AUTOGRAPHS ON POSTERS
Gentlemen: This is a very interesting topic. Here is an absolutely true story dealing with this subject. Movie posters as a collectible is a sideline business for me. What I am most noted for is finding and providing nearly anything on video. Early this year I received a phone call about finding a video title from a gentlemen who once several years ago bought a SINGLE vhs tape from me through an associate, probably a secretary (less than a $20 sale). Speaking in a non-direct manner as if he was trying not to reveal something, he explained that he was a Hollywood producer who had founded a company that wanted to distribute interesting action and horror films of the sixties and forward whose "copy right" had fallen away from the major studios and returned to the original film makers or their heirs. The abrupt arrival of DVD has created a second wave of rebirth to the Home Video industry with the power and financial rewards returning back to the studios or distributors and away from retailers and home video rental dealers. His call to me was about finding and buying up all available inventory anywhere I could find it, of vhs inventory of three films that he recently acquired the ownership of. This was to rid the market of potential future competition to his future DVD release. Also, to do away with any inferior edited prints, as he had found the original film negatives and original directors and planned a dvd release of the "vision" the director(s) had intended and not some slapdash version the studio had rushed to assemble for a quick sale. Since the three titles had gone out of print on video many years ago the number of units were calculated to be a finite though not insignificant number, so of course I was most interested in fulfilling his request, in the hope of building on our new relationship and to do more business with him in the future. After about nearly an hour of conversation, he must have became more comfortable with me and revealed that he was the son of one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. A MEGA star. Now, I cannot reveal any names, but I can say that aside from helping this gentleman with his business need, I also helped with a "personal" one too, as he was beside himself with what to give his parent as a birthday gift. I just so happened to have at the time a poster on linen of one of his parent's earliest films, and it was signed by both one of his parent's acting colleagues from the film and its director, who had passed away a couple of years ago. I gave the poster with autographs to my new friend as a present to give to his parent. He was overwhelmed with gratitude, couldn't believe I would give away something of so much obvious value. My new friend calls me often now, usually spending well over an hour or more on the phone, getting my opinion of what film titles my other customers are asking me about that are not currently on dvd. This past month he called me back with another request to find all video of another new film acquisition. So far this year, my total sales to my new friend have totaled over $25,000. Dennis G. Michaels "Video Den" Video Den Collection @ www.RareVideo.com / www.RarePoster.com / www.RareDVD.com PO Box 36 Vestal, New York 13851-0036 (607)786-3107 www.RareHollywood.com -----Original Message----- From: MoPo List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alan Heimann Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 8:45 AM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Subject: Re: [MOPO] AUTOGRAPHS ON POSTERS hi zeev and michael ...all things you mentioned are obviously true yet, unless i was buying with the idea of reselling in the short term i would not pass up the opportunity to purchase a piece i really desired becauce its autographed. the exceptions would be if the autograph appeared in a place on the poster that was annoying. if your the type of person who can't enjoy looking at the poster because its autographed then obviously you shouldn't buy it...i suppose also one could have the autograph removed and have the poster touched up... ihave a few pieces in my collection that are autographed...they were purchased from reputable collectors and some were able to say where the autographs were obtained...a picture taken at the signing is always a plus if available...speaking of autographs THE CHILLER CONVENTION is coming the end of October...that place is autograph heaven...check out their website..best Alan >From: lobby card invasion <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: 2006/09/26 Tue AM 06:32:13 CDT >To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU >Subject: Re: [MOPO] AUTOGRAPHS ON POSTERS >Autographed posters are a very touchy subject. An autograph will reduce the value of a poster for any prospective buyer who does not collect autographs. This will become an even greater problem, when the autograph is personalized, like "to so and so" best wishes etc.. If you are not an autograph collector yourself, you are faced with another danger, that of buying a fake autographed poster, thus rendering it useless to the other segment of collectors. Zeev ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael B To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 1:09 AM Subject: [MOPO] AUTOGRAPHS ON POSTERS > do autographs on posters make them more valuable? i believe that that autographs have the opposite effect. i have not bid on posters with autographs that I otherwise would have bid. presently on ebay, there is a gorgous autographed poster, although i want it in the insert size.... LINK: http://cgi.ebay.com/PORTRAIT-OF-JENNIE-ORIG-49-MOVIE-POSTER-SIGNED-BY-BOTH_W 0QQitemZ250033302467QQihZ015QQcategoryZ2321QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem a favorite film of mine is SHADOW OF A DOUBT. i own the one sheet, and purchased the insert from bruce 3 weeks ago. Yet, the full set on lobby cards from this firm keeps appearing, and reappearing, and reappearing for $2,000 with autographs. never sells..... i always see a bogart signed one sheet of THE DESPERATE HOURS for about 900.00. it is only a 100.00 poster!!!! it never sells. i have a neighbor who used to collect sports autographs. he stopped. too many fakes burnt him. YOU THOUGHTS ON AUTOGRAPHS ????? michael Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. >Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com_____________________________________________________________ ______How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing ListSend a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-LThe author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
