Collector vs Commercialism? Hobby vs Business?

[goswannies]

I was watching some uTube clips of celebs refusing to sign and reading articles about them & why they did.

Some comments were quite depressing really. People calling collectors "pathetic" & "sad". Celebs saying they didn't want to sign because the pictures would just end up on eBay.

Made me feel guilty about my hobby. But then I saw footage of a guy getting Matt Damon to sign a bunch of photos at the airport. A big bunch. Obviously meant for sale.

Got me thinking further. I guess it's a "job" (of sorts) for them.

Is anyone for fanmailbiz happy to declare that they are sellers? How do they feel about others' perception of them? I would honestly like to hear a genuine autograph seller's perspective on autograph collecting.

Anyone game?

[Newbie007]

No one game to claim to be a seller?

[sanam]

they are out of the country and we cannot obtain signatures!'. Must have no mail systems wherever they are? (possibly a tax exile country - ooops!). My wife has asked me to try for her, but I'm afraid my efforts have been wasted. Just wondered if anyone else has had the same issues? Seems that some of these people just want us to watch their films and tv shows . . . .

[dancingirl1]

Well, the celebs are correct in thinking that "the pics would just end of on ebay" because when the grown men have 10+ items in their hand of Rihanna or Miley Cyrus, they can assume that. Most likely they are correct LOL. Umm, it really depends on the person itself. Because there is a user on here that meets people like Hilary and Selena and he is a MEGA fanatic of them and he got Hilary to sign like 100+ items, so it depends.

I honestly don't think that they are that many (if any..) "100% sellers" on here. Are there people on here that trade? YES, but for other autographs, That is all still apart of the hobby IMO.

[johnnylightninglives]

Sellers are a sad lot .... Most TTM collectors are not going to sell their autographs because first off it costs money to send out the stuff and 99% of the time it is personalized because they have more time when you write to them .... The vultures as I call them generally lurk at airports and stuff looking for quick autos to sell which is pretty sad. I love when I get autographs personalized to me because I wont ever sell them. People who get autographs just to sell just ruin the hobby for actual collectors and they should get a real job.

[dancingirl1]

Yeah, IA with Johnny. It really is time consuming and most of the items are personalized.

BTW did I read this correctly? That the people on youtube say that the "COLLECTORS are "pathetic" & "sad" ??

[Markd]

I collect and sometimes sell. Celebrities for the most part are very aware of what is going to be kept and what is going to be sold and for the most part just don't care. I would say a good 80% of celebrities you could flat out tell them that you were planning on selling them and they would sign just as many as if they had no idea. A friend of mine once had a major rock star tell him that he actually prefers the sellers now over the collectors and fans because sellers are more organized, they'r more discrete, they're quieter, and they're not trying to take more of his time than necessary. Collectors shouldn't hate on sellers because, believe it or not, they actually tend to help more than they hurt the hobby.

As Michael Fassbender once told me; "Look at what I do. I get paid a ton of money to act and you guys are getting a little bit of money to stand outside in the rain and get me to sign my name. Who am I to judge how anyone makes money!"

[fromuk2014]

I collect an awful lot of autographs and have done so for around 15 years now, I also sell from time to time, mostly to help with further collecting, sometimes a buy a varied amount of items in one lot and will keep some and sell some, but I wouldn't ask a celebrity to sign more than 3 items at the most.

I was shocked to see Matt Damon at an airport signing for one guy who seemed to have a never ending pile of photos to sign, but really the guy spent his time and money to get to the airport, wait and meet him to ask and he didn't seem to mind at all.

If I was Matt then I don't think I would have an issue with it at all unless I really didn't have time.

Overall, it creates a business that in part helps the economy one way or other and there doesn't seem to be any real harm in it.

The worst thing is seeing those sellers who are clearly forging every month and selling to those who simply don't know what they are looking for, then creating new accounts and selling the exact same items all over again. Hopefully those behind operation bullpen will stamp it out since its been going on forever.