I closed my last store in San Rafael California in 1999. I have sold movie MEMORABILIA since 1980. I came into contact with a lot of entertainers and sports personalities. I initially grabbed a few autographs - personally autographed to me - and took photos with them. I primarily did mail order and traveled with antique and collectable shows in the western states until the early 90's.

Once I opened my stores, people kept asking for autographs and I started stocking a few that I got in person and then eventually paid "chasers" to get them. My contacts in the movie industry provided me the ability to give the chasers leads and at the same time provide me with the few autographs that I sold.

When I closed my last store in 1999 I explored selling the inventory I had on eBay. However, the number of faked autographs dissuaded me from bothering to sell the few I have. I did not feel like answering the emails verifying authenticity - too many fakes and prices too low to waste my time.

I decided to look at the market now and I see that the market has cleaned up a little, although prices are still a lot lower than before eBay made so many dealers. I have to put up with a lot of idiotic conspiracy freaks in the poster business. All I can do to combat these urban legends is to speak from my first hand knowledge and experience. "How do you know this is authentic?" I have been doing it for 26 years. I would not be in business if I was not legit.

Here are a couple of real stories of autograph fakes of which I have first hand knowledge. I was in Hollywood in the early 90's and went into a bar near a movie collectable convention. There were a few thousand autographed photos stacked on the bar and a couple guys going through them. I asked about them and a friend told me the guys' name. I went back into the convention and asked an autograph dealer, who is well known as a legit dealer, about the photos on the bar. He told me that the guy would mass mail photos to stars and they would come back signed but the majority of them were signed by someone other than the stars. I learned to identify some autographs and was able to identify this type. When eBay first got off the ground, it was flooded with this type, and I see a few on there now, although there may be a lot -- I haven't looked that hard, but no where near as bad as nine years ago. An example of this type is a well known star whose mother and sister sign the mailed in photos. They sign his name very nice and readable. The star himself makes a scribble when he signs, not like a proud family member would sign.

Autopens: I have only come into contact with these in sports. I know for a fact they are used, as do most people. On one particular occasion I was hanging with a merchandiser and a business manger of a superstar. I provided them and their families with movie memorabilia. They had been in the sport for 40+ years. They had done the same work for a retired superstar 20 years earlier. The conversation turned to movie star autographs which I provided to them. They were teasing me about where I got them and started telling stories of their experiences within their sport. Autopens were used 90% of the time when not signed in person. Then the biz manager said that he signed the other 10%. A third guy walked into the room hearing the conversation and said "Yeah, and your signature looked more like his than his did." After we quit laughing, I knew the autograph business was not for me. I certainly do not want to be like the wannabe authorities in the movie poster business and try to be a know-it-all overnight. It would be malicious and harmful to the business for me to start accusing people of fraud when I was really a novice. I will leave the autograph biz to guys that have done it for a living for a substantial period of time and can provide accurate info and product.

Signature variations: Oh boy is this fun! I have been in on several charity autograph events, pay per autograph events, press party events, etc. Prior to the event I have seen stars discuss how they would sign "this time" and then show their friend, agent, cosigner, etc - several ways and then decide on one. I have seen people start signing one way until cramps set in, then the signature get shorter, weaker, etc. I have seen quick in-person signatures and slow precise ones. At one particular charity event 4 years ago I thought of getting a mega star to sign a few of my posters and unique items for the $35 fee and then put them on ebay. I checked to see what his autograph was going for and it was $15-$20. I seen autographs from that event a couple days later selling at cost. Forget that! I was hoping to pay part of my travel expenses attending the event :-)

I am going to sell off the few autographs I have just to clear space. They are mostly in 11x14 frames. I am removing them and selling them with or without the matting. Then donate the frames to head start. If you have any doubt of their authenticity, please DO NOT BUY them. Most of them are selling for what I have into them. I will try to tell exactly where and when they were signed. I eventually took notes on them but not on all of them. Any mistake I make is not intentional. This description and history is my certificate of authenticity. It can be printed or saved as proof of purchase. I give a money back guarantee on all purchases for 14 days.

THIS AUTOGRAPH

I am an honest businessman, I put my name address and phone number on every auction since I joined Ebay in 1997, I have been that accessible since 1980 when I opened as a retail business,

Ebay now requires me to add the following statement before my contact information.

-------If you have more questions about this item, please contact me at the following--------