OT-autographs

[Steve Nathan]

Has anybody done any business with Heritage Auctions? They advertise in a lot of the music magazines (maybe Keyboard...don't remember).

I have a program from the first Buffalo Jazz Festival (1963?) with many autographs, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Gene Krupa, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Oscar Peterson, Joe Williams, Horace Silver, Dinah Washington, Cannonball Adderly, Chico Hamilton, and Jackie and Roy.

It's been in a drawer for years, and while cleaning the other day I ran across it. I got curious about it's value and found my way to them. They responded very quickly, and seem anxious to just take it on consignment, sell it, take a cut and send me whatever's left. I doubt I'll sell it (unless it's worth a fortune), but I wouldn't mind having a ballpark idea of it's value. I figured someone here might have some guidance. I've searched past auctions at Ebay, but I've only found single autographs so far.

Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[kanker.]

OK, not an expert by any stretch, but I saw an Antiques Roadshow the other day that had a similar item, it was a sign in book for the famous volunteers who worked one of the Stage Door Canteens back in WWII. There were some really amazing celebrities who had signed in. What was interesting was that as a collection, it would have fetched $15,000, but if they were to break it up into individual autographs, it would have been worth $45,000. I can't say that that sort of backward logic would work with a program, but that may be what the auction house would do. The expert on TV said that that was what an auction house or autograph company would certainly do with the book the gentleman had. Personally, I think an item like his belongs in a museum. Perhaps you should get yours appraised, and see if there are any museums that might be interested - write off, write off, write off...

[David Loving]

I second that motion, Steve. I'd get two or three appraisals. You do need to know their worth even for insurance, but especially if you were to sell. Otherwise you could not make a good decision.