posted 07-13-2000 08:00 PM              

JPEsders@compuserve.com

Jurgen P Esders
Avenue Huart-Hamoir 45
1030 Bruxelles, Belgium

posted 07-13-2000 10:33 PM               

That really isn't the case at all. Jurgen's list of US astronauts is about 13 pages with addresses on both front and back of the page. The cosmonaut list is 7 pages. It is very detailed and is kept up to date by Jurgen. I am very impressed with the work that goes into it. It is one of the tools of this hobby that is worth the money.

posted 07-14-2000 12:10 AM               

A list does exist online of addresses for those astronauts who choose to charge for their autograph:
http://www.collectspace.com/resources/astroaddresses.html

However, the majority of astronauts sign freely and posting their addresses to the Internet would almost guarantee that every astronaut would cease signing. Why? Because they would be inundated with requests.

Jurgen's list is well worth the money spent. He keeps the list up-to-date, offers tips for success on an individual astronaut basis and in some cases, lists multiple addresses for each. It is much more than just a directory; it is a serious collector's resource.

posted 07-14-2000 02:07 PM               

Yet, having said all that, I think collectors should be able to freely ask for addresses here but should avoid posting them publicly. The point made above, and I agree with it, is a good one: if you want more than one or two addresses, the best thing you can do is to order Esder's list.

posted 07-14-2000 11:04 PM              

Amen to what yo said. It's easy for someone who has never attempted to compile anextensive mailing list, and keep it current, to come up with unrealistic ideas. Too many people believe that because the internet exists everyone should be at their beck and call to do al their work for them for free. I say to those who gripe about the prices Jurgen Esders and others charge for their list, "Great, save you $15 or $20 bucks. Get out there yourself and beat the bushes and see how easy it is to come up with hundreds of addresses; safter you've done that spend endless hours querying collectors all over the world to find out how fast the individual responds, does he sign covers, will he send you a photo if you ask, etc.? then after you've gone to all that trouble, email it out to anybody whose too lazy to do what you just did, and don't ask anything in return. You know you wouldn't do it, so don't expect Mr. Esders or anyone else to do your work for you, for free."

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but people with this attitude are usually the ones who send requests without including anything to sign or including a stamped return envelope. I get them every week, "please send me two signed photos (one for my friend) and could you please do a drawing, or perhaps a small painting for my collection...I collect original art." All this without even an SSAE, mind. It strikes me maybe this site (and every collector site) needs a course called "Basic Collecting 101, including common sense and good manners" and it should be required reading before anyone can have access. I tried to cover some of that in my articles for "Autograph Times" magazine, which CcollectSPACE will be reprinting on this website one of these days, and it would be nice to see some of the basic common-sense rules followed by people who persue this hobby.

Doc

posted 07-14-2000 11:42 PM              

Addresses do change, sometimes in the six WEEKS between editions, and people sometimes decide to refuse obvious collectors mail, even though they may have accepted it up until a week prior. So if you've had bad experience writing to a few astronauts don't badmouth the entire list. I've used it for quite some time now with remarkable success...wish I'd known it was around years ago, would have saved me a lot of chasing around.

As to chucking the cosmonauts list; that's your decision. The address I've tried (few, I admit) turned out to be accurate, but the cosmonauts are mostly very slow responders, so trying to collect their signatures by writing direct requires a world of patience. If you don't have that level of patience, then obviously that list isn't for you.

I don't know how manys list Jurgen sells on the European continent, but cosmanaut collecting is much more popular there, and I suspect your percentage figure wouldn't apply to Jurgen's European customers.

I'm surprised at your comments about the list. Quite frankly, you are the first person I've ever heard with a gripe. Every experienced space collector I've spoken with, even those who don't collect signatures, but are interested in contact space people to ask questions, see about buying flown items, etc., has commented most favorably on the Esders lists.

They work extremely well for me, I'm sorry they don't for you.