A veterans view on "Autograph" collecting ...

[Mark Allen M]

... by Ernie Treff WWII Fighter Pilot with the 61st FS, 56th FG. Interesting (but not surprising) that this photo and letter would show up for sale on ebay.





ebay sale here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/381853391156?rmvSB=true

[TAdan]

That's just bizarre! So...The person who made the request is selling the very item the signer requested they don't sell?

I enjoy collecting signatures on photos and artwork. I've even bought a few signed pieces second hand but I'd always prefer to get the signatures in person. It means a lot to me to be able to meet the person, have a conversation and make a memory. Certainly not interested in selling them for a profit.

[Mark Allen M]

That's just bizarre! So...The person who made the request is selling the very item the signer requested they don't sell?

I enjoy collecting signatures on photos and artwork. I've even bought a few signed pieces second hand but I'd always prefer to get the signatures in person. It means a lot to me to be able to meet the person, have a conversation and make a memory. Certainly not interested in selling them for a profit.

I concur that is seems strange. Although I never have collected a signature or autograph (other than the IRS from time to time lol) I agree with you on all the above.

A bit more on Mr. Ernest Treff: He was a WWII Fighter Pilot with the 56th Fighter Group, 61st Fighter Squadron, 8th AF, USAAF, and had 3 aircraft Destroyed (Ground), 5 Damaged (Ground), 120 hrs. Combat Operations.

[Matt Gunsch]

I can understand them getting tired of collectors asking for autographs. All the ones I collected over the years were for myself and were either in books, such as Robert Johnson's Thunderbolt, or in my logbook, and I always asked in person, never by mail.

[Jerry O'Neill]

I have lots of autographs, and they are all for me!
I only have a few from people I have never met and most of those are on art prints or ones people got me cause they thought I would like it. I don't care too much for someone's autograph when I haven't met them personally. Just not as special.
Jerry

[StangStung]

I have lots of autographs. I obtained them all for me, and hopefully one day, my son will appreciate them.

That said, I have a not insignificant number which I have purchased second hand. I've found them randomly in books at airshows, second hand stores and estate sales. I've never bought one on e-bay. But the point is, the "Ashley" in this letter very well may not be the person selling this photo/letter combo. It's equally possible that Ashley was respectful of this vet's wishes. It's those "downstream" who may not know or care of the significance. They may just see a source of cash.

I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, I'd like to see the wishes adhered to. But they may no longer apply if the vet giving the signature, or the recipient of the signature, are no longer around. It may be just as well that someone pays for it and keeps it in the regard which we would ascribe to it, than have it go to a landfill because it shouldn't be sold.

Hard to tell from the scant info we have here.

[A26 Special K]

We collect autographs. Just not on photographs. We ask the A-26 vets to sign a special section on the nose that will be preserved and covered by armor plate. It will make Special Kay into a real time capsule. JR

[TAdan]

I have lots of autographs. I obtained them all for me, and hopefully one day, my son will appreciate them.

That said, I have a not insignificant number which I have purchased second hand. I've found them randomly in books at airshows, second hand stores and estate sales. I've never bought one on e-bay. But the point is, the "Ashley" in this letter very well may not be the person selling this photo/letter combo. It's equally possible that Ashley was respectful of this vet's wishes. It's those "downstream" who may not know or care of the significance. They may just see a source of cash.

I have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, I'd like to see the wishes adhered to. But they may no longer apply if the vet giving the signature, or the recipient of the signature, are no longer around. It may be just as well that someone pays for it and keeps it in the regard which we would ascribe to it, than have it go to a landfill because it shouldn't be sold.

Hard to tell from the scant info we have here.

Good points, we don't know the back story on this particular piece. I Definetly empathize with Mr. Treff's feelings. I met and got a signed picture of a P-61 pilot (Bob Bollinder) at WWII weekend a few years back, and the next day saw multiple signed pics from the show on Ebay. I did pick up a few signed pieces of P-40 artwork at an estate sale signed by Pappy Boyington and Robert L Scott. I hated seeing a collection broken up like that. The previous owner was obviously a WWII aviation buff.

[JohnB]

I collect autographed books, and since that means they're personalised (thus less valuable), I've never had any complaints.
I assume that's why they personalize, to make the object less "eBay-able" and that a real enthusiast (as opposed to dealer) won't mind a personalization.

And I never had any problems doing it by mail...when possible, I okay it beforehand. The some of the books I got that way include Gen. Doolittle's autobiography, and Neil Armstrong's signature on the 1969 National Geographic on the moon landing. Others I got through organizations they're affiliated with...that's how I got Robert Scott's, Sergei Sikorsky's and others.


Let's face it, most of the people we're interested in aren't film or rock stars so they don't have the attitudes.

BTW, you can find signed books of old books via internet book sellers at very reasonable prices. They may not be Lindbergh or the Wright's, but I've found designers and pilot's books (Rickenbacker, "Wrong Way " Corrigan, Grover Loening, etc.) at bargain prices.

Last edited by JohnB on Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Ken]

Benefit of the doubt, maybe the person who obtained the signature has now passed on as well and his/her stuff is being liquidated ...

[sandiego89]

Not an autograph collector by any means, but I have a few signed prints that were purchased for me as gifts and the signee was paid for. I do see it in very poor taste to mail someone a half dozen photos for signature with the intent to re-sell them. Asking (or paying) for one as a personal keepsake is a very different thing.

[CAPFlyer]

This is why not a small number of media celebrities have stopped doing signatures in anything but copies of books they've written. Instead, they prefer to do "selfies" and pictures with people because those are 100% personal and no matter if they get posted or not, they're hard to monetize second hand without some extreme Photoshop skills/work which usually is more than it'd be worth anyway. In fact, I've been doing that myself most times since before hearing about this for the same reason. Having a picture of the moment to me is a better reminder of that conversation/meeting than some scribbling on a piece of paper that is much easier to be damaged or lost than a photo that once uploaded onto a server will be around for many, many years.

[p51]

Benefit of the doubt, maybe the person who obtained the signature has now passed on as well and his/her stuff is being liquidated ...

That was exactly what I was thinking when I read the original post here.

[Misterg97]

I have one ... that of 4 Doolittle Raiders and 2 of the Hornet's crew members on a poster I had when attending the luncheon in honor of the Raiders while here in Dayton for their reunion in 2012 I believe. It will be passed on to family.