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My Worst Experience for Autographs

Hi all. There was something that happened today that I'd like to share with you all.

One of my most prized autographs, an Elizabeth Taylor has been ruined a bit. It first began when I left it inside the plastic casing that it came shipped in (from Classic Entertainment Autographs) on top of my desk. Then, as I left my home, another person who lived here threw it in the trash can thinking it was trash. To make matters worse, when it was finally recovered when I got back, she applied alcohol with cotton that affected the paper, but thankfully, not the signature.

*sigh* Here is what it looks like now. Damage is on the left side. How much of it's value disappeared?

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Permalink Reply by G01ch on January 5, 2017 at 5:38am
But I will add, Eric has helped me a lot to get it to the best state it can be in despite the stupid trash and alcohol incident.
Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on January 5, 2017 at 6:02am

First, I saw that when it was for sale and I think you got a good deal on it so there was wiggle room there.  Second, I have bought vintage album pages in tons worse shape than that lol.  While it may not be quite as pristine as when you first got it I do not believe you have too much to worry about. At least, in my opinion, the signature looks great and most people would mat and crop out most of the blank page anyway.  I am not good in placing values so will not attempt to do that.  To make it easier for others to see why not post the before picture from Dr. Brucato's listing and put both on there. I would also put it directly in by using the image icon rather than as an attachment just easier than having to open another window.

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on January 5, 2017 at 6:10am

This is my pitiful attempt at trying to show a comparison I hope Eric is not watching he does this great. The after on left and before on right. Little hard to see since the before does not show the whole page but the signature looks fine. Unless it really looks a lot worse in person (or my eyes are getting worse) were I in the market for a Taylor it would not stop me.

Permalink Reply by Joe W. on January 5, 2017 at 1:16pm

If that is the worst that ever happens to one of your autographs; count yourself blessed! The Elizabeth Taylor I owned once got swept away by a tornado! And survived!

Permalink Reply by Paul on January 5, 2017 at 1:32pm

The lesson is clean your own room!

It still looks fine.

Permalink Reply by G01ch on January 5, 2017 at 2:06pm
Well, I do. The person who entered was the person who shares the same room as me.
Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 5, 2017 at 2:21pm

Unexpected 5am surgery! The alcohol seemed to be attacking the plastic, so it was decided to cut the patent out of the loader to avoid any sticking as the plastic was being affected. Think "small jaws of life". I was worried about capillary action, a "high water mark" stain...seems Luke was as lucky as one can be with a Taylor in the garbage! While other options were considered, essentially leaving it alone proved once again to be the best thing to do I think. Luke,you should show the first pic when it was wet in the holder. 

Permalink Reply by G01ch on January 5, 2017 at 2:23pm
When I get home. It's 6am here and I am in school. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on January 5, 2017 at 5:59pm

LOL "cut the patient", not "cut the patent" ;)

Permalink Reply by James on January 5, 2017 at 4:23pm
I don't think you've lost any value at all. As you say, the signature was not affected. I don't think most collectors care too much about what surrounds an album page's autograph, provided there aren't some hideous blotches and such. And that's not the case here. Don't worry...as Paul said, it's fine.
Permalink Reply by Josh Board on January 5, 2017 at 8:15pm

This is my favorite kind of story. One, it was compelling. I loved every second reading it. Two, no damage was done, so it had a happy ending. As somebody said, when it's framed, matted out, you is fine. No value lost what so ever.

Now, I had a friend that had a picture of Lakers cheerleaders, all bent over. It was signed by Jack Nicholson, who had one of his creepy smiles, looking at the girls. He took the photo. It was one of a kind. I begged him and begged him for it. Offered him lots of money. Well, one day he was selling his house and moving to Hawaii to retire. He said he'd sell it to me, but wanted to keep the frame, as he made it himself (he was a woodworker). So, I agreed to give him $50 for it (this was in 1991, when $50 was like $58 now). He takes it out, going on and on about how much I've hounded him for this, right? He has a lot of sentimental value attached to it, too.

So what happens? He gets it out of the frame. We're playing a game of Scrabble, and....he reaches over for his beer, and it spills all over the picture. Completely ruined the whole thing. And guess what I did? This might sound crappy but...I decided not to buy the photo. Which, would not have been ruined, had he not taken it out of the frame to sell to me!!!

Another one of my painful stories. I have a movie poster from SOME LIKE IT HOT, one of the best comedies of all time. It's signed by the entire cast. Okay, not the entire cast. Tony Curtis, who decided to sign Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Billy Wilder. Well, I went to have it framed, and the idiot at the frame shop calls me and says the frame I bought won't quite fit the poster. He says he can cut about 1/2 an inch off the poster to make it fit (it was a reproduction poster, not original, so I said, "Go for it. But...DO NOT affect any of the signatures).

What does this idiot do? He craps the poster about 2 inches, and he cropps it on the top, where the signatures are. Two of them, are hard to even read with the frame. Yet the bottom of the poster (maybe I said that wrong, and it was the bottom he cropped)....had he cropped the other side of the poster, there is like five inches of nothing. Yet he crops the spot that has the cast names. I should've sued or gotten my money back. Worst $75 I ever spent!!!!

Another time, Jimmy Carter at a book signing. They had a five book per person limit. My parents expressed interest in going. I brought them, and had them buy five books each, too. Since he signs his name "j. carter" I asked that he at least sign one book with his full name. He did. Well, I had a girlfriend over, and she was helping me move stuff around and clean my condo. She spilled some Windex all over the books. It only affect one book. The one on the top. And the one with the full signature, which has that entire page all wrinkling now.

Sigh.

As somebody said on this thread, if this is the worst that happens to something in your collection, consider yourself lucky.

Permalink Reply by G01ch on January 5, 2017 at 8:27pm
I would've wanted that Jack Nicholson badly. Very interesting tragedies you've wrote about.

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