My Personal Collection
My personal collection is
somewhat unusual in that with a very few exceptions it is comprised of
autographs I collected personally. Also they are in the same format - postcard
size. If I know I am going an event where an interesting subject will be, I will
create one or two of my signature cards for them to sign. If, as in many cases, I do
not know in advance, I always carry a few 3" x 5" cards and a pen and will ask
the subject for an autograph. When I get back to my office I will create one of
my signature cards, cut the sig out of the 3x5 card and affix it to my signature
care. I get these sigs at all kinds of special events, reunions, air and
militaria shows, book signings,
theatrical events, etc.
My prime interest is the U.S.
Medal of Honor and notables related to the military. In my collection I have autographs of all of the living
recipients except for one (Litkey) and over 200 of the deceased recipients -
dating from the Civil War through Vietnam. I am also interested in other
notables who served in the military, UK Victoria Cross recipients, and German
Knights Cross recipients. The few I have that do not fall into these categories
are other notables I happened to run into at one place or another or individuals
I highly respect or have a special interest in.
For any subjects after 1940
their autographs do not go into my collection unless I got it from the subject
personally or from one of his family members. On those prior to 1940 I have
waived that policy out of necessity.
A few of the signatures on the
autograph cards I create are printed, not handwritten. On those, I have the subject's signature
on a document and did not want to clip the sig off the document and affix it to
the card. I have those documents in ring binders. In addition to the documents
that are in the ring binders, I have the biographies of each subject in my
collection in those binders.
Below are a few of the some
1,500 that are in my personal collection. None of the items in my personal
collection are for sale. At the end are a few of the German wartime signed
portrait cards in my personal collection or at one time have been in the
collection.