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COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: Q&A with Autograph Expert & Author - tips on collecting, value of items, more; new Sloppy Signature



May 10, 2012 - 5:09:21 PM

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By Michael Moore, PWTorch Collectibles specialist



Wrestling companies first began offering certified autographs in the early 1990s, when the WWF was selling signed plaques of some of its biggest stars. Action Packed included autographed trading cards of Randy Savage and The Undertaker in packs of its first series of WWE trading cards.



Before that, fans of the NWA, AWA, Mid-South, World Class, and other various territories had to hope for a chance encounter with a wrestler to get his signature. Reputable dealers of wrestling autographs were out there, but were very tough to come by.



Today, those autographs are even more scarce – and faked. Kevin and Kerry Von Erich were often seen signing for fans at ringside during old World Class Championship Wrestling TV shows, but there is no telling where those autographs have gone. Signatures of deceased stars like Kerry Von Erich and Andre the Giant often show up on eBay, but many times no two look the same, and it’s very difficult to tell which one is real.



Jake Aurelian has been collecting autographs for more than 20 years. He knows the joy and excitement the hobby can bring, and also the frustration caused by fakes and forgeries. He has written for several prominent autograph trade publications and penned the book "Dead Wrestlers, Broken Necks, and the Women Who Screwed Me Over: A Main Event of Photograph and Fiction." (Amazon.com link)



In this interview for the Pro Wrestling Torch Collectibles Column, Aurelian shares his knowledge and passion with Torch readers.



Question: How did you get into collecting wrestling autographs, and when was that?



Aurelian: I started collecting autographs in 1989 when I happened upon a copy of Autograph Collector Magazine at an antique show. I had never considered or thought of collecting before that point, but the hobby was instantly fascinating to me. The last few pages of the magazine contained celebrity addresses. This particular issue of Autograph included addresses of actors and actresses from Batman (the 1989 film and the '60s TV show), so, as a big Batman fan, I sent off some letters, and the first reply I received was from Cesar Romero, who played The Joker in the TV series. The response took about a week. I was in junior high at the time, and it was a big thrill to come home and find an envelope with Cesar Romero’s return address in the mailbox.



Q: When did you realize that wrestling autographs could fetch some serious money?



A: I knew that autographs had a value at the time because the issue of Autograph Collector had quite a few articles and ads for dealers listing the various prices. Thankfully, unlike the baseball cards and comic books I also collected as a kid, the autographs have maintained value over the years.



I was always a big wrestling fan, and when I started collecting, I wanted to add wrestling signatures to my collection, but the market for wrestling items was very limited. I found a few personal addresses, and I picked up a few items here and there from the random dealer who happened upon a signed wrestling photo, but for the most part, wrestling was a hard niche to discover. Keeping in mind that these were the days before the internet, unless a dealer took out an ad in Autograph Collector, you weren’t going to find them.



So, for a while, I was buying autographs such as Amelia Earhart and W.C. Fields, but I couldn’t find anything signed by contemporary wrestlers, which is kind of strange if you think about it. But, realistically, it makes sense because the business was pretty guarded back then, guys lived their gimmicks and there weren’t many wrestling conventions or personal signings; the changes in the business in the 1990s and the Internet boom really opened up the market.



In the early ‘90s, I eventually located a select few dealers (through wrestling newsletters and Autograph Collector) who exclusively sold wrestling autographs. It was a plus because these guys were out there getting the stuff signed themselves. I became friends with one dealer in particular and he was really instrumental on schooling me on the wrestling niche of collecting and authenticity. I learned a lot from him.



Q: What types of autographs do you deal in mostly - cards, 8x10s, ring-worn items?



A: My collection is pretty vast. I don’t really have any specific items I collect or sell exclusively; it’s an eclectic mix.



Q: Is there one particular era or territory you specialize in?



A: I don’t specialize in any particular territory, but I especially enjoy collecting signed items from the 1980s and 1990s because, as a fan, these periods really appeal to me for several reasons. First, there was a magic from that era that has sadly died; there was something really special about that time period that hasn’t been duplicated, something that certainly doesn’t exist in the current wrestling product and something I doubt we’ll ever see again. Watching old matches and seeing the fan reaction, the strong emotional connection that once existed is something unique.



Secondly, much like watching an old match, picking up a signed item from someone I watched as a kid always brings back fond memories, and I think this aspect appeals to a lot of collectors. It’s like recapturing and reconnecting with a part of your childhood or teenage years through something tangible.



Q: You've got a pretty unique David Von Erich autograph up for sale on eBay; where do you usually find scarce autographs like this of deceased wrestlers?



A: Collecting autographs is a pretty old hobby, and sadly, like anything else, shady people get involved to make money off collectors. The grim, morbid nature of the hobby is that when a person dies, his or her autograph commands a higher price. It’s sad that so many of the wrestlers I grew up watching have died, and autographs of these guys have become rare over the years.



Sometimes I obtain items from private collectors, but for the most part, I find a lot on eBay, believe it or not. Considering that probably nine out of ten autographs - wrestling and otherwise - I see on eBay are fakes, collectors really need to be careful. With as wonderful as the Internet and eBay has been for collectors, it also brought out the forgers.



Fakes are abound, be it by those deliberately forging autographs or by those innocently selling fake items that they believe are authentic, and I’ve seen people pay high prices for pathetic, gross forgeries, and this makes me sad. It also angers me as a collector because when fakes flood the market, it brings the values of authentic pieces down.



Q: From your experience, what is the toughest and most sought after autograph to come by? Bruiser Brody? Frank Gotch?



A: Most definitely Bruiser Brody. I actually wrote an article titled “Pro Wrestling Rarities” for the September 2011 issue of Autograph Quarterly detailing the careers and signatures of who I consider to be the two rarest in 1980s wrestling: Bruiser Brody and Dynamite Kid; the latter is more accessible than Brody. In my opinion, Brody is the Holy Grail in wrestling collecting.



Brody’s tragic death made his signature a rarity, but the nature of the business at the time also contributed to the scarcity. I’ve seen approximately a half-dozen authentic Brody signatures pop up since 1999, and when they do surface, they usually command high dollar. For years, it was even hard to find an example of Brody’s signature, and my article in Autograph Quarterly was the first time exemplars of Brody’s signature were published outside Japan.



The circumstances of Dynamite’s life have made his signature scarce as well, despite his short-lived website that sold signed photos and books.



Regarding the current roster, without question, The Undertaker is the most difficult signature to obtain, and has been for many years. Sadly, he is also one of the most forge, and it’s easy to spot an Undertaker forgery because most are pretty bad and laughable attempts.



Q: Wrestling autographs are much more readily available to fans than ever before. Trading card companies offer a ton of autographs, WWE and TNA sell autographed merchandise directly and there are so many more ways for fans to buy signatures. What do you think that will mean for the long-term value of autographs of wrestlers of this generation?



A: I actually really appreciate this aspect of the hobby. When I first started collecting, chances are, you wouldn’t get anything if you wrote to a wrestler at WWF or WCW, and if you did, it was probably a secretarial. And there certainly weren’t any signed trading cards found in packs. The WWF offered signed promos in plaques back in the early 1990s, and even though they were pricey, signed wrestling items were hard to find at the time, and I always thought this was a cool idea because there are no worries about authenticity.



So, with that said, even though wrestlers today are more accessible - at venues, personal signings, personal websites - I like the idea of the trading card and wrestling companies offering signed items, and from what I’ve seen, especially with WWF/E signed plaques, the values seem to stay consistent. In addition, for collector’s concerned about authenticity, buying a signed plaque from WWE might be more expensive than buying a signed photo on eBay or another website, but at least the collector knows the item is genuine. Case in point: the widely forged Undertaker signature.



Q: What is the crown jewel of your collection?



A: I have many items - wrestling and non-wrestling - that are special to me, but I’d consider the rarest to be a 1999 Over the Edge ticket, which was signed by Owen Hart before he entered the Kemper Arena. Owen did a lot of personal appearances, and he was a genuinely nice man who was very gracious to collectors, so his signature is fairly common, but the signed Over the Edge ticket was probably one of the last items, if not the very last item he ever signed, on the ticket for the very event where he died. I’ve had the signed ticket since 1999, and the rare history of the ticket makes it a sad piece; looking at it still gives me chills.



Over the years, I’ve written articles on authenticity for various autograph magazines, and the signed Owen Hart ticket was featured in an article I wrote in 2007 for Autograph magazine.









Q: How can collectors contact you?



A: My username on eBay is jake516. I have collectors contact me from time to time, asking about authenticity of certain items, and I’m always happy to give my opinion. Also, they can check out my website (www.pinfalls.com) and e-mail me directly at jakeaurelian@yahoo.com.



Sloppy Signature Trivia









Jake Aurelian provided this scan of an autograph from his personal collection. Can you ID the legend who signed this signature? Send your answer and name to michaelmoorewriter@gmail.com.



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