Post by ThinWhiteDuke on Dec 30, 2005 22:23:07 GMT 1
The following is a good guide in 'Through the Mail' Collecting.
It was written by Gary Price, so all credits go to him!
Reason I post this is because I think it's a good guide.
I have edited some portions, as they don't apply anymore.
Here we go!
========================================
Collecting celebrity autographs is a great hobby, fairly inexpensive and a nice way to spend some extra time. There are a couple different ways to collect -- in person and through the mail. Both ways have their pluses and minuses, but I'm going to focus on collecting through the mail for this essay.
Through-the-mail autograph collecting is becoming more popular every day, but has been around since even before the early days of film. It just seems that having a signature on an item is a great way to keep a memento of one's favorite celebrity.
GETTING STARTED
To collect through the mail, you'll need a couple of things:
* An address of the celebrity you intend to write
* Stamps or International Reply Coupons
* Paper & pen or computer
* Envelopes -- and plenty of them: 9-inch x 12-inch
(23 cm x 30.5 cm) -- and #10 business size (10.5
cm x 24 cm).
* Some UNLINED 3-inch x 5-inch cards (7.62 cm x
12,7 cm)
* An item to send to the celebrity
ADDRESSES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS
Let's start with a contact address of the celebrity. There are numerous sources you can use to obtain an address of a particular celebrity. Many collectors purchase lists of addresses, which they use to refer to for a particular celebrity.
For the casual collector who only collects sporadically, this can be an expensive way to obtain a couple of addresses. However, the advantage of a printed list is that someone else has done all the leg work for you! All you have to do is refer to the appropriate name, and "Tah-Dah!" you're off and running. There are also a couple of publications which deal specifically with autograph collecting and are published on a monthly basis.
For the all collectors, the Internet is a fantastic resource for addresses. There a A LOT of sites on the World-Wide Web which feature addresses (we've listed a few of them in the resources section of this site). Many collectors have made available addresses or resources, and they will oftentimes list their successes and failures.
OFF WE GO...
Okay, you've got your address and your supplies -- it's time to put together a letter.
What do you say? That's up to you. However, keep it short and sweet, since many celebrities get hundreds--if not thousands--of letters each month. If they spent all their time reading and writing, they'd never have time for the work which makes them celebrities in the first place! Always try and mention something specific and personal to the celebrity -- like your favorite performance or work of theirs.
Remember to be sincere, since I'm sure the celebrity (or, in many cases, the celebrity's secretary/assistant/agent) can tell who's familiar with their work and who's not.
Most collectors will request a signed photo from the celebrity, and--on occasion--will send a photo themselves. I always put a 3x5 card in with my letter, and often will say something to the effect of "I know you are busy with projects, so, if you cannot provide a signed photo, would you please take just a moment to sign the enclosed 3x5 card?"
More often than not, I not only get a photo back, but I get a signed 3x5 card as well! For those who don't sign photos through the mail, they often sign my 3x5 card, so in that instance, I do get a signature back.
PACKAGING IT ALL UP
So far, we've got our address and written our letter. Now we want to send it. Here is the most important thing to remember when writing a celebrity:
ENCLOSE A SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED ENVELOPE.
This is so important, I'm going to say it once more for emphasis:
ENCLOSE A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE!
This is the "secret" of all by-mail collectors. A simple one, but the most important.
Remember, the celebrity may generally foot the cost of sending you a photo. Imagine if the celebrity had to pay the cost of postage, too! Multiply hundreds and thousands of requests by $0.74 - $1.11 (the cost of the return envelope's postage) and you'll see why those who enclose an SASE generally get better responses.
When writing and requesting the celebrity send me a photo, I put a 9-inch x12-inch envelope with $0.74 postage (folded into thirds) into a #10 business envelope with .37 postage on it; Three stamps, total. This method has been tested extensively and continues to work for me. That's a cheap price to pay for an autograph! In case the return postage isn't enough, I also put MY return address on the 9x12 envelope...this way, if there is postage due, it will still come back to me so I can pay it!
Put the letter in the envelope, along with the SASE and a 3x5 card, give the letter to your mail carrier, sit back and wait for your response. Some celebrities are great about autograph requests and you'll get something in a couple of weeks. Some celebrities take longer -- I've heard tales of collectors waiting for TWO YEARS to get a response, but that seems to be an exception, not a rule.
It's been my experience that it generally takes anywhere from three or more months for a reply. BE PATIENT. Hey, in the meantime, write some more letters!
CAN I SEND SOMETHING OF MY OWN TO SIGN?
Absolutely! When I first wrote this essay, I merely sent requests with self-addressed, stamped envelopes. As my collecting has become more focused, I now send photos or trading cards of the celebs whom I write to. I have found that by sending something to sign, my percentage of authentic signers and successful returns has risen dramatically.
SENDING OVERSEAS
If you live overseas and are sending your letter to the United States, I can't tell you how many stamps you'll need. Please see your local post office and they can get you pointed in the right direction.
TO LOG, OR NOT TO LOG, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Many of us who write, keep some sort of log of what we've sent out. This helps track responses, which we usually share with each other here in the online world. (if you don't already, you should subscribe to the alt.collecting.autographs newsgroup -- there's lots of information to be gleaned from it), so let us know what you've received!!! I currently have out over 50 requests at any given time, so it helps me to keep track very easily of date sent, date returned, item returned, etc.
AM I GUARANTEED A REAL AUTOGRAPH?
Alas, no. There is no guarantee that your favorite celebrity will respond at all! Expect that anyone who's an "A-List" celebrity just won't have the time available to handle the thousands of requests they get in the mail each week.
Try not to be too terribly disappointed if you receive a "pre-print" (that is, a signature already printed as part of the photo). Many celebrities are just too busy to individually sign each photo, but they want their fans to have something, so you'll get a pre-print.
Sometimes a celebrity's secretary/assistant/agent will sign the photo on behalf of the celebrity. It's pretty hit-and-miss this way, which is why I suggested you subscribe to the alt.collecting.autographs newsgroup, because many of us have collected for years and we know the difference between some signatures and signers--differences we report to the newsgroup's members.
There are also times when you get...well...nothing. Celebrities change addresses and agents constantly, and you may get a RETURN TO SENDER response on your envelope. Celebrities can also be a fickle lot, signing one week, not signing the next.
Some celebrities just refuse to sign. Marlon Brando is NOTORIOUS for not signing autographs -- in person or through the mail.
Again, don't be disappointed--at least you gave it a shot (another reason to take part in the alt.collecting.autographs newsgroup, since members often post bad addresses, or will list "no-signers" so you don't have to take the chance).
THE OBLIGATORY CLOSING
Loved by people the world over, autograph collecting is a fun hobby. The excitement of going out to the mailbox and seeing an envelope which contains a photo and signature from your favorite celebrity is second-to-none! And, an autographed photo (or two, or three, or ten...) hanging on your living room wall is a great conversation piece when friends and relatives come to visit. Join or visit as many resources on the Internet as you can, since the more you know, the better informed you'll be when it comes to deciding whom to write to.
So, there you have it. A quick primer on how to get started in autograph collecting by mail. Follow those simple suggestions mentioned, and you too will start having a mailbox filled with autographs!
Good luck and happy collecting!
It was written by Gary Price, so all credits go to him!
Reason I post this is because I think it's a good guide.
I have edited some portions, as they don't apply anymore.
Here we go!
========================================
Collecting celebrity autographs is a great hobby, fairly inexpensive and a nice way to spend some extra time. There are a couple different ways to collect -- in person and through the mail. Both ways have their pluses and minuses, but I'm going to focus on collecting through the mail for this essay.
Through-the-mail autograph collecting is becoming more popular every day, but has been around since even before the early days of film. It just seems that having a signature on an item is a great way to keep a memento of one's favorite celebrity.
GETTING STARTED
To collect through the mail, you'll need a couple of things:
* An address of the celebrity you intend to write
* Stamps or International Reply Coupons
* Paper & pen or computer
* Envelopes -- and plenty of them: 9-inch x 12-inch
(23 cm x 30.5 cm) -- and #10 business size (10.5
cm x 24 cm).
* Some UNLINED 3-inch x 5-inch cards (7.62 cm x
12,7 cm)
* An item to send to the celebrity
ADDRESSES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS
Let's start with a contact address of the celebrity. There are numerous sources you can use to obtain an address of a particular celebrity. Many collectors purchase lists of addresses, which they use to refer to for a particular celebrity.
For the casual collector who only collects sporadically, this can be an expensive way to obtain a couple of addresses. However, the advantage of a printed list is that someone else has done all the leg work for you! All you have to do is refer to the appropriate name, and "Tah-Dah!" you're off and running. There are also a couple of publications which deal specifically with autograph collecting and are published on a monthly basis.
For the all collectors, the Internet is a fantastic resource for addresses. There a A LOT of sites on the World-Wide Web which feature addresses (we've listed a few of them in the resources section of this site). Many collectors have made available addresses or resources, and they will oftentimes list their successes and failures.
OFF WE GO...
Okay, you've got your address and your supplies -- it's time to put together a letter.
What do you say? That's up to you. However, keep it short and sweet, since many celebrities get hundreds--if not thousands--of letters each month. If they spent all their time reading and writing, they'd never have time for the work which makes them celebrities in the first place! Always try and mention something specific and personal to the celebrity -- like your favorite performance or work of theirs.
Remember to be sincere, since I'm sure the celebrity (or, in many cases, the celebrity's secretary/assistant/agent) can tell who's familiar with their work and who's not.
Most collectors will request a signed photo from the celebrity, and--on occasion--will send a photo themselves. I always put a 3x5 card in with my letter, and often will say something to the effect of "I know you are busy with projects, so, if you cannot provide a signed photo, would you please take just a moment to sign the enclosed 3x5 card?"
More often than not, I not only get a photo back, but I get a signed 3x5 card as well! For those who don't sign photos through the mail, they often sign my 3x5 card, so in that instance, I do get a signature back.
PACKAGING IT ALL UP
So far, we've got our address and written our letter. Now we want to send it. Here is the most important thing to remember when writing a celebrity:
ENCLOSE A SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED ENVELOPE.
This is so important, I'm going to say it once more for emphasis:
ENCLOSE A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE!
This is the "secret" of all by-mail collectors. A simple one, but the most important.
Remember, the celebrity may generally foot the cost of sending you a photo. Imagine if the celebrity had to pay the cost of postage, too! Multiply hundreds and thousands of requests by $0.74 - $1.11 (the cost of the return envelope's postage) and you'll see why those who enclose an SASE generally get better responses.
When writing and requesting the celebrity send me a photo, I put a 9-inch x12-inch envelope with $0.74 postage (folded into thirds) into a #10 business envelope with .37 postage on it; Three stamps, total. This method has been tested extensively and continues to work for me. That's a cheap price to pay for an autograph! In case the return postage isn't enough, I also put MY return address on the 9x12 envelope...this way, if there is postage due, it will still come back to me so I can pay it!
Put the letter in the envelope, along with the SASE and a 3x5 card, give the letter to your mail carrier, sit back and wait for your response. Some celebrities are great about autograph requests and you'll get something in a couple of weeks. Some celebrities take longer -- I've heard tales of collectors waiting for TWO YEARS to get a response, but that seems to be an exception, not a rule.
It's been my experience that it generally takes anywhere from three or more months for a reply. BE PATIENT. Hey, in the meantime, write some more letters!
CAN I SEND SOMETHING OF MY OWN TO SIGN?
Absolutely! When I first wrote this essay, I merely sent requests with self-addressed, stamped envelopes. As my collecting has become more focused, I now send photos or trading cards of the celebs whom I write to. I have found that by sending something to sign, my percentage of authentic signers and successful returns has risen dramatically.
SENDING OVERSEAS
If you live overseas and are sending your letter to the United States, I can't tell you how many stamps you'll need. Please see your local post office and they can get you pointed in the right direction.
TO LOG, OR NOT TO LOG, THAT IS THE QUESTION
Many of us who write, keep some sort of log of what we've sent out. This helps track responses, which we usually share with each other here in the online world. (if you don't already, you should subscribe to the alt.collecting.autographs newsgroup -- there's lots of information to be gleaned from it), so let us know what you've received!!! I currently have out over 50 requests at any given time, so it helps me to keep track very easily of date sent, date returned, item returned, etc.
AM I GUARANTEED A REAL AUTOGRAPH?
Alas, no. There is no guarantee that your favorite celebrity will respond at all! Expect that anyone who's an "A-List" celebrity just won't have the time available to handle the thousands of requests they get in the mail each week.
Try not to be too terribly disappointed if you receive a "pre-print" (that is, a signature already printed as part of the photo). Many celebrities are just too busy to individually sign each photo, but they want their fans to have something, so you'll get a pre-print.
Sometimes a celebrity's secretary/assistant/agent will sign the photo on behalf of the celebrity. It's pretty hit-and-miss this way, which is why I suggested you subscribe to the alt.collecting.autographs newsgroup, because many of us have collected for years and we know the difference between some signatures and signers--differences we report to the newsgroup's members.
There are also times when you get...well...nothing. Celebrities change addresses and agents constantly, and you may get a RETURN TO SENDER response on your envelope. Celebrities can also be a fickle lot, signing one week, not signing the next.
Some celebrities just refuse to sign. Marlon Brando is NOTORIOUS for not signing autographs -- in person or through the mail.
Again, don't be disappointed--at least you gave it a shot (another reason to take part in the alt.collecting.autographs newsgroup, since members often post bad addresses, or will list "no-signers" so you don't have to take the chance).
THE OBLIGATORY CLOSING
Loved by people the world over, autograph collecting is a fun hobby. The excitement of going out to the mailbox and seeing an envelope which contains a photo and signature from your favorite celebrity is second-to-none! And, an autographed photo (or two, or three, or ten...) hanging on your living room wall is a great conversation piece when friends and relatives come to visit. Join or visit as many resources on the Internet as you can, since the more you know, the better informed you'll be when it comes to deciding whom to write to.
So, there you have it. A quick primer on how to get started in autograph collecting by mail. Follow those simple suggestions mentioned, and you too will start having a mailbox filled with autographs!
Good luck and happy collecting!
(my mistake!)
