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STAR TREK AUTOGRAPHS

The 1950s and 60s were decades when Americans were fascinated with all things involving space travel. With the advent of sending men into orbit this increased the interest. In 1966 Gene Roddenberry created the television Sci-Fi adventure Star Trek. It was not an overnight success by any means. Syndication actually put it on the map since it attracted younger non-prime time viewers. Early Star Trek "conventions" were underway almost from the beginning with dedicated fans (mostly younger) showing their support. After the series was cancelled a cartoon series Star Trek: The Animated Series was created with all the major cast except for Walter Koenig providing voices. The lack of Koenig was apparently apparently a cost saving measure. Star Trek became my favorite Sci-Fi show surpassing my previous favorite of Lost in Space. The series expanded to several movies with many of the original stars in the same roles.

Many Star Trek collectors concentrate on the seven or eight major actors/actresses that had recurring roles on the show. For my own collection I tend to expand that (as I tend to do with all my collections) to include some somewhat minor characters and also favorite guest stars. The ones included below are my idea of a good collection.

Unlike most on AML I tend to dislike multi-signed pieces this is due in part to the fact that I do not frame ans display. I prefer the notebook method. That is simply a matter of personal preference many friends have great framed "walls" of autographs. My list for "major" autographs are the first seven the remainder I like to have since they had identifiable roles on the show. The number after the name is the number of episodes according to imdb.

William Shatner (79) Capt. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy (80) Lcdr. Spock
DeForrest Kelley (76) Lcdr. Dr. McCoy
James Doohan (66) Lcdr. Scott (One is credit only)
Nichelle Nichols (70) Lt. Uhura
George Takei (52) Lt. Sulu
Walter Koenig (36) Lt. Chekov
Majal Barrett (36) Nurse Chapel/computer voice
Grace Lee Whitney (8) Yoeman Janice Rand
John Winston (11) Lt. Kyle
Eddie Paskey (60) Lt. Leslie/others
David L. Ross (9) Lt. Galloway/others
Sean Morgan (7) Lt. O'Neill/others
Paul Baxley (10) Security/others

As for guests I merely add ones that were personal favorites of mine. Spock's parents played by Mark Lenard and Jane Wyatt are examples. John Fiedler, Elisha Cook, Jr.,William Schallert, Lee Bergere, William Campbell, Bruce Hyde, Stanley Adams, Roger Carmel, Ian Wolfe, Ken Lynch, Byron Morrow, James Gregory and many others are on my list.

As a collector I am more interested in the signature than the photograph it is on. While I like to have them on Star Trek items is not a necessity for me.

Tags: DeForrest, Doohan, George, James, Kelley, Koenig, Leonard, Nichelle, Nichols, Nimoy, More…

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 29, 2017 at 9:41pm

I prefer his vintage signature from the 60's.

Spock and McCoy have signed with character names. Click for full image:

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Permalink Reply by B. Anderson on November 30, 2017 at 10:08pm

That's more like it--something I could get into. I am sure it is probably a fair bit more pricey, but c'est la vie. Thanks for sharing.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on November 30, 2017 at 10:31pm

Thanks. I guess it is 12 and 15 years ago I got those. I also have Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Chekov and Chapel but I can't find the scan. It's posted here on "My Page". I don't know about today but back then you could find these up with a little looking, a bit of patience and not much $.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on December 1, 2017 at 4:03am

Most collectors in the United States avoid personalizations like the plague. Sad to say, but the reality of the market.

I’m not sure of the market specifics of Star Trek autographs, but in general for entertainment, you can typically get vintage personalized for less than modern era show signatures.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 1, 2017 at 7:06am

I agree that most modern collectors do snub their noses at inscriptions and personalizations but this does not seem to hold true for Classic Horror and Western collectors. In the past few weeks I have missed out on some great ones that were all inscribed but sold before I saw the catalog. I have not seen a substantial reduction of what that material goes for either. Of course as old collectors such as myself retire or ride off into the sunset that may change. When dealing with living actors and movies and shows still going strong then those collectors I think are the ones wanting name only signatures.

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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on December 1, 2017 at 10:42am

I don't know how a photo made out to the on-set nurse calling her the "best nurse I ever had" from Dr. McCoy could be chosen over something that simply says "DeForest Kelley" but that is just fine with me. I have seen very little signed "Spock" and not "Spock/Leonard Nimoy" - modern over-enlarged money-grabbing 11x14's aside.

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Permalink Reply by Charley on December 29, 2017 at 5:29pm

To follow up on the question of the authenticity of Shatner and Nimoy, I have posted images of a couple of cookie cutter forgeries currently found on ebay, in troubling fashion with major TPA certification. I've notice a couple of major dealers have taken down items "signed" in this style, but purging the hobby of these will take some real doing. A lot of dubious authenticated Trek items are sitting in collections of the unknowing.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on December 29, 2017 at 6:03pm

Since we last discussed those mass-produced Shatner + Nimoy questionable photos, I have been studying closely every day and training my eye on these signatures. I'm starting to get a pretty good feel for it and can now consistently pick out the questionable style even in a thumbnail image.

Charley, I believe your previous assessment of "90% are fakes" may actually be an understatement. It's not pretty out there...

I did treat myself to a Creation dual signed that I won for a very good price.

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Permalink Reply by Charley on January 5, 2018 at 8:35pm

Good to hear, Steve. Beware that hours spent deciphering Shatner's splattering of ink can do great harm to one's eyes!

I continue to be amazed that the aforementioned forgery style became so readily accepted in hobby circles, among dealers and authenticators alike, given that the original cast members have easily held more convention signings than any other entertainment notables.
Most of the cookie cutter fakes on ebay are offered in the $60-90 range--no doubt depressing the market for authentic pieces--but some sellers, no doubt convinced they are offering the real thing, are asking a fair penny. Here's one such example, which can be had for $350.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on January 6, 2018 at 5:48am

@ Charley

I think more people including at least one major TPA and some auction houses are we waking up to this style.

I can see them sliding by at the beginning when the story was still plausible , i.e., from a private signing from a defunct show promoter. But now it’s 10 years later, and they just keep coming and coming and coming. At some point commonsense has to take over and you need to ask just how many could’ve Shatner and Nimoy have signed in this so-called a private signing?

I think this needs an expose and it something that I’m considering working on. It’s on my long to-do list. :-)

Permalink Reply by Pauline Berry on October 14, 2018 at 1:09pm

Hello Paul

I would really appreciate your help with my Star Trek cast signed photo on this thread here:

My William Shatner Story

It is a problematic item and I am not sure what to do with it. Kind of feel llike shredding it! :)

I have sent you a friend request also.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on October 15, 2018 at 7:40am

Hi Pauline. One problem of cast signed photographs is rarely are they signed at the same time. On yours I think Doohan is good, Koenig is good just squshed because of lack of space, Kelley I think is probably OK just not as flamboyant with the "D" as usual and "F" is atypical, Nimoy may be OK just not pretty almost spoils the photo for me, Barrett looks OK to me. That leaves us with "The Big S." as I like to call him. I got fooled (with pretty much everyone else) on the dual signed Shatner-Nimoy photographs that flooded the market so am a bit cautious. I wish I could say it was good but I am on the fence with this. I certainly would not destroy this because of that I do think Doohan is good and is worth saving. I am not an expert at no means on Shatner whose styles are varied over the years.