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Permalink Reply by wascher on March 19, 2016 at 11:14am

In Michael Jackson, Thriller is his most important album and you'll find autographs on that album tend to go for more.  But for me when it comes to early career or later career on MJ, I prefer early career only because its a style that is hard to forge (vs later on where it was more squiggles).  Personally I wouldn't even want a later career sig unless someone could prove to me it was signed by him.... and it would take a lot to prove it to me.

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Permalink Reply by Pete Bendu on March 20, 2016 at 6:38am

Autographs are a funny thing, the era and the item signed can make all the difference in the world. Someone like Peter Cushing signed thousands of items from the 30's right thru the early 90's when he passed. He was so fan friendly that he signed stacks of items for his secretary to continue sending out even after his death.

Even though his signatures were much fuller and nicer in the 50's and 60's, Star Wars items signed by him from 1977 until his passing, are quite limited in nature (rare) and even tho they are mostly just initials,  they will sell for 10 or 20 times more than earlier nicer samples.    

Other celebrities like Harrison Ford or Al Pacino whose careers hit their highest peaks from the 1970's thru the 1980's had beautiful signatures in that time frame. Early Ford signatures on Star Wars or Indiana Jones items or Pacino signatures on Godfather or Scarface items will bring price tags in the thousands. While modern squiggles on these same photos will bring hundreds.

This doesn't have to be strictly about megastars ...just about anyone who is asked to sign an autograph or anyone in the public eye tends to get to the point where they shorten or alter their signature. Felicity Jones will be the next Star Wars lead actress this is her signature from a few years ago before she was a household name

and now before a single Star Wars photo has come to market....

Which would you prefer?

The big question in this case.....which will be more valuable in the future? The nice fully signed autograph or a checkmark type signature on a Star Wars photo from a role that is certain to have everyone know her name?  

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Permalink Reply by a pug called eva on March 20, 2016 at 7:35am

Thanks Wascher and Pete for your very interesting replies.

I have long regretted not bidding higher on a Jackson 5 item from a UK concert even though I a not a huge MJ or J5 fan. It was just such a nice genuine (in all senses of the word) item.

I never realised that Ford & Pacino fetched thousands on the right item or that there was such a difference on pre- and post-Star Wars Cushing signatures. Again, these are not people I actively seek out so perhaps my ignorance is justified.

For me the Felicity Jones case is a no brainer. I would take the pre-Star Wars any day of the week. I presume that the "post" shot is not an image from Star Wars itself so I cannot believe it would be more sought-after than the youthful signature. This may be a Freudian slip but to me the awful post "signature" looks more like an unconvincing attempt to draw in pubic hair! 

The Beatles would be another interesting example. Here I don't think the 1961-2 autographs are generally as desirable as those from 1963-5, even though the latter are common by comparison. 66-70 on the other hand seem to be worth way more than 1963-5 because of their sheer rarity (and maybe also the quality of the albums being produced at the time).

I have been amazed at the prices fetched by the one or two Ziggy period Bowie items that have been sold at UK auction houses lately (before his death actually). They've been exceeding the £1,000 barrier. I can sort of understand why but the multiple of 10x plus is quite impressive.  

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Permalink Reply by Pete Bendu on March 20, 2016 at 8:05am

You are correct that later Felicity image is not from Star Wars, but that is her latest signature .....any forthcoming signed images from Star Wars will likely have that more modern scribble. 

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