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Have professional in-person collectors ruined collecting for true fans?

What's your opinion on the in-person collectors that graph for the sake of selling them onwards. Has it stopped true fans from having their stars sign autographs for them? I'm just asking myself is it even a hobby anymore with all the fuss competing with people for autographs, it seem pretty chaotic with some of the footage you see, people trying to graph when artist are in their cars. In the 90's from what ive read it was fairly casual affair for ip collecting, even if you were to sell a few, your not the worst person in the world. I've purchased a few things of ip collectors, but not a great deal, I'm just saying I'm not any better than anyone else.

Any thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 12, 2016 at 2:37pm

John Densmore from, The Doors came out and said he wont sign anymore because It's interrupting his personal life ,people follow him at the airport and into bathrooms, this 4 years ago.

There's times when I think that these ip guys - dealers cross the boundary with acting out of sheer disrespect for people ( celebrities) and people around them.

How would you feel if you were sitting in the passenger seat of your car and people are trying to invade your space to have something signed.

There are a number of great companies that have been established from ip collecting , but I don't have a great deal of respect for them because of the way they carry on. They have a good name in the hobby for selling legitimate autographs but you have to think the way they conduct themselves in public is a shame.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 13, 2016 at 10:18pm

I'm not a real fan, but sign for me any way.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on October 17, 2016 at 9:17am

How would you feel if you were sitting in the passenger seat of your car and people are trying to invade your space to have something signed.

I recently saw a video on YouTube of some hound pestering the hell out of Eric Clapton. Clapton was walking along a street in NY... just doing some shopping or getting coffee and this guy would not leave him alone. Like an aggressive panhandler who won't go away.

I understand there is a cost to fame and losing some personal freedoms and space is part of it. But this was way too much. I get why some celebs refuse to sign. I can't imagine not being able to perform the most routine tasks without someone hanging out by your door and hounding you.

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Permalink Reply by Ian Baldock on October 12, 2016 at 2:38pm

I am agonizing over this right now. Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman are performing at a small theater in Pa this sat and sun. The Keswick theater in Glenside Pa. I just don't know if I feel like hanging around for hours trying to get them before or after the concert. I could easily just shell out a hundred or so bucks for a nicely signed Lp from one of the mercenaries who will get them. The old days are over and many artists do think everybody is selling now. Not like it used to be but that's the way it is.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 12, 2016 at 3:25pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arQzDK6yxTo

Here's George mcfly, Crispin arguing with hound.

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Permalink Reply by Gregory S on October 12, 2016 at 3:31pm

I have noticed some really poorly executed signatures from the mob situations...even when the person is willing to hang around and sign for a while.

Many signers have over simplified their signatures anyway... combine that with a rowdy group and some already terrible signatures will be even worse!

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Permalink Reply by Nick Maas on October 12, 2016 at 3:54pm

One great example of that is Al Jardine. He always signs nicely, but I've seen him sign just his first name if a dealer has a whole bunch of things for him.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 12, 2016 at 4:05pm

Very true, no wonder they have camera's and dvr out.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on October 17, 2016 at 9:10am

Many signers have over simplified their signatures anyway... combine that with a rowdy group and some already terrible signatures will be even worse!

Right. Who would even want a mess of a subprime signature?

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 12, 2016 at 3:36pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IoLEQbddYQ

WWE Paige, signs and then stops signing when she finds out he is selling them.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on October 13, 2016 at 8:19am

Things like that certainly give me a different feeling about the stars. I can understand their reluctance to sign for "fans" now. I also appreciate why some like Pacino make such scrawls that are all but impossible to verify. I probably would do the same if I thought someone wanted me to sign 50 photographs with no inscriptions. Everyone has a right to make a living and I am sure there are in person "dealers" that are respectful and hopefully grateful. I had a situation that a guy at a convention butted ahead of me to get to Kevin McCarthy he had posters, books, photographs, etc. to be signed. Mr. McCarthy was older then and I think a bit overwhelmed the guy had him sign it all "just your name" then took off for the next table without even paying for the autographs. Granted they were his items to be signed but this was a situation you pay for the autograph regardless of if you get the photo from him or bring it yourself. I was just kind of speechless I had never seen such blatant rudeness in my life. I made it a point to ask Mr. McCarthy to sign by full name so he knew I was not going to list it as soon as I got home. Asking a star to sign three or four items for pay I suppose is not the worst thing in the world, but the volume the guy in the video did is pure unadulterated greed. What I do not understand is the sense of entitlement some of these guys seem to have.