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Author
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Topic: Coach's Corner: Neil Armstrong baseball signed at his house?
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Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 11-15-2006 12:05 PM
   
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
.... a scribble of ink.... ....a record of a personal meeting or interaction rather than just a signature.
Robert, to collectors who truly love autographs, a signature is never only a "scribble of ink" or only a record of a personal meeting or interaction - it is more than that. It is an original example of a signer's chosen way of expressing his/her identity in a written form. To see an astronaut like Ed Mitchell or Scott Carpenter in-person for the first time and watch them do something which is second nature to all of us but which, in their case, produces a famous and instantly recognizable pattern is fascinating to a lot of people. [A bit off-topic - but I believe this personal nature of autographs is a reason the act of forgery is so offensive to many collectors.] While I believe your opinion of autographs is sincere, it's not the way a lot of collectors feel. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-15-2006 01:49 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Scott:
To collectors who truly love autographs, a signature is never only a "scribble of ink" or only a record of a personal meeting or interaction - it is more than that. It is an original example of a signer's chosen way of expressing his/her identity in a written form.
Scott, I can appreciate that view and respect it, but I personally believe that it is exactly that line of thinking that has led to the booming forgery market and has diminished the true value of an autograph. While I do not disagree that a signature represents an individual, I do not consider autographs to be signatures. Signatures embody a trust, a guarantee that the person whose signature it is stands by the document or item on which it appears. An autograph, at least today, is a souvenir, and can and often does differ in appearance from the same person's signature. More so, an autograph - as it is treated today - is anything but personal to the signer. The two types of "scribbles" became separate as more and more collectors ceased to treat autographs as a personal connection to the individual and began focusing more on the ink they spread. The market in turn reacted and that is why I believe we have witnessed the rise of fees for autographs. I was recently speaking to a respected professional archivist who made the distinction clear: signed documents were worthy of archiving because they were of value to researchers; autographed documents were not. I am not suggesting or expecting that the hobby will change its view anytime soon, but whether the current accepted approach is the wisest and/or most appropriate is certainly open to debate. |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 11-15-2006 02:18 PM
I was using the terms "signature" and "autograph" interchangeably. I was not assigning a different meaning to the two words. In my way of thinking, if an autograph/signature comes from the hand of the signer (i.e., not a secretarial, autopen, pre-print, etc) then it is personal. You see an autograph as merely the souvenir of a meeting. That's fine - but I don't see autographs that way. |
fabfivefreddy
Member Posts: 1067
From: Leawood, Kansas USA
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-15-2006 02:50 PM
Interesting discussion...I think that the picture changes depending on the age of the item signed. No one would question the souvenir quality of a Lincoln signed clipped signature. It is a historical item- any way you look at it. The fact that many astronauts are still with us changes the context of this discussion. Tahir |
californiabuyer
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posted 11-15-2006 08:47 PM
My two cents...I think there is a lot of truth in what everbody says above. Everyone collects for different reasons. I remember going to a sports show with my friend in New York and there was Muhammad Ali signing autographs for $450-550 a pop. They sold out, like two hundred signatures a day. Two days. His signature was absolutely dreadful, but I don't think anyone cared. It was all about meeting the legend, shake his hand and getting their photo taken with him. To be with a person you admire and love. That means something to you. It's in their eyes, a once in a lifetime thing. You can purchase signed photos of the champ for $100 in authentic form, but that person paid the extra $350 just to say he met him. I met people from Australia who flew to the show to meet him. How much would any of you pay to meet Neil Armstrong and get something signed? Or your Idol? Or Pamela Anderson? :-) There is fraud in everything collectible, but can there be an easier way to make money than autograph fraud? All you need is a pen and paper and you are in business. You turn nothing into something. Some people simply don't know how to make an honest buck or want to. It's a shame. Dave
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JasonIUP
Member Posts: 282
From: PA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 11-15-2006 08:50 PM
It is interesting to see the different ways autographs/signatures are seen by Scott and Robert as I find both to be well-informed, educated individuals. I respect both views, although I tend to relate more to Scott's.I'm glad Al weighed in on the "baseball or nothing" idea. I know he got Armstrong in person on a ball, and other members may have, as well. I'm a little entertained by the purportedly educated notion (I see it here and there; I recall seeing it on cS before)that Neil may have never--ever--signed even one baseball. While rare, they're certainly not non-existent. A previous poster estimated that a few dozen exist, and I would concur. |
General Lee
New Member Posts:
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posted 11-16-2006 01:35 AM
How much do you think an authenticate Armstrong signed ball can fetch at an upscale auction house? Any Thoughts? Also we all realize the previous ball that started this post was not typical (I wouldnt buy it for 2 dollars)... I know of 6 balls out there signed by the first man. There must be several more. Chime in my friends.-General |
poofacio
Member Posts: 268
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2006
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posted 11-17-2006 06:24 PM
Surely putting the first man on the moon is the ultimate achievement, it's hard to see how hitting a ball with a stick, however well one hits it, is even comparable. ( no offence intended, I'm English and all sport leaves me cold!)
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fabfivefreddy
Member Posts: 1067
From: Leawood, Kansas USA
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-17-2006 06:48 PM
Yes, but any of several men could have been first on the moon. Is Armstrong really worth more because he did something the others couldn't? (Clearly not- they all trained for it.)It is nice to have such a humble first moonwalker and I understand why he is out of the "collectibles business" Tahir |
poofacio
Member Posts: 268
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2006
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posted 11-17-2006 07:04 PM
I was refering to "American symbols", Not Mr Armstrong himself, he went there, but America put him there, probably the single greatest "step" our species ever has or ever can make. I imagine in a few hundred years the only thing the twentieth century will be remembered for is that. The Babe Ruths and David beckhams will be long forgotten! |
fabfivefreddy
Member Posts: 1067
From: Leawood, Kansas USA
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-17-2006 07:14 PM
What about splitting the atom and discovering the genetic code? Tahir |
Dave Clow
Member Posts: 236
From: South Pasadena, CA 91030
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 12-12-2006 04:46 PM
Personally I'm inclined to agree with Robert. I like mission-specific signatures on appropriate items like photos or books, and not on things that aren't related. More than one signer at the UACC shows has been candid with me in asking why people want to get balls signed, but they're too polite to decline a request, especially when the asker is happy to pay. From their side of the signing table, they said, it looked as though the collector was indiscriminate and not especially knowledgable. A bonus that comes with getting an unusual mission-related items signed is that it jump-starts a memory for the signer and they'll chat with you about it. I have some great memories of chats with Dave Scott, Wally Schirra, Alan Bean, and our friends Sy and Guenter, who, after I offered them something rare from their respective missions, opened up and talked to me like an insider. It's those encounters that make the hobby fun for me. |
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