Star Signs

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday May 11, 2005

James Cockington

The Beatles have never split up, as far as autograph hunters are concerned. John, Paul, George and Ringo, preferably signed on a photo or album cover of the period, can easily fetch up to $25,000 in the volatile market for celebrity autographs.

Even Elvis struggles to compete against the Fab Four, thanks to his solo career and willingness to sit on the stage after performances and sign away for hours. In a world of supply and demand, Elvis was simply too generous.

Of contemporary celebrities, only Muhammad Ali comes close, with a personally signed message being valued at about $2000. It would be worth much more, of course, if it had been signed when his name was Cassius Clay.

For the record, the highest price ever paid for a signed document is the $US31.2 million Bill Gates paid for a document hand-written by Leonardo da Vinci. Some would argue that it is the content of the document that is worth more than the signature, but this is always the case. A personal message will be worth more to a collector if the content reveals something of the character of the writer.

In the autograph scale, a signed photo scores highest, followed by an autographed hand-written letter and a typewritten letter. Faxes are worthless. To whom it is written can also be important. One recent example is a letter from Edmund Barton (our first Prime Minister) to Lord Hopetoun (our first Governor General). A typed letter, allegedly from President Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe on White House stationery, caused shock waves of excitement around the world until it was proved to be a fake.

Forgeries are disturbingly common in the world of autographs and celebrity collectables. Buyers beware. One survey revealed that 89 per cent of the items listed for sale on an (unnamed) internet site were forgeries, some such obvious fakes that they were laughable.

Anyone planning to buy an autograph from an unauthorised source is advised to have it first checked out by a reputable dealer or auction house, preferably one affiliated with the International Autographs Dealers Alliance or Universal Autograph Collectors Club.

The first thing that should make you suspicious is the price. If someone is offering a signed Sgt Pepper's album for $50 on the internet, ask yourself why. There are only two known examples of this particular LP signed by all four Beatles.

The signatures of major celebrities are relatively easy to verify. Marilyn Monroe, for example, never dotted the "i". If the "o"s in John Lennon's signature are closed, it's a fake. Paul McCartney is left-handed and his writing reflects this.

Even those who insist they personally handed over an LP to be signed could be mistaken. When the Beatles were touring, it was common for road manager Neil Aspinall to sign anything handed over on their behalf. Experts can spot an Aspinall copy and then have to tell a distressed owner that their possession is worthless except for sentimental reasons.

While celebrities rule this world, there are those who collect mainly political signatures. Former MP Barry Jones' collection of documents signed by world leaders is famous (and a little infamous, as even fellow collectors don't know exactly how many he has), while John Massetti (see My Collection) was once commissioned by a Melbourne client to compile the autographs of all 25 Australian Prime Ministers. This complete set was later sold at a charity auction for $35,000.

Among Australian personalities, Don Bradman reigns supreme, with a rare autographed sepia portrait valued at $1995. Even a cheery "Happy Birthday Mate - Don Bradman" scribbled on a white, gold-edged card is worth about $700. But it's a quirk of human nature that prices for the Don's signatures have only achieved such values after his death. Collectors say there was comparatively little interest before his innings came to a close.

My collection

John Massetti

John Massetti's passion for autograph-hunting began on the sporting fields of his native New Zealand. "I was one of those kids who'd run out with my autograph book at the end of play," he says. He found he had the knack and was soon being asked by his friends at school to get them autographs of their favourite personalities.

Barter became an important part of the process - "I'll swap you two Dennis Lillees for an Edmund Hillary".

His skill at obtaining autographs (it used to be as simple as writing to them politely, he adds) has led to him becoming a recognised dealer as well as a prolific collector. His business, Wall of Fame, buys and sells celebrity autographs, predominantly signed photos. He is also asked to verify signatures, especially those of the Beatles.

He specialises in tracking down autographs, mainly achieved through his membership of the prestigious Universal Autograph Collectors Clubs of Washington, DC. His reputation as an autograph detective has led to several commissions, including the compilation of the signatures of all Australian Prime Ministers and of all the Formula One world champions.

The latter project is proving easier than expected, thanks to that Eureka moment that all collectors dream of. An elderly gentleman approached him with a rather tatty autograph book that dated back to his childhood. The highlight, according to the owner, was the signature of the legendary Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio. John already had a copy of Fangio's signature but, not wanting to hurt the man's feelings, bought the book anyway. It was only after the man had left that John was flicking through and discovered the autographs of Ascari and Farina, considered the first two world champions. Their signatures are the hardest of all to find.

STARTER GUIDE

$135

Publicity pin-ups of Hollywood stars are still in demand. Stars like Sophia Loren signed frequently, so hers is not considered rare.

$4500

Elvis Presley's signature is always in demand, and you'll pay more if, like this one, it's personal. "To Max" he wrote.

$12,000

Yes, it's just a plain white page torn from a book, but it is signed by all four Beatles. If it was a signed photo it would be worth double.