Sporting Memorabilia, Autographed Football, Autographed Shirts and Jerseys For Sale

BOXING DAY SALE IMMINENT!

Memorabilia 4U is proud to announce its first ever Boxing Day Sale.

On the 26th December we will be opening this mammoth sale to all its existing customers to have the pick of all of the memorabilia on the website at a bumper discount price. So if you have had your eye on a specific autograph or autographs for a while then the 26th is the time to purchase this item of sport memorabilia. The sale initially will be for previous customers who have purchased items over the years however new customers looking for bargains they will be able to peruse the goods for sale on the 27th of December.

This is an excellent chance to buy autographs for your memorabilia collection at rock bottom prices as we will be slashing 25% off of all stock prices! Unlike most internet companies who are trying to get rid of old stock we have loaded up the shelves with lots of goodies. To give you and idea of what’s in store we have autographed football jerseys from the premiership and also legendary players shirts like a Diego Maradona signed jersey, Pele signed football jersey and Eric Cantona signed shirt.

Golf memorabilia has 100’s of golf autographs including a Rory McIlroy autograph, Martin Kaymer autograph and a Graeme Mcdowell autograph. From the world of film and screen we have several clasic movie autographs including Top Gun memorabilia, Titanic memorabilia and loads of comedy autographs at greatly reduced prices. Last but not least we have an incredible collection of music memorabilia and autographs included in the sale, namely Michael Jackson autograph, Kings of Leon autograph and even an Elvis Presley autograph.

So if you have nothing to do on the 26th or 27th of December why not have a look at what we will have up for sale a bargain basement prices!

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, 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 !!

Signed Memorabilia, Celebrity Autographs, Signed Photos and Pictures, UK: GOLF MEMORABILIA

Signed Memorabilia, Celebrity Autographs, Signed Photos and Pictures, UK: 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 autogra..."

Signed Memorabilia, Celebrity Autographs, Signed Photos and Pictures, UK: Always Buy Authontic Autographs and Celebrity Memo...

Signed Memorabilia, Celebrity Autographs, Signed Photos and Pictures, UK: Always Buy Authontic Autographs and Celebrity Memo...: "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. inv..."

Always Buy Authontic Autographs and Celebrity Memorabilia From Certified Dealers

OPERATION BULLPEN

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.

LAUNCH OF MEMORABLIA4U NEW WEBSITE

On the 9th of November Memorabilia4U saw the re-launch of its website. In an attempt to make the site more customer-friendly we have added a few extra features, such as a selection of premier movie autographs, sport autographs and music autographs, making your searching less laborious and easier to navigate the autograph or memorabilia that you desire. This currently features an autograph signed by the musical genius that is Michael Jackson, a promotional photograph for the hit movie Titanic, signed in person by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett and also features a limited edition Ferrari cap signed by the formula 1 racing legend Michael Schumacher. As well as this we have formulated a product category list to assist you with more refined searches including categories such as ‘Dr Who Autographs’ and ‘Harry Potter Autographs’ making your search less time consuming and also to display our full range of autographs within these categories. So whether it is vintage autographs, historical autographs or especially rare autographs, you will find our adjustments make it easier for you to navigate around the website. Alternatively, you can contact us directly by clicking on the ‘contact’ category displayed along the top of the website.

Included in these improvements to the website is the ‘Online Framing Service’. This service allows you to preview your chosen autograph within a frame, producing a more attractive final result and also ensuring that you control the additions to the piece of memorabilia, in turn making it more suited to your taste and decoration in the home and also adding that extra wow-factor to the item, as well as adding that final special touch to a gift. By clicking on the ‘Online Framing Service’ icon on the homepage you will see instructions to follow in order to access this service.

Furthermore, we have added a ‘Scrapbook’, which can be located on the homepage, where you are able to view photographs of Celebrities that we have met and also photographs of the celebrities signing the certain pieces or memorabilia. This addition has been made as we fully believe that it is crucial that our customers can trust that the service we provide is 100% authentic. Included in the scrapbook are photographs of celebrities such as, Samuel L Jackson who can be seen signing memorabilia including Star Wars autographs, and many sports legends, including Ernie Els, Archie Gemmill and Colin Montgomery, signing autographs.

In addition to all these amendments, a link to Facebook can be used. By choosing a specific autograph, for example, Pele memorabilia, you can click on the ‘Facebook share’ iconand the autograph will appear on your Facebook, allowing you to display the desired item to friends on the site. You can also join the Memorabilia4U Facebook group and follow us through the social networking site, where new and exciting stock is regularly posted allowing our fans an exclusive first look and the advantage to purchase heavily demanded items before they are added to the website for the rest of the world.

AN EVENING WITH MIKE TYSON

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.

HOW TO COLLECT AUTHENTIC SPORTS MEMORABILIA

For those of you interested in collecting signed sports memorabilia, I will try and pass on some valued information I have acquired over the years collecting authentic sports memorabilia. It is very difficult to collect all types of memorabilia and autographed photos unless you have autograph collectors working for you. If you have you have got to make sure they are indeed collecting the autographs and not simply buying sporting memorabilia from another collector, which in turn could lead to the possibility of fake memorabilia. So with this in mind you have to know who is getting the hand signed autographs for you and check to make sure they are indeed collecting sport autographs and not buying them in. This you can do buy getting the collector to date when the signed shirts or autograph photos were collected along with visual proof if possible.

 

I prefer to collect my own autographed football memorabilia or for those in the States soccer autographs. I have managed to collect some awesome

Tiger Woods autographs as well as many items of signed sports memorabilia and have even collected Pele memorabilia on my travels overseas. This however is costly so to keep costs down try and collect locally and concentrate on visitors coming to your area. Another way you can collect is if a company is launching football merchandise they will often have autographed photos of players or the players themselves autograph sports memorabilia at the venue. One of my favourite haunts for collecting sports autographs are golf courses. I have managed to find a golf tournament which not only has sportsmen but celebrities playing as well and have collected autographed music memorabilia, autographed posters, movie autographs and many hand signed autographs all at one venue (a collectors dream!!) Another area where you can collect autographed footballs is at football stadiums I have a famous football team virtually on my doorstep, however I prefer to get an autographed football from the visiting team, what I do is find out which hotel they are staying at and try and get the visiting team to autograph sports memorabilia the night before the match, then I wait at the stadium before and after the game to get the signatures of the players I missed earlier. This is often very time consuming, you need loads of patience and warm drinks.

 

Autographs memorabilia and f1 memorabilia are not always easy to collect, I spent years trying to get a Michael Schumacher autograph, I went to practice sessions, events, race tracks and after several years of trying I bumped into him in a hotel in London and got him to sign my favourite piece of formula 1 memorabilia….. the back of my business card. It was a strange weekend as I was going down to collect cricket memorabilia and hopefully get cricket autographs at Lords. I ended up having more success spotting celebrities in my hotel and the restaurant’s

I frequented. I got many famous signatures on menu’s, cards and even a signed shirt ( the one I was wearing) as I ran out of cards. But the highlight of the weekend was getting a Chelsea shirt signed for my nephew by Frank Lampard.

 

The one thing I have learned about collecting autographs is ALWAYS carry an autograph album and a sharpie pen with you at all times as you never know who you might bump into!!!

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. 

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.

I 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!!!

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!!!!