
and trouble in using their own photos. This has proved successful for me on a
number of occasions recently – I’ve come across some amazing photos of stars
in some of the so called “lads mags” such as Maxim, Front and FHM
which are far better than the standard head and shoulders type publicity shots
which are given out! Examples of these I have recently received include Adele
Silva from Emmerdale and the Doctor Who story Survival, model and
TV presenter Gabrielle Richens, and Casualty’s Jan Anderson who have
all signed amazing magazine photos for me as well as the standard head and
shoulders publicity shots.
Always thank them for their time and trouble and wish them continued success
with whatever project they are currently involved in and/or the future.
Remember the correct etiquette when addressing people with titles – Lords,
Ladies, Knights, MP’s etc.
Always use good quality unlined paper not tatty, lined paper ripped out of an
exercise book.
Hopefully the above will help you in obtaining some positive replies. Most
Doctor Who stars are good at replying but remember that a reply, not even with
that SAE, cannot be guaranteed. Next time I will look at other ways of obtaining
autographs. Until then, happy collecting!
Autograph Collecting Tips
2. Buying Autographs
In last months article I looked at obtaining your autographs through the post
via the stars agents, TV companies etc. This time I will look at buying
autographs from dealers and on the internet.
The most important point I can make about buying your autographs is be very
careful : there are many fakes out there! Only buy from reputable dealers –
the majority of these are members of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC)
who has a policy of naming and shaming on their website all members found to be
dealing in forgeries. The other main international body, the International
Autograph Collectors Club and Dealers’ Association (IACC/DA), has a similar
policy.
There are many dealers out there – most issue free lists and catalogues and
almost all have sites on the internet; just type in “autographs” in one of
the search engines (such as google or yahoo) and see what happens! Add “uk”
after autographs to narrow the search down to UK dealers.
Shop around. Most dealers will charge wildly differing prices for signed photos
of the same person. Don’t immediately buy the first Jon Pertwee photo you see
for £75.00 because another dealer may charge much less. Most Who stars
autographs are much cheaper than this but for signed photos of those who have
died, particularly William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton and Jon Pertwee, be
prepared to pay a heftly price for their now rarity value, particularly in
Doctor Who costumes.
Most dealers worth their salt will offer a certificate of authenticity (COA)
with their autographs. This proves that the signature you are buying is genuine
– or does it? In fact anyone with a decent computer can make their own COA’s
and offer these with their autographs. Therefore you will have to take their
word for it that the signatures are genuine but most UACC and IACC/DA members
stress that they only obtain autographs themselves “in person” or from their
“representatives” who have obtained the signatures in person.
If you find that dealers are too expensive why not try one of the internet
auction rooms? Try yahoo and click on auctions or type in www.ebay.co.uk,
a dedicated auction site, and type in whoever you are looking for and see what
is available. Some of the prices are amazingly cheap but note that you can be
out bid by other people. Once again, however, there are many fakes out there,
but if you are prepared to take a chance then why not have a go. You will note
that many dealers mentioned above will be offering the very same autographs they
have on their websites at much cheaper prices so, as before, shop around. Many
individuals also offer autographs too – and you can if you wish!
Why not consider joining FACE or ACOGB (or both), the two principal UK autograph
clubs? Both offer free membership and free newsletters. Here you will gain many
autograph collecting hints and ideas, addresses, and many dealers advertise in
their publications. ACOGB have an advert elsewhere in this newsletter and FACE
can be contacted via P.O. Box 153, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2ZE.
To sum up, be careful when obtaining autographs from dealers or auctions because
of all the sharks out there. However, I have bought a handful of autographs in
this way and have not been disappointed with what has finally arrived in the
post.
Next time, in the final part of this series, I will look at obtaining autographs
at conventions and theatres and from fan clubs and official websites.
Autograph Collecting Tips
3. In Person and from Clubs
In the previous two articles in this series I have looked at collecting
autographs in the post and buying them from dealers. This time I will look at
fan clubs and websites but, first of all, the best way – in person.
The only way you will really know whether an autograph is genuine or not is if
the person concerned signs it in front of you and the best way, if you don’t
mind joining lengthy queues, is at a convention – that way you can often get
two or more signatures at once, if there is more than one person signing of
course! This is certainly true of Doctor Who conventions. The last one I went to
I got Nicholas Courtney, Peter Davison and John Nathan-Turner all at the same
time. If you want a signed photograph some may charge, usually around a fiver
with the money often going to charity (at Doctor Who conventions at least!); if
you take your own photos with you, however, be aware that if they do have their
own photos they may not sign yours. However, if you don’t want to pay they
will almost always sign your programme, autograph book, video covers, Target
novels etc. free of charge and be more than happy to do so. Most guests usually
have their signing times limited to an hour but others, such as Tom Baker, will
happily sign until everyone who wants an autograph has got one. Also, most will
happily pose for a photograph and chat for a few moments. If you approach a
guest outside of the official signing sessions you may not always get an
autograph but some are happy to sign for you – at Panopticon 2000 I managed to
get both Katy Manning and Mark Strickson to sign a book for me this way.
It is important not to pester a celebrity, for all autograph collectors sakes.
If you see them in the street or in a restaurant etc. then please let them have
their privacy.
Many Who stars attend official signings of merchandise – books, CD’s,
DVD’s, videos etc. – at places such as Tenth Planet and the Who Shop. Check
out the What’s On page in this clubs newsletter and keep an eye on local
bookshops, sci-fi shops in your area. Others attend fairs and other events such
as Autographica and Memorabilia.
If a star is appearing in a play or show near you why not try the stage door
afterwards? Many are happy to sign when they leave – sometimes when they
arrive too – and I got autographs from Lenny Henry and Mary Tamm in this way.
Many stars, a few Who stars included, have official fan clubs where you can
receive signed photos if you join, sometimes genuine but sometimes they could be
secretarial or even pre-printed signatures. There are also official websites on
the internet where you can buy supposed signed photos but be wary as they are
not always genuine and once they have taken your money you may not get a reply!
It’s a bit like buying from dealers as I mentioned in the previous article
but, as I’ve said before, most Who stars will genuinely sign their own photos
and are happy to do so.
So there we have it. I hope that these three articles on tips and hints are of
some help. Please feel free to let me know how you go on.
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