GOLF MEMORABILIA

I have just recently spent a week at St Andrews collecting golf memorabilia and golf autographs. I took a week out to go and collect autographed photos to enhance my personal collection of signed photos and autographed memorabilia. While I was out collecting during the practice days at the Dunhill Links Championship I also managed to collect a nice piece of Star Wars memorabilia. A signed photo of him as Mace Windu.

It is not often that you can pick up a celebrity autograph on a golf course in fact the last famous autograph I got at a golf course in Los Angeles was a Robbie Williams autograph! I know imagine Robbie playing golf. It’s strange but I have actually collected autographs of all types on golf courses. About the only autograph I have not collected is Star Trek autographs and Lord of the Rings autographs.

Playing golf myself I started to collect the odd item of golf memorabilia and signed photo, once I started I then got the autograph collectors bug and now have a vast assortment of Ryder Cup Memorabilia, signed golf photos, signed golf prints and signed golf memorabilia. The week at St Andrews has added to my collection, a Martin Kaymer autograph, a Rory McIlroy autograph and a Graeme McDowell signed photo.

My main aim of the week was to get signed Ryder Cup photos and Ryder cup autographs in my autograph albums, however, with most of the Ryder Cup stars not arriving until Wednesday it meant I had a lot of collecting to do in between watching the golf and travelling, however I had quite a successful week I even managed to get a few items of cricket memorabilia and selection of signed football memorabilia as well.

I am going to an auction of golf memorabilia and ephemera next week and with a little bit of luck I might be able to pick up a few vintage autographs and one or two autographed albums at a reasonable price? Well here’s hoping anyway! The auction is not only selling golf memorabilia it also has tennis memorabilia, sport memorabilia, music memorabilia and a very small selection of movie memorabilia. Auctions are great fun but you do have to be careful as there is no guarantee that you will be buying genuine autographs and authentic memorabilia. Buying autographs can be a costly affair depending on whose autograph you are trying to buy, lets say you were trying to buy a Tiger Woods autograph or a Jack Nicklaus autograph. They would cost anything from £200- £1000 depending on what they were signed on.

You could look on ebay, but unfortunately there are a lot of forgeries on that site and it’s the easiest thing in the world to pick up a pen and forge a famous signature. If you do go on ebay the best way to ensure you are getting a genuine autograph is to look out for UACC Registered dealers and AFTAL approved dealers as they are governed by a strict code of ethics and are reputable autograph dealers.

So if you tramp the fairways like me and like collecting memorabilia hopefully the above will improve your collection of golf autographs and increase your chances of obtaining genuine golf memorabilia.

Happy Collecting!!!!

Always Buy Authontic Autographs and Celebrity Memorabilia From Certified Dealers

I have just recently started reading a book about autograph forgery in the United States, the title of the real life account of a F.B.I. investigation is called “Operation Bullpen”. Although I am not finished the book I could not help but get on my keyboard and make people who have not read the book aware of the amount of forged memorabilia that was confiscated and also sold from this illegal activity.

It was not just the forgers who profited from the sale of autographed memorabilia but several large autograph dealers who either unknowingly purchased these items or worse still knowingly purchased fake famous signatures.Amongst the most popular autographs to get forged were baseball autographs, basketball autographs and NFL autographs. The forgers did not stop there after initial success with the aforementioned items they progressed on to Hollywood memorabilia, historical autographs, sport autographs and movie star autographs. The extent of how much of the items forged that is still in circulation or hanging in someone’s home is debatable but it amounts to millions of dollars. 

            

The subject of fake memorabilia is one which I must confess makes me very angry and every time I hear of it I feel the need to write about it. I hate when I see a fake autograph at a memorabilia show or fund raising dinner. I feel that it is often a crime which goes unpunished most of the time in the U.K. Although there have been several convictions for fraud in the U.K. concerning fake signed memorabilia and autographs to date there have been only light sentences and fines imposed. Some of the these forgers of football memorabilia and football autographs have been making hundreds of thousands of pounds on a regular basis off a poor unsuspecting public. 

The forgery is not limited to autographed football memorabilia, there have been cases of music memorabilia, vintage autographs, rare autographs, golf memorabilia, formula one memorabilia that have landed in court.

Today it is not enough to have a certificate of authenticity, anyone can put one of them together and attach it to a forged signature. I t makes sense to research your autograph dealer and ask how he gets his items it is also prudent to deal with autograph dealers who are AFTAL dealers and also UACC registered dealers, at least you can complain to the aforementioned organizations and they will investigate your complaint. Most autograph dealers will send a certificate of authenticity with their items but it is only of value when it has the dealers address, e mail, telephone numbers and affiliations to autograph organizations, if the certificate does not have this then it is worthless ( how are you going to contact them to complain!!).

I have been collecting autographs for over forty years and I must inform the prospective autograph collector to be very careful of who they buy autographs and celebrity memorabilia from as there are vast amounts of fake autograph dealers and those only too quick to take your hard earned money fraudulently.

Autographed Boxing Memorabilia, Signed Photos and Boxing Gloves for Sale

I was recently invited along to an event in Aberdeen Exhibition Centre to a Gentlemen’s Dinner. The main guest being Mike Tyson former World Heavyweight champion, along with Mike was another former heavy weight champion Tim Witherspoon and an another World Title holder Lee McAllister who hails from Aberdeen. During the course of the evening I was fortunate enough to meet Mike and Tim and got a photograph of myself with Mike Tyson which is in the process of getting framed as I write this article.

        

Throughout the evening there were opportunities to purchase boxing memorabilia, boxing autographs and signed boxing gloves via raffles, auction and a game called heads and tails. Amongst the items in the auction there were Muhammad Ali signed shorts, Mike Tyson signed gloves and also a great deal of signed boxing merchandise available at reasonable prices.

This was probably one of the biggest dinners I have attended with over 500 people turning out to see Mike and his fellow World Champions. As you can imagine he was in great demand to autograph memorabilia and he did do several signed photos for charity and for those involved in the organising of the evening. However his time was in great demand and not everyone got signed boxing memorabilia.

I was fortunate in so much as my friends did a private signing session with the champ earlier in the year where I obtained a signed photo, signed boxing shorts and a few unusual items of boxing memorabilia and a personalised autograph.

Getting back to the items that were for sale in the auction there was some great Muhammad Ali memorabilia signed in person by the legend including signed pictures, autographed boxing gloves and even a signed boxing robe. All of the items in the auction were fantastic and well presented pieces of autographed boxing memorabilia. But my favourite item was of the greatest pound for pound fighter around at the moment Manny Pacquiao signed shorts which was in my opinion the best framed autograph that was up for auction.

The highlight of the evening was a question and answer session with Mike where he covered his career from start to finish including all of the ups and downs and even a few of the controversial moments in his life, all in all it was a very entertaining evening spent in the company of one of the all time Heavyweight greats.

Memorabilia Show at the NEC in Birmingham

On the 20th and the 21st of November I will be going to the Memorabilia Show at the NEC in Birmingham. This is an event which I attend every year and find it an extremely valuable way of collecting autographed memorabilia, meeting fellow autograph dealers and autograph collectors. I have often acquired rare autographs andmany genuine autographs to add to my personal collection. In addition to this I get the opportunity to meet the celebrities in person and discuss business with fellow autograph dealers at the show.
Attending this show are a wide scope of celebrities enabling me to gain access to a range of celebrity autographs, such as signed photos, signed movie posters, autographed footballs, as well as other signed sports memorabilia, such as sport merchandise, including signed boxing gloves, signed shirts and signed jerseys.
This year I am intending to meet and collect signed memorabilia from the likes of the boxing legends Thomas ‘The Hitman’Hearns, Iran Barkley and Barry McGuigan. It would be ideal if I could build up my collection of boxing memorabilia with signed boxing gloves, signed photographs and other signed boxing merchandise. Other sporting legends that are set to attend the show are Superbike legend and arguably the best ever motorbike rider from Britain, Karl Fogarty, Dennis Taylor who is best known for winning the 1985 World Snooker Championship final and Ron Flowers, known for his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers and a member of England's victorious 1966 World Cup squad, this will hopefully lead to collecting autographed footballs, football autographs and other forms of soccer memorabilia. Many other famous sporting legends shall be attending, enabling me to collect an extensive range of sports autographs and signed sports memorabilia.
I am also intending to collect many actor autographs and actresses autographs. Attending this show are celebrities including David Warner, the actor known for his performance in Dr Who autographs, Titanic and Planet of the Apes, and also the actress Martha Cope who hopefully I can persuade to sign some Dr Who memorabilia as well as other movie memorabilia. Also attending is the actor David Bradley, who is best known as Argus Filch in all Harry Potter movies. The addition of this actors autograph to my collection of Harry Potter memorabilia would be readily welcomed, and hopefully will come in many forms, such as autographed posters, signed DVD cases and autographed photographs. Richard Herd is also set to attend the show. I am intending to add to my collection of Star Trek autographs, so this will be a good opportunity to collect Star Trek memorabilia, such as signed Star Trek posters, autographed Star Trek merchandise and signed Star Trek collectables. Furthermore, the actors Kiran Shah and Warwick Davis, both known for their roles in Star Wars will be signing memorabilia. I am keen to collect Star Wars memorabilia, signed Star Wars merchandise and Star Wars collectables as it is particularly popular form of movie memorabilia, attracting a wide range of attention from all parts of the world.
So if you are looking for something interesting to do that weekend you could do a lot worse than visiting the show, you never know you might even and up speaking to me !!

Certified Autograph Dealers - Autograph Authentication Course

One of the things that I pride myself on is the continuing need to keep up to date with all the current trends in the autograph and memorabilia industry. With this in mind I am going to attend an autograph authentication course on the 29th of October 2010, this course is being run by AFTAL (autograph fair traders association limited) of which I am on their Approved Dealers list. Although virtually all of my autographed photos are hand signed in person autographs, there are items which cannot be collected in person or by my agents as these celebrity autographs are either vintage autographs where the celebrity is deceased or customers asking me to authenticate their signed photos or famous autographs. The course is going to cover famous signatures, how to spot auto pen signatures, secretarial signatures and forgeries. At the end of the course provided you pass you will be elevated to a certified autograph dealer with AFTAL. 

Robbie Williams

I truly believe that you can never be too careful when it comes to providing your customers with authentic autographs and authentic Holly wood memorabilia. Memorabilia 4U provides a lifetime money back guarantee with all of its items and signed memorabilia. As an autograph dealer making sure all my framed autographs go out in pristine condition with a certificate of authenticity is a priority.

Pele Signed ShirtsI was just looking through some ebay autographs the other day and I was shocked to see how many badly forged items there were in the following categories; sports memorabilia, music memorabilia and movie memorabilia. In my opinion I would have said that 90% of the items for sale were not real hand signed autographs signed in person by the celebrity. With this in mind and a statistic I heard the other day saying that 80% of all signed memorabilia is fake it is very much “Buyer Beware”.

So with this in mind when you are looking to buy autographs please make sure you research the autograph dealer thoroughly before purchasing your football autograph, sport memorabilia or movie star autographs. On the up side there are organisations out there which give the buyer guarantees, if you deal with a UACC registered dealer or and Aftal approved dealer they are monitored regularly to ensure that the items they sell are of the highest standard and although they cannot guarantee that every item is an authentic autograph they do give the buyer peace of mind in the fact that if it is not you will get your money back.

As I always say the best way to get authentic autographs or authentic memorabilia is to collect the item yourself, however that is not always possible as it takes a lot of time and patience to collect signed memorabilia whether its autographed albums, autographed photos or signed posters you certainly need time to collect and if you are buying autographs please check out the dealer who has too many famous autographs for sale, especially beatles autographs and beatles memorabilia. As these are the most copied and forged autographs and running them a close second is Elvis Presley autographs and then Frank Sinatra memorabilia. So make sure you do your homework when it comes to purchasing autographed memorabilia and signed sports memorabilia.

Careful Collecting!!!

Autographed Sports Memorabilia - Collect Favourite Sports Star’s Autographs

After the Ryder Cup I set off for a week collecting down at St Andrews at the Dunhill links championship with the intention of collecting the odd celebrity autograph and one or two pieces of golf memorabilia. After meeting up with a few fellow collectors we headed out on to the golf course to try and obtain some signed photos and collectible memorabilia. After a couple of hours in the wind and cold it was decided to call it a day and with a few golf autographs in my autograph book and a signed poster (which unfortunately got damaged in the wind). Tuesday morning was no better weather wise however there were several opportunities to collect Ryder Cup memorabilia and the occasional golf autograph.

This proved to be difficult as the team was not due to arrive until the Wednesday, so we had to concentrate on cricket memorabilia and rugby autographs with the odd piece of movie memorabilia. Up to 5pm on Tuesday I had collected two signed movie posters, an autographed photo, and several pieces of sports memorabilia. Wednesday would hopefully bring a few Ryder Cup autographs and a team signed photograph. It is really strange how sometimes you can go out collecting and end up with something completely different, on Wednesday I tried to get a Johan Cruyff autograph and football memorabilia but ended up with several items of autographed memorabilia(a signed golf flag, signed golf balls, autographed photos and a large collection of celebrity autographs in my autograph album). But still not any Ryder Cup autographs.

Rory McIlroy

Thursday was the start of the tournament and everybody who was due to play had arrived, I succeeded in getting a Rory McIlroy autograph and a Samuel Jackson autograph to add to my autograph collection also managed to get a couple of photographs with celebrities as well as a couple of signed autographs from the Ryder Cup team. I decided to go and watch some golf as it was such a nice day and afterwards waited at the clubhouse to try and get some film memorabilia I had with me signed by Andy Garcia, but unfortunately I had missed him and would have to try again tomorrow. It was quite amazing how quick the week had passed and I had only 2 days left in which to collect my missing pieces of collectable memorabilia.

golf autographs

Friday was the worst day for weather at St Andrews so I decided to get closer to home and went down to Kingsbarns to collect sport memorabilia and some football autographs, it was to wet to use photographs so I got a couple of signed football shirts and an autographed football jersey by Ruud Gullit. It was the first time I had ever had a Ruud Gullit autograph and it is going straight to the framer on Monday.

During the week I managed to collect quite a few new famous autographs, a selection of sport autographs including an Ian Botham autograph and a Bobby Charlton autograph which I would have to say is a beautiful signature and all in all it was a good week despite the weather not being too kind to the golfers nor the autograph collectors.

Get Original Hand Signed Autographs From Famous TV Stars and Celebrities

For many years now I have collected celebrity autographs in all kinds of weather, waiting for movie stars at film premieres to get authentic autographs or waiting in line at sports memorabilia shows to meet the occasional sports personality and after many hours of queuing coming away with a smile on my face and genuine autographs.

In October I am braving the cold Scottish wind in St Andrews at the Dunhill Links Championship to collect golf memorabilia, mostly signed photos and with luck some signed football shirts along with the occasional piece of movie memorabilia, as the Dunhill Links Championship is a golf event which attracts celebrity amateur golfers as well as the professional golfer. I have collected many items in St Andrews over the years I have even managed to get the most famous James Bond autograph, Sir Sean Connery on the steps of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

Buying autographs has now become a very risky business, what with bogus autograph dealers and forgeries rife in the market place it is very difficult for the collector of signed memorabilia and hand signed photos to garner authentic sports memorabilia, music memorabilia or movie memorabilia. With this in mind I have tried to put together a guide below for the novice to obtain authentic autographs and memorabilia and eliminate the collectors worst nightmare a FORGERY!!! 

The easiest thing in the world is for somebody to get a photograph and forge a famous signature and low and behold a piece of Frank Sinatra Memorabilia or item of music memorabilia which to the untrained eye looks like a genuine collectible autograph.

My advice to anyone who wants to collect a genuine autograph is try and get the celebrity to sign the item for you. I would strongly advise that you do not try and get signed movie posters as these are easily damaged in a crowd looking for famous autographs (made that mistake already!).This is not always possible and the next best thing is to use a trusted autograph dealer especially if you collect vintage autographs or even more so if you collect rare autographs. 

The question you are probably asking yourself now is who can I trust?

That is not so easy if you are a novice but these words of advice may help you get that item of authentic sports memorabilia without the worry of “Is it Real?” There are several associations that promote genuine autographed memorabilia the most famous being the U.A.C.C. ( Universal Autograph Collectors Club). They have two types of membership, Registered Dealers and members. The first is highly recommended as the selection procedure is very strict and to add substance to this statement there are less than 275 members worldwide who have achieved this lofty status. Memorabilia 4U, my company is RD 292. A person who is a U.A.C.C. member is just someone who has joined the club and has no accreditation other than being a member.

So if your penchant is for collecting or buying, football autographs, boxing memorabilia or even music autographs I hope this article will help you obtain a genuine item of memorabilia.