I love Golden Age Hollywood movies. 

I could watch Humphrey Bogart all day.

Sometimes I do. 

I would probably have to pay over £1,000 to get a good quality copy of his autograph today.

Hollywood's boundaries may have changed. But its appeal has not dimmed. 

Even in a fractured media, a big Hollywood movie role can make an actor into a star. 

Alfred Hitchcock and Grace Kelly at work in the Dream Factory.

Timothée Chalamet, Margot Robbie, Saoirse Ronan are all Hollywood stars.

Their names carry the same luster as Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jane Fonda. 

And they're the next generation to be the focus of Hollywood autograph collectors. 

Here, we'll tell you how to join these collectors, and make sure you spend your money wisely, on high-quality, authentic Hollywood autographs.

Why are you collecting?

Autograph collecting can be a rewarding pastime.

It might even be a business or investment opportunity for you.

What you want it to be must guide the decisions you make in your Hollywood autograph collecting journey. 

Many of us come into autograph collecting as fans.

We love a star. Perhaps we write a letter. And so a collection starts.

This is a wonderful and rewarding way to collect. 

And, it may - accidentally, as a by-product of enthusiasm - become lucrative.

Others move beyond this. The collecting expands to trading. And the buying starts to focus on returns on sales.

James Dean's signature. Its setting, below, in a High School yearbook gives it extra value.

Again, this is a challenging and interesting way to follow the hobby.

But both require different approaches from the collector.

A fan buyer can follow their heart.

A trading and selling buyer must monitor the market.

Finding authentic Hollywood autographs

If you had the mind to, you could run up a fairly convincing fake of the most valuable Hollywood autograph right now. 

Really.

Your Marilyn Monroe fake wouldn't get past an expert authentication.

But could you easily produce something presentable enough to photograph and list online?

Almost certainly yes. 

So you do need your wits about you when you shop online for authentic Hollywood autographs.

The obvious 

First of all, don't let stars get in your eyes. 

There are very real, but manageable, risks involved in shopping online. 

And, particularly in markets where there's a chance of making big returns on a small outlay. 

That's exactly where scammers focus their efforts.

Because "something for nothing" is the most attractive offer possible.

So, just because you're shopping in an area you're enthusiastic about you mustn't turn off your common sense.

Too good to be true is a good guide.

Sophia Loren's signature in the perfect place.

Authentic Hollywood autographs expert advice

If there's one word you remember from this article make it this one: provenance.

Provenance is a fancy way of saying origin. 

In our terms it means the proven, documented history of a purported autograph.

As an example, in 2022, a photograph of Marilyn Monroe inscribed to her then husband Joe DiMaggio, was sold for $300,000.

The provenance was, in the words of the auctioneers, "extraordinary". 

The picture came from the Joe DiMaggio Collection.

That's the baseball star's personal collection that was auctioned in 2006. 

Backing up that history was a letter signed by DiMaggio's daughters Paula DiMaggio Hamra and Kathie DiMaggio Stein that confirmed the history.

This sort of evidence will simply not be available for most autographs. But, you should look for some proof of origin if you can find it.

Authentication services that check autographs for a fee exist. A certificate from them is a big plus.

As is a record of sales by reputable dealers or auctions houses. 

We certify everything we sell as genuine. And we guarantee it with a money-back guarantee. We think it's a pledge you can take seriously.

Insist on paperwork and preserve everything when you buy. 

Real, and good quality 

Once you're confident of authenticity you should look for quality. 

Autographs usually come on relatively ephemeral media, typically paper or photographic paper. 

Neither of these surfaces were built to last. 

 

Autographs need to be stored carefully if they are to last.

And the medium can add interest. 

Letters of significance, of course, but a movie ticket or brochure, book, or other related document gives an extra depth to an autograph. 

And signatures aren't all equal. 

The scrawl I put down when I'm completing a form in a hurry isn't the same as my smart signature on an official document.

Look for aesthetically pleasing signatures. 

This picture links Bogart to Casablanca, his most famous role, so adds value.

It's hard to imagine that most Hollywood stars didn't put some thought into how their signature looked. Honour their effort by looking for the best examples.

Placing matters too. Particularly on photographs.

And the sort of ink used. Is it clear and strong.

• Clear and readable signatures of a good size
• well-placed in clear space
• on a good quality image
• true to the star's usual pattern of signing

This is what you need to look for.

Paying for and guiding your collection

You will pay for quality.

And perhaps be paid back for it if you resell your collection.

Or if your incorporating its potential value in a retirement or legacy plan.

And autographs can be very valuable. 

If you're going to be serious about a collection you should consider yourself its curator, or trustee. 

Someone who has temporary custody of treasures that will be passed on to another generation.

As to whom you should collect.

My personal view is that you should buy for passion, hoping for value.

Purchase the signatures of stars you love, who you would have loved to meet, whose films you love. 

Add copies of those films, posters, biographies and more to your collection.

I think such a collection is more likely to give you a rewarding hobby.

And because it is driven by dedication I think it is more likely to valuable too.

Find authentic Hollywood autographs now

Our own autograph store is a great place to start searching.

And we have contacts throughout the collectibles world. 

So, if you're searching for a particular piece we may be able to find it for you.

And, if you're selling, we know how to put your signatures in front of people who really want them. And who will pay the best prices for them.

Just email me now on info@paulfrasercollectibles.com to learn how we can help you build your collection.