Recently, a baseball autograph enthusiast put her hard work towards a greater good. Jane Bell is an 83-year-old Detroit Tigers fan and since the 1980s has fought through crowds and slipped into dugouts to expand her prized collection of autographed baseballs. She is now letting charity benefit from her efforts and is putting 136 of her autographed baseballs up for action and will give all proceeds to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Jane is planning to hold onto one particular baseball, personalized by Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Morris in 1986. Morris wrote: "To Jane Bell, my best to you, to a loyal Tiger fan." Jane hopes that her baseballs will bring in $3,000-$5,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. According to a local appraiser, Randall Paul, this is a reasonable goal and hopes she will reach it. Jane has been a Tigers season-ticket holder since 1984, and attends all 81 home games each year. According to Jane, it is through being a loyal fan t
Ive been trying to get a Harrison Ford as Indy and I'm confused. I used to get signed photos from one guy, now I'm hearing all sorts of wars going on and it seems like the poor collector is stuck in the middle of it all. I saw on one site that supposedly Charlton Heston had a secretay sign through the mail. I took one of my supposed secretarials and matched it up perfectly to a personal check heston signed and a contract and they all match perfectly so does that mean Heston had a secretary signing checks and contracts for him?? I see the same thing with Clint Eastwoods too. Either dealers are selling secretarials like mad or if theyre good Eastwoods then some authenticator is beyond stupid and ruined it for everyone who has a real Heston and might want to sell or trade it etc. I get fed up being jerked around by these guys and feel like my whole collection of autographs is no good unless one these big wigs say it is...whether it is or not doesn't matter apparently
ReplyDeleteJoe,
ReplyDeleteI have been there—that’s why I wrote the book---I was really pissed off.
I have no real answer for you---I found that most if not all the autographs from big name artists are secretarial-autopens or stamps---they are rampant on the Internet.
I personally would only buy personal letters on their letterhead or historical documents from older established dealers you feel you can trust----or in person—which is always best.
I have been burnt from the best as it seems you have also. There are lots of great looking autographs that are done by talented people making hand copies of real or even fake copies—they don’t know the difference either.
Anyway----the reason I wrote the book Autograph Hell was to open eyes like yours so they would ask questions and be skeptical before buying—even from reputable (?) dealers.
How/Where/When and by Whom are always questions to ask—also authenticated from a real authentication house----not just a certificate from the dealer.
Hope that helps.
Sorry for your problems!
Chuck