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Author
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Topic: Signing experience: Bill Anders
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Bob M
Member Posts: 1361
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-16-2010 02:42 PM
   
 Besides being autograph-friendly at the Reno Air Races in 2006, as shown by the Anders autograph from "Kosmo," Gen. Anders also made himself available for autographs at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends P-51 aircraft fly-in on April 10, 1999 at the Kissimmee, FL airport. The detail above shows his fairly well-applied autograph that he kindly applied to his portrait litho I brought to the event. Other space-aviation buffs were there and also came away with very desirable in-person autographs from Anders that day. It's very possible that Gen. Anders would not make himself available for autographs now as he has sometimes in the past, especially considering his very high charge for his autograph now. |
Aztecdoug
Member Posts: 1330
From: Huntington Beach
Registered: Feb 2000
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posted 04-16-2010 03:33 PM
I met Gen Anders back in 2004 before a public event and he kindly signed an Apollo 8 crew litho completion for me. He used a writing style identical to that shown by Bob above. I will add that after the event he signed a few things while still on the stage for guests, but then he did a Scooby Doo Elvis has left the building exit. He was gone in the blink of an eye! |
kosmo
Member Posts: 182
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted 04-16-2010 04:06 PM
To me the style of writing on Bob M's piece is an atypical autograph (his I'm annoyed, PO'd) but what do I know, I'm still learning. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3584
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 04-16-2010 04:47 PM
quote:
Originally posted by kosmo:
To me the style of writing on Bob M's piece is an atypical autograph (his I'm annoyed, PO'd) but what do I know, I'm still learning.
I would almost say that an "atypical" autograph from Anders is actually pretty typical. I think Anders uses that style on items on items he knows would have a higher market value (space-related items signed in the past decade or so...in particular). By placing a less desirable-looking signature on the item, he might feel that he's limiting the potential value of the item.It's also interesting to note that the three items consigned by the San Diego Air and Space Museum at today's Regency-Superior auction failed (by all appearances) to attract a single bid... despite being signed by Anders (in his more classic style) and several other astronauts. It goes to show that the "value" of a signed piece is all in the eye of the beholder. For some, his signature might be worth the $2500 investment. But it appears that for today's bidders, it wasn't even worth a $900-1000 investment. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 26752
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-16-2010 05:06 PM
quote:
Originally posted by kosmo:
(his I'm annoyed, PO'd)
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
I think Anders uses that style on items on items he knows would have a higher market value
My own experience suggests differently.Anders signed my copy of "Who's Who in Space" using the same style signature as Bob's at a gala held at The Museum of Flight in 2000. I asked him to sign the book and he politely refused as he explained he was trying to make his way across the room. A few minutes later, he sought me out in the crowd and volunteered to sign, so the idea that he was upset is not likely (he could have just as easily never come back if he didn't want to sign.) And I don't think it's likely he thought the book was particularly valuable. He didn't see that others had signed it but even if he had, signed books aren't generally thought of as having a higher market value. I think he just rotates his signing style to confuse and conflate autograph collectors, and based on this very discussion, it would seem he's succeeded.  |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3584
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 04-16-2010 06:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
And I don't think it's likely he thought the book was particularly valuable.
That all depends on Anders' perceptions. Some astronauts refuse to sign covers because they feel they are more commercially valuable than signed photos, though there is evidence to the contrary. quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
signed books aren't generally thought of as having a higher market value.
Not even books that have been appraised on Antiques Roadshow as being worth $10,000? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 26752
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-16-2010 07:00 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
Not even books that have been appraised on Antiques Roadshow as being worth $10,000?
Ah, but that was in 2001, after Anders signed it (clearly accounting for 25% percent of the appraisal).  |
andrewcli
Member Posts: 328
From: La Jolla, CA, USA
Registered: Jul 2007
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posted 04-16-2010 09:08 PM
quote:
Orginally posted by mjanovec:
For some, his signature might be worth the $2500 investment. But it appears that for today's bidders, it wasn't even worth a $900-1000 investment.
The key word here is "investment." Asking for Gen. Anders' autograph should not be considered an investment and I think the majority of people who decided to go for it did not consider this as such, but wanted to add his signature to their collection, have the resources and are very happy with their decisions. I myself already have a signed Apollo 8 cover and I am seriously considering of asking Gen. Anders to sign my poster with an inscription. As you can see, money is not an issue and I know that if I were to ever sell it, not, it will not come close to the amount of money I spent.  It appears that Gen. Anders will be not changing his mind, again that his decision, and I don't see why we need to continue to criticize him. Those who got his autograph when he signed freely are indeed very lucky. Additionally, good deals can still be found on various auctions and eBAY for his autograph. And for those where money is not an issue and want him to sign their unique items, then that is their own business and these collectors should not be criticized for their actions. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3584
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 04-17-2010 02:05 PM
quote:
Originally posted by andrewcli:
The key word here is "investment." Asking for Gen. Anders' autograph should not be considered an investment and I think the majority of people who decided to go for it did not consider this as such, but wanted to add his signature to their collection, have the resources and are very happy with their decisions.
No matter how you look at it, spending $2500 is an investment. It may not necessarily be an investment for monetary gain, but could be an investment towards personal happiness. If someone wants to make that kind of investment to enhance their collection (and therefore make themselves happier), more power to them. Indeed, it could also be argued that many of the astronauts' current fees are poor investments for monetary gain (especially on personalized items)...but still make a lot of people happy regardless. However, I do think it's telling that the SDASM pieces consigned to Regency, with multiple other signatures besides Anders, failed to meet the minimum required bids (or get any bids whatsoever). In a large space auction with a lot of collectors/bidders who have deep pockets, that should say something about what the market is willing to pay for such items (even when most of the proceeds go to a museum). |
SpaceSteve
Member Posts: 327
From: San Antonio TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 04-17-2010 05:15 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
I do think it's telling that the SDASM pieces consigned to Regency, with multiple other signatures besides Anders, failed to meet the minimum required bids (or get any bids whatsoever).
Weren't these SDASM items also in R-S's last auction? If so, that makes it two consecutive auctions that these items have been in, without garnering any bids. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 26752
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-17-2010 05:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mjanovec:
However, I do think it's telling that the SDASM pieces consigned to Regency, with multiple other signatures besides Anders, failed to meet the minimum required bids (or get any bids whatsoever).
I think it's somewhat stretching to read something about Anders into these lots not selling, other than perhaps that bidders seem less attracted to an event-specific collection of signatures than they are to individual or crew-arranged signed pieces (especially when one of the four museum-consigned lots does not include Anders and also did not sell). Consider that event-specific Association of Space Explorers posters and Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Hall of Fame posters and prints tend to draw less interest as well, regardless how many rare signatures they include (some of the ASE posters have autographs that are on the top ten rarest signature lists as compiled by collectors and still do not sell). |
Spacefest
Member Posts: 1041
From: Tucson, AZ USA
Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 04-17-2010 06:31 PM
I'd like to see that list. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 26752
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-17-2010 07:34 PM
Bob McLeod's list from 2002 can still be found here; he addresses Anders in his epilogue. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3584
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 04-18-2010 01:40 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
some of the ASE posters have autographs that are on the top ten rarest signature lists as compiled by collectors and still do not sell.
Which posters are you referring to? Toyohiro Akiyama is on a couple of posters, but Bob didn't list him in the top ten on his fine list. Besides, it's important to remember that rarity does not equal value. Desirability is the key factor. If Armstrong (a none-too-rare signature) had signed those SDASM items instead of Anders, I think we'd see a considerable difference in how well they performed at auction. |
steelhead fly fishing
Member Posts: 26
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 12-13-2012 08:52 PM
Does anyone have any updated experiences with Gen. Anders? I'm considering getting him to sign an item, but am unsure of process or contacts to set that up. I too am considering adding him to a multisigned Apollo 8 earthrise. |
cycleroadie
Member Posts: 223
From: Apalachin, NY USA
Registered: May 2011
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posted 12-14-2012 07:55 AM
William Anders no longer accepts autograph requests. |
topmiler
Member Posts: 67
From: eastleigh, hampshire, UK
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 12-14-2012 09:55 AM
quote:
Originally posted by steelhead fly fishing:
Does anyone have any updated experiences with Gen. Anders?
There's a very long queue for Mr Anders I'm afraid. |
JasonB
Member Posts: 623
From:
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 05-06-2013 05:23 PM
I mailed an item into Anders a year ago along with a $100 bill in the hopes he'd take pity on me. Well today I got a big envelope back (I mailed it in a stamped self addressed box) that had Anders name and P.O. box written on it (I doubt he wrote it). I opened it and of course it was unsigned but he did return my $100 and my item. No note or explanation was in there but at least I got the stuff back. It was worth a shot! Guess Ill chalk Anders up as an autograph Ill never get myself. |
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