Discover expert advice on autograph collecting, authentication, signed memorabilia, rare collectibles, market trends and the stories behind some of the world's most sought-after signatures. RSS Feed

On a regular basis, I am frequently requested to provide my opinion on a signed item of Muhammad Ali, also known as Cassius Clay. These signed pictures are commonly found in larger sizes and were sold in the early 2000s by multiple sellers in the UK...

Recognising Printed or Facsimile Signatures.For autograph collectors, few discoveries are more satisfying than finding a genuine hand-signed item. Whether collecting signed photographs, letters, books, first-day covers, or memorabilia, one of the mos..

Today there are multiple options available for selling your autograph collection. With the help of the internet, you can either locate a dealer in your vicinity or directly sell through online platforms like eBay. However, this approach may come with..

To begin with, it should be noted that there are a number of reputable autograph auction houses that specialise in this field and can provide a guarantee for the authenticity of their items. However, these trustworthy auction houses are not very com..

At last, one of the monay sellers of fake signed posters has been jailed!Douglas Duren ran a number of autograph related websites, one of which was the well known NEautographs.com in the USA. In Birmingham, Alabama, USA, Duren was given a prison sent..

Should You Trust a Certificate of Authenticity for an Autograph?One of the most common questions asked by autograph collectors is: "Can I trust a Certificate of Authenticity (COA)?"The answer is not always straightforward. While many buyers assume th..

Should you frame your valuable autographs? Simple answer, no! Framing autographs or signed photos can be a costly business and in many cases may ruin your valuable signed item. We see a lot of framed items that have been ruined by careless framers, a..

In recent years, I have achieved excellent results in assisting clients in obtaining refunds for counterfeit items they have purchased domestically and internationally. The most difficult cases are those in the USA, where obtaining a refund is often ..

If you're considering selling your autograph collection, an auction may seem like an obvious choice. However, it's important to find the right auction house that specialises in your specific items. Many of the smaller auction houses claim expertise i..

Buying autographs on eBay can be a minefield and without expert help or knowledge you can very easily lose your money by buying cheap fakes. Here are some tips which might hep you, but keep in mind that ebay are constantly moving the goalposts, and w..

Every day I am asked to check items for via my "Quick Opinion" service. Over 50% always prove to be fake in some way, but many of the buyers will simply not accept that what they have purchased is fake, and send me all kinds of reasons why the item m..

UPDATE 2023! The scam site mentioned here now seems to have gone, but give them time and i am sure they will be back!All collectors need to be aware of a new scam that is becoming more prolific. Very simply it appears that some very clever scammers a..

Updated again March 2020! I am so pleased that this article has proved to be so useful for so many people, and enabled many buyers to get thousands of £'s worth of refunds for sellers of fakes. But eBay are always moving the goalposts, so here is a..

How much is my autograph worth, and do you buy or value autographs?  Well yes, we do buy autographs, but, the big question, how much are they worth? is one which is not so easily answered as it can depend so much on so many different things, so w..

I know I have covered this before but its a question that is asked so often by customers "hello, is this autograph genuine" asked when looking to buy an item from our website, and a very common question asked of any dealer. Two old sayings come to mi..

Every now and again we will all find a nice bargain on eBay. Sometimes, after it has turned up, it turns out to be not what we thought but on occasion we have something to celebrate! One of my best buys was a Muhammad Ali signed book which cost the s..

If you have read part one you will now have a basic understanding of how an Autopen machine creates a signature, and if you have studied the John Lennon signature previously shown you should now be able to see that its not exactly as it should be, in..

Every day I am asked about the authenticity of an item that the customer eBay etc. In so many cases the item is a hopeless fake and should easily be spotted. So my first suggestion has to be "educate yourself regarding autographs" as all the resource..

"Robographs" (a name I have coined for want of something better) are autographs created by a robot machine.  These are now becoming the scourge of the autograph world, and are becoming increasingly difficult to spot as the forgers get more proficient..

If you have purchased a signed item which you now believe to not be authentic, then you may want to get a refund! however, that is not always as easy as it seems as most forgers are clever enough to distance themselves from you in a number of ways. F..

Every day I receive items through the post for authentication. In most cases they have survived the postal system, but in some cases they have not. So here are a few tips from someone who both sends and receives mail every day. If I am sending out ma..

If you require verification of a suspect signed item, you will find several companies willing to provide a complimentary (free !!) authentication service. However, before submitting your scans or items, consider the reason behind their offer of this ..

Any dealer will tell you that this is a very common question asked of them, and certainly not an easy one to answer. The simple answer from the dealers point of view is "you don't, but I do!" After all the dealer has very likely spent many years lear..

It is something that we regularly conduct for both our own purposes and for clients seeking insurance assessments, probate evaluations, or potential sales. However, please note that there is a fee associated with this service due to the time it takes..