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Author: Autographia Staff

Choosing Statement Pieces for Your Signature Room

Posted on by Autographia Staff

Everyone wants that one highlight piece to make an impression in their basement, man-cave, or signature room. But with tens of thousands of hand-signed collectibles to choose from, how do you know where to start?  Selecting the perfect piece may seem overwhelming but we’re here to help! Read below for expert advice in narrowing down your search so you can select that one statement piece that will perfectly complement your space and reflect your personality and interests. 

 

1. Measure Your Space

The first step is to make sure you have the wall space to properly display a given item – No one wants to buy a beautiful display piece only to realize it doesn’t fit the available wall space, or even worse, is too small to make an impression in the selected area. Start by evaluating the room you have and deciding what type of item will best fit the space.  

Maybe you have a little more room and are looking for a truly show-stopping piece that can fill an entire wall and act as the focal point of your home? You may find that a full-size guitar will perfectly fit the bill to impress anyone that steps foot into your home.

Maybe you have a dedicated theatre room and are looking for an original full-sized movie poster to hang on the wall. Whether you are looking for Hollywood legends like Warren Beatty or Sophia Loren or a current box office star like Denzel Washington or Natalie Portman, authentically signed posters will definitely make a statement. 


On the other hand, you may be working with a smaller space, or you may have another focal point with other memorabilia already displayed. In that case photographs or autographed records would be the perfect fit to fill out your collection and provide rich, eye-catching, texture to your room. 

 

2. Narrow Your Focus

The next step to truly telling your personal story in your space is to choose an area of focus. You don’t want to leave an impression of a random collection, you want to communicate a purpose and a passion, so think about what you love. 

Are you a huge Springsteen or Rolling Stones fan?  A signed photograph or album with a custom frame will make a true statement piece that your friends won’t see anywhere else.  

Perhaps film or television are more your speed? Authentically signed memorabilia featuring Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Arnold Schwarzenegger, or  Sylvester Stallone will make an impression that will leave your friends in awe. 

Are you a sports fan? What could suit your man-cave better than signed, authentic, sports memorabilia? 

Can’t find what you’re looking for?  Consider commissioning a custom-framed autographed item for an absolutely one-of-a-kind statement!

 

3. Frame it!

So you’ve selected the perfect piece? Great! But you don’t want to make a significant investment in collectible memorabilia just to plop it anywhere! The next step is to have our team assist with our custom framing option to present the item in the best way possible.

 

4. Choose a Reputable Dealer

Don’t get taken by dime-a-dozen websites with great prices and big promises of authentic signatures. These online stores rarely offer reliable guarantees or stand behind their items. As soon as they take your money you’ll likely never be able to get in touch with them again and, sadly, you will more than likely be left with a fraudulent signature which is worthless. Instead, take the time to do your research and make sure you select a trustworthy retailer that offers proof of authentication and guarantees every item they sell.

 

Ready to Make Your Dream a Reality?

Before you purchase a museum-quality item, be sure to evaluate the room you want to display it in and measure the size of your space.  

Don’t neglect the details, make sure your item will be ready to display upon arrival by contacting our custom framing department who can assist you with your questions and help you ensure proper framing. 

Don’t rush into a decision. Take your time to narrow your focus and choose a focal point that will express your passion! If you’re ready to invest in that signature piece, check out our store or contact us any time. We’d love to help you find the perfect item to suit your space!

Signed Memorabilia as an Investment – To Buy or Not to Buy?

Posted on by Autographia Staff

Market Value Sustainability

There is no doubt that hand signed memorabilia holds substantial value which often increases over time. Unique and one of a kind items such as the memorabilia featured on our site have significantly appreciated in value over the past years. 

Some of our more investment savvy customers are constantly searching for items that fit this category. With the help of our team at Autographia, we are able to curate items that we believe will hold the most value over time for this type of buyer.

For example, photos signed by Jack Nicholson which sold for about $500 three to five years ago, are now valued at over 5x that price. 

With a market that is flooded with cheap forgeries, authentic examples are increasingly more difficult to find. That only has been compounded with the uncertainty of the current pandemic environment.

There is no guarantee that new authentic items with this level of value will appear on the market. This uncertainty has also significantly led to an increase in value.

If you are thinking of taking advantage of this increase in value to make an investment of your own, read below to learn more about how to get started.

 

What to Look For

Age, degree of fame, and, most importantly, uniqueness of the item all play a role in determining which autographs will make the best investment over the short and long term.

Other factors to consider include the quality of the signature, the era the item is from, and story – a unique narrative associated with the item will automatically increase it’s value. 

Other interesting investments to consider are complete collections. For example, the purchase of an entire set of Star Wars signed scripts is likely to translate to a substantially marked-up sale of the same collection over time.

We have seen this happen consistently over the years among collectors of screenplay sets, full band album collections, or signed book series. 

Whether you are investing in the signature of a celebrity who has passed, looking to collect a piece of history, or investing in someone who’s career appears to be on-the-rise, the more unique the marketability, the stronger the long term investment. 

Autographs offer an effective diversification avenue for customers with a substantial investment portfolio. Memorabilia offers a unique, promising, and fun investment opportunity.

 

What to Avoid 

While collecting autographs can definitely be a fun hobby, not every autographed piece that may have meaning to a collector is a good investment.

When purchasing with investment in mind it is important to consider factors that will affect the long-term value of the signed piece. These factors include: 

  • Items that are not authenticated, are difficult to authenticate, or are not very rare. 
  • Items that are signed by important or iconic figures – but not during important parts of their career. 
  • Signatures of niche celebrities who are unlikely to maintain cultural relevance over time. 
  • disreputable dealers

While all investments come with some risk, the best way to ensure that you are making a smart investment that is likely to increase in value over time, is to consult a qualified professional before making a big purchase.

 

Authentication 

It goes without saying that an autograph that is not authentic, will be worthless in terms of investment or, indeed, sentimental value.

This is why it is absolutely essential to consult with experienced professionals to make sure the item you are considering is authentic.

Otherwise you could be throwing your time, money, and emotional investment down the drain. 

 

Our Predictions

At Autographia we are always eager to advise you and offer guidance regarding which pieces we think will be the best investment.

You can always contact us with any questions and we will be happy to help you create a personalized investment strategy based on your budget, interest, and existing portfolio.

To get you started we’ve included a few basic predictions for the hottest names with the best staying power based on current and past trends. 

 

Music: 

When it comes to investing in the memorabilia signed by musicians, we recommend the oldies in general. More specifically you can’t go wrong owning a piece signed by Elton John, The Rolling Stones, or Bruce Springsteen. 

 

Movies:

If you interests lie more with the silver screen, we project the same surge that has seen prices explode for classic celebrity royalty like Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood to occur over time with the slightly younger, but proven, Hollywood leading actors such as Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, and Robert Deniro. 

New inventory on the market for these types of names is becoming scarcer and scarcer. 

We would also expect to see prices for the older generations of proven stars to continue to rise as they draw nearer to the end of their careers and toward being memorialized in history.

 

Television:

The same trends can be seen for established TV celebrities. Prices have skyrocketed for names like Bryan Cranston, Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David and the Friends cast.

Well established, classic shows that are no longer on the air provide significant opportunity for investors.

Stock is limited as-is, and because these shows are no longer airing, opportunities to acquire new inventory have significantly decreased, which has caused investors to be keen on these types of items and prices to shoot up. 

 

Ready to Invest?

If you’re ready to take the plunge into the fun and lucrative world of autograph investments, you are in the right place! At Autographia, our experts are able to leverage our broad and deep understanding of the market to advise our customers regarding these investment strategies.

We look forward to hearing from you!

How to Buy Authentic Autographed Memorabilia

Posted on by Autographia Staff

The demand for autographed memorabilia has never been greater.  As fans and collectors look for signed photographs, albums and even guitars to adorn the walls of their homes and man-caves, unscrupulous individuals have seized the opportunity to flood the internet with forgeries.

There is nothing worse than spending money on a prized collectible, only to find out years down the line that it is not genuine.  Here at Autographia, we take authenticity very seriously.

 

What We Look For

So what, exactly, do we look for to tell that a signature is authentic? We look at details like the type of writing instrument used. For example you’re not going to find many (if any) authentic examples of John Lennon’s signature in blue sharpie as it was only introduced to the public the year before his death.

We also examine the pressure of the ink in the signature and the slant of the writing to ensure they match other well-known authentic examples. A left-handed person’s signature will generally have a completely different slant than that of a right-handed person for instance.

These are just a few examples of the kinds of details that a trained expert will know to look for which is why it is so important to find a reliable company.

 

Common Forgery Tricks 

While It is best to seek expert authentication for any purchase you are considering, these are a few common forgery tricks to be on the lookout for.

Stamped signatures -Many forgeries are made with stamps of a celebrity signature. These signatures will typically be flat and not raised or depressed, and unnaturally smooth and uniform in appearance. However it is not safe to assume that a signature that is raised or depressed is authentic.

Some items are signed with an actual pen however it was the forger who signed it, not the actual celebrity. These are too way too common. The FBI has estimated that conservatively 70% of all autographs online are fake. 

Additionally a seemingly realistic signature may have been made with an autopen –  a machine that uses a copy of the actual signature and is made to look real. While an obviously stamped signature can be cause for suspicion, even one that looks much more convincing needs a professional authentication to be sure. 

Secrecy – There is no good reason for a seller to want to hide the sale or purchase of the signed memorabilia. If a seller asks for secrecy, it may be a sign they do not stand by the veracity of the signature and will likely disappear after selling you the forged memorabilia.

Context -Do the historical details match up? For example, a genuine Carrie Fisher signature could not possibly be available on a Last Jedi Poster, since its release was after her unfortunate passing. Is the seller claiming the item was signed at a location that doesn’t make sense. Don’t be tempted by an item that feels “off” or doesn’t make sense.

Too good to be true –You should be very wary other sites where supposedly authentic signatures can be had well below market value – as the old adage goes “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is”

 

Take Your Time

Finally it is always important to take your time when making purchasing decisions and ask questions! Don’t let someone pressure you into a quick purchase, which is almost always a red flag. 

Trusted sources like Autographia want you to feel comfortable in your purchase and cherish it for years to come! Our dedicated teams of experts inspect every item that is available for purchase within our collection to ensure that we provide fans with only 100% genuine memorabilia.

We are always happy to answer questions about specific items or about collecting in general.

So please take time to explore our collection and find the PERFECT piece that suits your interests. At Autographia, you will find every item has been examined and certified by one or more of the industry’s top autograph authenticators. You can rest assured you will receive an authentic hand signed item with the Autographia name backing it.