Author
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Topic: Autographica 14, Birmingham, UK, Sept. 2009
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Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-23-2009 03:02 PM
Glad I already booked mine, this is a real coup by Dave. |
paul prendergast Member Posts: 429 From: crawley west sussex UK Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-23-2009 03:02 PM
Tom Stafford confirmed. Could there be more? |
lm5eagle Member Posts: 429 From: Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 07-23-2009 03:08 PM
Dave, how did you ever achieve this? Amazing. No more carping from the punters now. VERY well done.I wonder if the fees will be as high as the recent ASF mail in signing. |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-23-2009 03:18 PM
I'd guess they will be similar, I'm still a bit shocked by this to be honest! |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-23-2009 03:22 PM
quote: Originally posted by lm5eagle: ...how did [they] ever achieve this?
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation arranged for Gen. Stafford's appearance at Autographica, and will soon be announcing his similar attendance at their Kennedy Space Center show in November. |
machbusterman Member Posts: 1778 From: Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland Registered: May 2004
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posted 07-23-2009 03:27 PM
Per the Showmasters Forum: This will be his first and last signing event outside of the U.S. I have been informed that General Stafford will never again sign outside the continental United states so this will be your first and only chance to get him. He will also not sign after this year anywhere. |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-23-2009 03:30 PM
quote: Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation arranged for Gen. Stafford's appearance at Autographica, and will soon be announcing his similar attendance at their Kennedy Space Center show in November.
Then they certainly deserve our thanks as well. Don't know if this is a link up that has been utilised before but it bodes well for the future. I think it also speaks volumes for Dave and Jason that the ASF are willing to work in tandem with them. |
robsouth Member Posts: 769 From: West Midlands, UK Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 07-23-2009 03:35 PM
Thomas Stafford! Thank goodness for Autographica and the chance to meet such legends. |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-23-2009 04:11 PM
Great job Dave and all the folks at Autographica. Superb line-up! |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-23-2009 06:08 PM
This news really has made my day!I am so looking forward to meeting General Stafford, and I am even more glad now that I managed to book my tickets and flights last night! Thank you so much Dave and Jason - I just hope his fee isn't TOO high. |
Blackarrow Member Posts: 3120 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 07-23-2009 06:10 PM
I was always planning to attend, but now it's sorted. Quickest booking I have ever made. All done and dusted, including the flight. Now comes the hard bit....telling the wife! |
David Bryant Member Posts: 986 From: Norfolk UK Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 07-24-2009 04:23 AM
Aren't I glad I cancelled a lecture I was giving at UEA to attend A14!? Well done Jason & Dave! |
lm5eagle Member Posts: 429 From: Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 07-24-2009 10:30 AM
It looks as if this show is going to need a fair amount of cash set aside. I await with interest to see the magnitude of General Stafford's fees. If he is charging in the region of the recent ASF mail in signing (base fee $275 = £167) and add Dave Scott to that (£90), it begins to look pricey, although worth it of course. |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-24-2009 10:45 AM
My hunch is, and this is only a hunch, is that his fee will be in the £95 region. That seems to be the maximum figure that has been charged to date in the UK, taking into account Lovell, Scott and Aldrin's last appearances. I think if they go much over that then they will be getting to the point of very limited sales and will potentially end up losing a lot of money on his appearance. |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-24-2009 11:42 AM
quote: Originally posted by Paul23: My hunch is, and this is only a hunch, is that his fee will be in the £95 region.
I wish you were right about Stafford's fee, but Dave has just posted this on the Autographica forum: We are working on prices and as soon as I have them I will post.Tom Stafford will almost certainly charge the same as the recent signing but I will confirm when I have more info. Thing to remember is this will be your last chance. And all the money he makes will be donated to the museum, a worthy cause indeed. I think this will probably be Scott's last visit also so grab the chance to meet one of the last surviving originals. This is very bad news - I am now going to have to think hard about whether I want anything from Stafford - they would definitely have made up on three times what they will make if his fee is the same as the ASF show. |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-24-2009 05:02 PM
Thats odd, I posted that very same thing from Dave about ten minutes after my earlier post, I was more or less saying what a load of rubbish my hunches were!Seems that one has fallen off the site for some reason! Editor's note: The post duplicated information already shared and therefore was removed. |
minipci Member Posts: 365 From: London, UK Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 07-24-2009 07:09 PM
I certainly hope that General Stafford doesn't charge $275 for signing, even if it is for charity. I'm sure he would get more punters by keeping the price at a moderate level.On another note, is there the possibility of any other astronauts appearing? Are any moves afoot to entice them to come to Brum? |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-24-2009 07:23 PM
Well, I contacted Dave a couple of weeks ago and he said there was one more confirmed and two others awaiting confirmation. Since then Scott Carpenter and now Tom Stafford have been announced, so I presume maybe one more could be announced...This year's Autographica sure is turning out to be quite expensive. I presume these will be the fees so far: Worden - £50 Carpenter - £50 Scott - £95 Stafford - £170 So a grand total of £365 for four autographs with maybe one more guest to come. I am seriously doubting if I'll be able to come up with this sort of cash. I have just one question for you all - is it worth it? |
OLDIE Member Posts: 268 From: Portsmouth, England Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 07-25-2009 02:34 AM
A bit off topic here, but relevant as regards pricing. I do wonder about the differentials sometimes. One can get autographs (in person) from several of the D-Day heroes (e.g. Dambusters, Heroes of the Pegasus Bridge action, Band of Brothers, etc) at various signings, all for the princely sum of 25 GB POUNDS per event (not per person!). But, as in art, if you need the item, you pay (or not) the price. |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-25-2009 03:18 AM
At the end of the day, any item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. You can also make the point that many military veterans are about even in price with some dolly birdy who stood in the background in a Bond film, to me that is even more uneven.I don't think anyone would complain if the prices were cheaper but it doesn't look like that is going to happen any time soon. The only way it might happen is if every collector round the world made a pact to stop paying the higher prices and try and force them down. In my view the result of that would only be that many astronauts would simply stop signing at events, at least at this moment in time we have a choice about paying or not. That said I always think the photoshoots offer a more reasonable priced alternative to autographs. A good picture of you with the astronaut is something that will be totally unique and usually comes at a fraction of the price. |
paul prendergast Member Posts: 429 From: crawley west sussex UK Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-25-2009 12:13 PM
Just to say thanks to Dave about this added bonus to the show. I, like most others at every show, just turn up and meet our space heroes, but I would like to add that to get General Stafford to the show has taken a lot of hard work from this side of the pond from Dave. The shows are well planned in advance and from a view as soon has this one ends he starts to plan the next one. I have attended all the Autogrpapha shows and worked on a few of them for Dave, so I know that the planning and running round starts well before he gets to the show. When planning the shows there are calls to agents and other people that they have to deal with to arrange fees and travel, also if they have any special requirements like some of the guests who I wont mention. Dave really works hard on these shows in the UK, and tries to get the best people to attend all of the shows. I have to say that as yet he as not failed to deliver. The fee for General Stafford seems to be about $275, which is about £170, but remember all the monies are going to his charity which helps run his museum. So Dave you keep working behind the scenes plodding away and getting more astronauts to the show. I know that over the years he works hard behind the scenes and the hours are long and for a man of his age he does well. Keep it up and see you soon. |
robsouth Member Posts: 769 From: West Midlands, UK Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 07-25-2009 12:16 PM
I wonder if Stafford will take a detour to the London Science Museum to visit Charlie Brown? |
paul prendergast Member Posts: 429 From: crawley west sussex UK Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-25-2009 12:17 PM
Just to let all the cS members in the UK and abroad, are we going to meet up and all have a drink this year? We seem to meet but not all at the same time. Could we all wear carnations and meet under the clock in the foyer of the hotel? |
minipci Member Posts: 365 From: London, UK Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 07-25-2009 12:45 PM
quote: Originally posted by robsouth: I wonder if Stafford will take a detour to the London Science Musuem to visit Charlie Brown?
Rog, Snoop! Indeed, that would be great to see. I'll be looking out to see in the local media if it does happen. |
Rick Mulheirn Member Posts: 4167 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 07-25-2009 05:40 PM
quote: Originally posted by paul prendergast: We seem to meet but not all at the same time.
All being well I expect to be at the show Saturday. |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-25-2009 07:51 PM
quote: Originally posted by Paul23: At the end of the day, any item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. You can also make the point that many military veterans are about even in price with some dolly birdy who stood in the background in a Bond film, to me that is even more uneven.
I agree with you there Paul - what I find even more uneven though is the fact that Tom Stafford's price is almost twice that of Dave Scott's, and he's supposed to be one of the harder moonwalkers to get!I mean I have the utmost respect for Tom Stafford (what a hero), but why the inflated price? (You could get the autographs of SEVENTEEN Military guests for his fee alone! I don't know why I 'm complaining, I guess it's just natural to want to get your money's worth - I however will be getting an autograph from him regardless as it really is our last chance! |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-26-2009 03:14 AM
I look at it like this, rather than compare Tom Stafford's price to 17 military veteran autographs, compare it to either 17 takeaway pizzas or 17 nights down the pub! Doesn't seem so bad after all! |
gliderpilotuk Member Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 07-26-2009 05:05 AM
quote: Originally posted by AstroAutos: I mean I have the utmost respect for Tom Stafford (what a hero), but why the inflated price?
Simple answer: the ASF set the price at his recent signing and people paid up! Arranged signings HAVE made available some previously unobtainable astronauts but they have also pushed up the prices incredibly. But then collectors just keep coming back for more. (According to my records, Bean was $40 in 2005, Duke $50 and Cernan $75).At least in this case most of the proceeds are going to a good cause. |
Paul Littler Member Posts: 70 From: Brentwood, Essex, UK Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 07-26-2009 06:43 AM
I have to add my congratulations to the organisers and ASF for bringing Stafford and others to this next Autographica show.We do have much to thank Autographica for the guests they have brought over in the last few years. I have met Bean and Scott at other events both in London but apart from these two I expect others who read this living across the UK will have had similar experiences to mine and without Autographica most of us would not have met Astronauts and Cosmonauts in the numbers that we have and Autographica has been brilliant for us all. I have read posts on this site over the years such as would Dave Scott ever attend? Is this his 3rd show now? And remember Valentina Tereshkova? Could we bored with Dave Scott? Who would have thought it? We are getting spoiled. We might not get them all in one event as is possible in the USA but I think almost every astronaut who is willing to sign has now been to an Autographica. So with patience it is possible to meet our heroes and manage the budget as well. That raises another question in can "they" pull off another event we would want to attend if all the astronauts/cosmonauts have been over before and we have already met these guys three of four times before? Do you want to see the same faces? Well some of us do but if you want a really good show, as we all know, you need a new face and this time they have done it... yet again. It also keeps expectations high that Dave and friends at Autographica could do it again and again and yet again and we look forward to the next event with even greater expectation, add it to our favourites, check the gossip on collectSPACE and grumble about where it should be and who we hope to see, which is all part of the fun. Anders? Schmitt? Mattingly? We now know we can dream for a little longer? And then for the next show we have our new guest but what will the fee be? How many things do I need signed? Shall I make a search for that special unique photograph no one else may have? Poor Dave though, spare a thought for him, all this hope and expectation! Not much pressure there then! However, I do have to say I am becoming saddened at the prices that are now being charged and what this will mean for the future shows. I appreciate the reasons you should always charge what the market can carry and it is always in a good cause. But what can the market bear? There are at least 5 or 6 very reputable dealers who are happy to sell you excellent quality genuine autographed photographs. I did some research just before writing this and if the fee for Stafford is to be $280 (£170) at the show then compare that with the web. Right now, today. Tom Stafford business suit $159 (£97.00). Gemini 6 COMPLETE crew $189 (£115) Gemini 6/7 rendezvous COMPLETE Gemini 6 crew $249 (£150). I hope it is not too late and prices are not yet set in stone. I appreciate how very difficult it is to get terms for a guest arranged long before the show and the reasons a guest would attend are all different and attendance at all may be dependent on a higher fee. If he would only attend at these higher prices in aid of his museum and the ASF, then well done on even getting him on the plane but I remember comments and complaints on here about Scott and Aldrin's fees bumping £100 and we are way over that with a fee of £170.00. And what does this fee mean for the next super guest? What will the future bring us in these uncertain economic times? I wish and hope the Stafford fee could be £100.00 or less and even then I would think hard about it and only get one item signed. At £75.00 I would almost certainly get two items signed. Full Moon and an Apollo X crew photo. At £170.00 I cannot have both and will probably take neither and will almost certainly pass this time and Moonshot will not get it's 13th signature yet but thank you, thank you,thank you for the chance. But that is just me. So good luck everyone. You pays your money and you takes your choice and remember ladies... it is only a hobby. Enjoy it. |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-26-2009 08:23 AM
quote: Originally posted by Paul23: I look at it like this, rather than compare Tom Stafford's price to 17 military veteran autographs, compare it to either 17 takeaway pizzas or 17 nights down the pub! Doesn't seem so bad after all!
That's a better way to put it - that makes giving away that amount of money sound ok!And, Paul Littler, I absolutely agree with everything you have said. I too must say a huge thank you to those guys for getting over these brilliant guests so far for this year's show - it will be my first show and these guys have already made it worthwhile! I too wish Stafford's fee was a lot lower so I could maybe get a couple of items signed - I mean our hobby is now essentially whoever has the most money will have a better collection than those with less money - it's the sad reality! However, for any of you guys considering whether or not to get an item signed by Stafford because of the high price, I would urge you to do so regardless. I am 16 years of age, and so this autograph is extra pricey for me. However I am still going to get Mr. Stafford to sign my WSS litho of him simply because I know if I don't, I will regret it for the rest of my life. Paul Cox recently put things into perspective for me - one week after Wally Schirra signed his Earthrise photo he passed away, but one week BEFORE Gordo Cooper was supposed to be attending Autographica a few years ago, he passed away. What I'm trying to say is that it is hit or miss - these guys are in their late seventies and heading into their eighties so it's a sad reality that these heroes won't be around forever. This is our last chance to get a Stafford autograph and I for one am going to start saving and take it - just think of the inflated price as including the wonderful opportunity of meeting him in person which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of us. |
paul prendergast Member Posts: 429 From: crawley west sussex UK Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-26-2009 11:34 AM
Just booked hotel room for the show. Hotel said it was very busy, would suggest get in quick for show.I have also booked the VIP package. Thought might as well treat myself, not going away this year, only trouble now trying to save the money for the show, but what the heck you only live once. |
Paul23 Member Posts: 836 From: South East, UK Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 07-26-2009 02:55 PM
I booked my hotel the other day as well, unfortunately for me though all the extras I was thinking of like the dinner or VIP have gone out the window now with the Stafford announcement, still nice problem to have! |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-26-2009 05:13 PM
I'm the very same Paul - certainly cannot afford either the VIP ticket or the dinner - oh well, it's worth it for a Stafford signature, I think. |
David Bryant Member Posts: 986 From: Norfolk UK Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 07-27-2009 04:55 AM
Well: at least there'll be enough of us NOT at the dinner to meet up for a Saturday night glass or two!Gen. Stafford is one astronaut I never thought I'd meet in the UK: what a fabulous coup for the boys at Autographica! |
medaris Member Posts: 181 From: United Kingdom Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 07-28-2009 12:32 PM
I agree with the general direction of th epoints being made: it's great that General Stafford is coming to the UK. I'd certainly pay for a talk by him, but I wouldn't be willing to pay £175 for his signature. As others have pointed out, there are some great items available from reputable dealers at considerably lower prices. The other issue for me is what I can buy with the same cash. I don't doubt, however, that those who are willing to pay the fee will be pleased with the product. |
AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-28-2009 02:03 PM
I agree.I myself don't feel it's right to pay £175 for a signature from Mr.Stafford - however I am still going to do it because I want a personalization and this is my last chance to get just that. |
spaced out Member Posts: 3110 From: Paris, France Registered: Aug 2003
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posted 07-28-2009 02:22 PM
quote: Originally posted by AstroAutos: I myself don't feel it's right to pay £175 for a signature from Mr.Stafford
Don't forget that most of his fee is going to charity. For his mail-in signing I decided to look at it as a charitable donation that allowed me to get a Stafford signature on my item. When you think of it that way it feels right.
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AstroAutos Member Posts: 803 From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 07-28-2009 02:33 PM
That is a good way to put it... giving away money like that feels better when it's for a good cause! |
David Bryant Member Posts: 986 From: Norfolk UK Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 07-28-2009 03:29 PM
Let's not get carried away! The 'good cause' is General Stafford's own museum!
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-28-2009 03:32 PM
...and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. |