Author
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Topic: Astronaut autograph removal from books
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kirkland Member Posts: 192 From: Oxfordshire Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 01-21-2018 10:04 AM
For awhile now I have been on the hunt for the 12 moonwalkers autographs. I have collected four of them now, but as you can imagine the other eight are harder to come by. I have noticed the other eight autographs tend to be more featured on books they have written, e.g. Dave Scott, Harrison Schmitt. However as you can imagine books are difficult to frame. My question to you guys; have you ever removed autographs from books? If so how have you done it? Did you do it yourself or get a company to do it for you? If so which company? |
nasamad Member Posts: 2121 From: Essex, UK Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 01-21-2018 11:17 AM
Personally I've never purposely damaged a book to get a signature out, but then I was lucky enough to start collecting when prices were lower so I can't critisise you for considering it. Before you do, have you tried searching for "cut" signatures? This is the general autograph term for the kind of signatures you appear to be looking for and are on the whole cheaper than 8x10s and sometimes books. Which four have you managed to obtain so far? Good luck with your quest. |
kirkland Member Posts: 192 From: Oxfordshire Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 01-21-2018 12:01 PM
Thanks for you response.I have tried searching for that term however they have only ever been in a PSA/DNA or JSA encapsulation, which has put me off from collecting them as I would like an autograph out of an encapsulation. If it came outside of an encapsulation and it was authenticated by them, perfect. However this is hard to come by for the remaining autographs that I'm wanting to collect. Does that make sense? Currently I have the following moonwalkers. - Buzz Aldrin (Index Card)
- Pete Conrad (Index Card)
- James Irwin (Index Card)
- Charlie Duke (Index Card)
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SpaceyInMN Member Posts: 355 From: Andover, MN Registered: Dec 2013
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posted 01-21-2018 12:45 PM
I have a fairly large autograph collection, astronauts and others. From my recollection, I've only done one cut from a book in the past, and that was a Buzz Aldrin signature. I didn't feel too badly about it, since there are so many books signed by Buzz, and they can be bought fairly inexpensively. I needed it to use for an Apollo 11 collage with a Neil Armstrong signed index card and Michael Collins unused bookplate.If you choose to do this with a book, you may want to look into the rarity of the particular signed book before cutting. In the case of the one I cut, it's very common, but there are some books out there that are quite valuable when signed. If you do choose to make a cut, I would suggest a very sharp razor, straight edge, and a backing board underneath the page, to ensure you don't cut into other pages. |
kirkland Member Posts: 192 From: Oxfordshire Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 01-21-2018 01:26 PM
Thank you for your response. I've been thinking of any of the books that the moonwalkers have authored signed by them.I'm just weighing up the options in terms of if it's the best thing to do or things? So I'm open to any advice or suggestions. |
Wehaveliftoff Member Posts: 2343 From: Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 01-21-2018 01:46 PM
I have taken out pages signed in books. The page you want signed is the "title page."A collection of moonwalkers title pages of their books or biographies would be an idea. Then outside of the title pages have a reduced, yet uniform sized color representations of the books from which the title page was removed, if you choose to run with your conceptual idea. |
kirkland Member Posts: 192 From: Oxfordshire Registered: Jan 2011
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posted 01-21-2018 02:06 PM
That's not about idea, I think if I did it, I would cut it to the size of an index card (5x3) as I like the format. I'm not sure if I would trust myself to do it though in case I damaged the autograph. Does anyone know any companies that would do this, preferably in the UK? |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-21-2018 02:30 PM
quote: Originally posted by kirkland: ...in a PSA/DNA or JSA encapsulation
The encapsulation is only a sealed hard plastic sleeve. If desired and with some care in doing so, you can break it open and remove the autograph without damage. |
AlanC Member Posts: 147 From: Scotland Registered: Nov 2014
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posted 01-21-2018 05:51 PM
i have some books signed by moonwalkers but have never cut a signature. If you want a framed display, one option would be to scan/photograph the original signature and print it for framing. It may be a copy but you still have the original signature and the book remains intact. |
4allmankind Member Posts: 1043 From: Dallas Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 01-21-2018 07:55 PM
I've done it a number of times. Many of the books I've collected over the years are in very poor condition, and sometimes lacking the dust jacket. In a way, removing the signature for preservation or to get it in the hands of someone else at a low cost is to me, liberating the autograph. I normally give the book itself away to a friend after the signature has been removed. I like promoting these men and their stories among buddies who would normally never buy the book themselves. |
MrSpace86 Member Posts: 1618 From: Gardner, KS, USA Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 01-25-2018 09:17 PM
I don't think it is a good idea to remove an autograph from the book. Mainly because that is defacing the book. Furthermore, I feel the book gives the signature some sort of provenance.The ONLY item I would remove from a book would be a bookplate. There are times when I just don't even affix the bookplate and just straight up place it my collection of whatever genre of autographs it is. Again, my personal opinion: do not tear out pages from a book just to get an autograph. |
Wehaveliftoff Member Posts: 2343 From: Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 01-26-2018 04:56 PM
I hate bookplates, but would prefer a bookplate separate from the book too. |
David C Member Posts: 1015 From: Lausanne Registered: Apr 2012
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posted 01-26-2018 05:12 PM
quote: Originally posted by MrSpace86: Mainly because that is defacing the book.
I agree, cutting pages out of books is just vandalism. |
Grounded! Member Posts: 367 From: Bennington, Vermont, USA Registered: Feb 2011
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posted 01-26-2018 08:35 PM
A bit off-topic perhaps, but has anyone run across an "autopenned" book with an astronaut signature? I don't believe I have ever seen one. |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-26-2018 09:05 PM
I have seen autopenned copies of "We Seven" and "First on the Moon." Here are two examples of the earlier: 1 | 2. |