Expert Tips for Autograph Collecting

Everyone has collected autographs at one time or another. Usually it begins with your classmates in your yearbook, or friends and relatives in a wedding guest book, and can expand into a number of sub-hobbies. Sports autographs, celebrity autographs, historical autographs, and literary autographs are all popular genres for collectors.

Unfortunately, there is one big negative that plagues collectors: fake autographs. It can frustrate many collectors, but with some common sense and a little research, collectors can avoid the pitfalls. Charles Shakelford of Knights of the Realm Collectibles, a well-respected autograph dealer based in Dallas, has worked to address concerns and has a number of recommendations for new and veteran collectors.

A recent check of ebay showed no less than 20,000 autographs for sale. The online auction site has brought the availability of autographs to an all-time high. The problem with ebay is the lack of any accountability for the people who sell there. "It's okay to buy on ebay if you know the company that you are buying from," Shakelford said. "If not, you are taking a high risk."

Common sense is a big part of buying on ebay. You can find a number of "autographed" photographs of A-list actors on ebay with a low starting bid of under ten dollars. In reality, most of those photos are not actually autographed by the person depicted; it is merely a ploy to get you to buy the photograph. Most quality 8' X 10' color photos will cost you five dollars, so to charge you little to nothing for a Brad Pitt autograph is absurd.

In addition, it is a known fact that the "Sharpie" permanent marker was introduced in 1964. It goes without saying that an autograph from Babe Ruth or Clark Gable (who both died before that year) signed in Sharpie is a fake. As Shakelford mentioned, if you know an ebay seller is reliable (feedback is not always a good indicator, however), then you can bid with confidence. It does help if a seller can offer some documented proof of the authenticity of an item, such as a photo of the item being signed or a paper trail outlining the autograph's origins helps. A certificate of authenticity (COA) is not always a good indicator of whether an autograph is real or not. Anyone can generate a COA on their computer, and it has no legal bearing, so anything it states gives no real guarantee. Knights of the Realm autographs include a photograph of the item being signed by the celebrity, something their customers appreciate.

Some autographs that appear real are actually photographic copies. To tell if a photo is actually signed, Shakelford suggests you shine a bright light on the photo and view it at an angle to see if the ink reflects off of the photo. If you cannot see it, then it is copied into the photo. Studio Fan Mail is a company that handles autograph requests for many stars, and will always send out copies or auto-penned (machine-made) autographs. Anything sent out from them is always fake. Many times, secretaries sign autograph requests received by mail, which can also cause authentication problems. Collectors often communicate online or in fan trades to report which stars use secretarial signatures.

Collectors should also be wary of a seller who provides a seemingly unlimited supply of difficult signatures or items signed by multiple parties. Actors who sit down for private signings charge a premium for their signature, so Knights of the Realm usually has a very limited number available. Multiple signed items, like cast-signed photos or posters, usually take time to collate and are often one of a kind, and collectors should expect to pay a premium. It took Knights of the Realm nearly a year to get all four Ghostbusters (Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Ackroyd, and Ernie Hudson) to sign a single photo, which was quickly snapped up by a loyal customer. Even though Knights of the Realm considers their prices reasonable to make them accessible to collectors, the reality is celebrities have certain fees for private signings, so expect to pay a premium for popular actors. If the price on a certain item is "too good to be true," it probably is.

For collectors wanting to get that elusive autograph, buying from a reputable dealer is your best option. Knights of the Realm has been able to offer collectors some of Hollywood's biggest stars by arranging private signings. Their reputation has made it possible to work with stars who rarely sign, such as Tobey Maguire, Sean Connery, and Harrison Ford. Building a relationship with stars has opened a number of doors. "Through years of traveling and becoming friends with actors, they remember you as their career grows, and they introduce you to other stars," Shakelford said. This has been especially true in working with actors from shows like Lost, Heroes, and Battlestar Galactica. Knights of the Realm also travels to conventions and autograph shows around the country where celebrities are making appearances.

Building trust with customers is the most important thing Knights of the Realm does, outside of arranging signings. Shakelford suggests that you find a dealer that does the same thing. "Get to know them and talk with them," he says. "See if they go to different autograph collector shows. Find out what their store looks like, and how the customers act around them. See if they have repeat customers and watch how they treat their customers." True professionals who go the extra mile in a high maintenance hobby like autograph collecting will show that same effort with customers.

Over the years, Shakelford and the staff of Knights of the Realm have had a number of experiences, some they can laugh at and some they may want to forget. "I remember meeting Stan Lee and not knowing who he was and turning his autograph down and kicking myself for it now." At a convention they were exhibiting at, Shakelford had someone come up to his table, looking at autographs from a particular show. He began to talk about the show and the actors, when the person pointed out that she was an actor on the show appearing at the convention. He did not recognize the actor, who sported a much different look outside of the show. "She sat down and talked with us and we have since became good friends and have a great laugh about it still to this day."