The Autographs and Collectible Memorabilia Blog

Rediscovery of “long-lost” Granados opera

Spanish composer Enrique Granados is universally hailed, alongside Isaac Albeniz, as one of the most significant and talented composers to come out of the Iberic Peninsula in the second half of the Nineteenth century. Contrary to his slightly older colleague, Granados’ works are, although highly revered, rarely performed and a...

Renata Tebaldi – Mario del Monaco - Signed Handkerchief from Otello

Collecting opera and classical music memorabilia not always focuses strictly on the usual autograph photos, letters, books, programs, and playbills. Over the years, we have seen many unusual items that can become treasured collectibles by the music fan. They include signed ballet pointe shoes, conductor´s batons - signed and unsigned...

Marc Chagall´s Poster “Die Zauberflote”

We love it when customers frame their purchases from us and send us a picture! Here is one of a poster we sold unframed, our customer was nice to send us a picture of the final product, beautifully framed. Back in 1966, five thousand of these posters were created in...

Just Acquired: The Enrico Aloi Autograph Collection

We are proud to announce that we just acquired a wonderful collection of autographs, unsigned photos, vintage printed music and sketches that belonged to Enrico Aloi (1922-2002). A close friend of Rosa Ponselle, he authored 3 pictorial books about her, currently well-known in the opera world. He was also a highly...

Our Visit to Beethoven´s Birth House in Bonn, Germany!

Just days ago, we had the chance to visit Beethoven-Haus, the place where Beethoven was born in December 1770 and lived for the first 4 years of his life. Located in Bonn, Germany, this was the musical genius first home, then the Beethoven family moved to different houses in Bonn in...

Otello “in blackface” – a dying trend?

This past fall, the Metropolitan Opera opened its season with a new production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Otello". This production was much more widely publicized in the mass media than most operatic performances because of the announcement by the company's General Manager, Peter Gelb, that the Met would be abandoning the usual practice...

Just Acquired: La Scala Autographs

Tamino Autographs is proud to announce the successful purchase of the name and inventory of La Scala Autographs! Located in located in Princeton, New Jersey, and founded in 1975 by expert autograph dealer James Camner, La Scala Autographs has been providing quality autographs to collectors for 40 years. With this...

Fragment from the Opera Comique collected by Massenet!

An especially interesting and unique historical item just added to our inventory is this fragment of wallpaper from the Paris Opera Comique collected and preserved by the great French composer Jules Massenet. This was collected by Massenet himself or at least treasured by him after the Opera Comique was burned in...

Farewell to Jon Vickers 1926-2015

On July 10th, 2015, the legendary Canadian tenor Jon Vickers died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 88 years old. A peerless performer, showman, and friend Jon Vickers was a legendary opera singer for almost four decades. During his lengthy career, Jon accumulated many awards and accolades...

Our Visit to Puccini Sites

We recently visited Giacomo Puccini's birth house in Lucca, Italy! Located just a few kilometers wesst from Florence, Italy, the town of Lucca is a tourist attraction by itself. Surrounded by well-preserved medieval walls, Lucca still has all the flavor of an historic, small town, and it is not hard...

Detroit Symphony invites local residents to create a “Symphony” for their city

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) and composer Tod Machover are collaborating with many of that city’s residents on a very exciting new project that aims to convey the unique “sound” of the city of Detroit. Ordinary Detroit citizens are creating and collecting sounds that will become part of the "Symphony...

Met Opera on European Tour 1910 – Signed Sheet!

In 1910, the Metropolitan Opera from New York went on their first tour to a foreign country. The chosen destination was Paris. Many of the Met Opera stars and crew members boarded in May 1910, the "Norddeutscher Lloyd", a ship from a German cruise company. This was a trip...

Just Acquired: The Roger Gross Collection of Autographs!

We are glad to announce the acquisition of the Roger Gross collection, one of the largest music autograph collections in the world. Roger Gross, who passed away in January 2013, was both a very dedicated collector and opera fan and a highly respected music autograph dealer and antiquarian. Reflecting his deep passion...

Sign Here: Collecting Signed Opera Magazines

For a long time, opera fans have been turning to opera-related publications such as programs, librettos, scores and even opera magazines, all for the purpose of getting them autographed by their favorite artists. Opera magazines offer a good option, since most feature beautiful photographs of opera stars in their covers....

Sign Here: Autograph Books!

An autograph book is simply a small notebook where someone collects autographs from others. Shown here is an autograph album page, signed by opera singer Claudia Muzio, with a short text quote from the opera "Tosca". They started to be used as early as the 16th century among students in...

Marie Taglioni, Celebrated Ballerina – Playbills

Born in Sweden from Italian parents, Marie Taglioni (1804-1884) was by far one of the most famous ballerinas of all times. Taglioni rose to fame when her father (also a dancer and teacher) created for her the famous ballet La Sylphide in 1832. Taglioni was also famous for the use...

Caruso Porcelain Figurines

Made at different times, porcelain figurines of the superstar Italian tenor (1873-1921) are valuable, sought-after collectibles that one can find in antique shops, auction houses and even flea markets around the globe. Top Line (from left to right): Caruso as Canio in Pagliacci, his signature role, first 2 from the...

A Truly Amazing, Large Collection of Programs

We just acquired an amazing collection of programs - A total of 52 banker´s boxes! Collection contains a wide variety of items, including opera programs (both signed and unsigned) and playbills mostly from European and American theaters as well as some Latin-American performances. This is by far the largest program...

Farewell to Claudio Abbado (1933-2014)

Claudio Abbado, one of Italy’s finest conductors of the modern age, passed away from stomach cancer on January 20, 2014. He left an impact on major orchestras across Europe and in North America, which was preserved on several seminal recordings. Conducting Career Abbado came from a very musical family and...

Trapp Family Chorus Signed Program – Back 63 Years Later

The Trapp Chorus, was composed by members of the Von Trapp family which originally came from Austria in 1939. On tour around the USA and Canada, they gave well over 1000 performances of choral music by Bach, Mozart, Brahms, etc as well as traditional songs from Central Europe, English madrigals,...

TOP 7 Opera and Classical Music Summer Festivals

During the summer months in the northern hemisphere, most classical music organisms like theaters, orchestral groups, chamber music associations and opera companies take a few months of hiatus from their programmed seasons. In these months European and American concertgoers, musicians and producers focus on the multiple exciting opportunities which festivals...

Opera & Concert Scrapbooks: A Window to the Past – The Biggest One Yet?

In the 19th and early 20th century, people who regularly attended opera, music concerts and theater performances many times kept a scrapbook with clippings from programs. Keeping the full program from performances demanded space and especial care, so using a good pair of scissors to cut out the cast page...

Wagner vs Verdi – Brain vs Heart? You Decide

The Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, Germany is organizing two parades on June 28th, 2013, part of the celebration of both composer´s birth bicentennial (yes, both were born in 1813, Verdi in La Roncole, near Busetto, in today´s Italy and Wagner in Leipzig (...in the Jewish quarter of the city!), Germany). This is what they say...

Farewell to conductor Colin Davis

Colin Davis, one of England’s premier musical talents, passed away in the spring of 2013. He left behind countless recordings of compositions that covered a breadth of composers in a career that spanned decades and continents. Conducting Career Sir Colin Rex Davis was not supposed to be a conductor. When...

THE AUTOGRAPH BLOG

Rediscovery of “long-lost” Granados opera

Renata Tebaldi – Mario del Monaco - Signed Handkerchief from Otello

Marc Chagall´s Poster “Die Zauberflote”

Just Acquired: The Enrico Aloi Autograph Collection

Our Visit to Beethoven´s Birth House in Bonn, Germany!

Otello “in blackface” – a dying trend?

Just Acquired: La Scala Autographs

Fragment from the Opera Comique collected by Massenet!

Farewell to Jon Vickers 1926-2015

Our Visit to Puccini Sites

Detroit Symphony invites local residents to create a “Symphony” for their city

Met Opera on European Tour 1910 – Signed Sheet!

Just Acquired: The Roger Gross Collection of Autographs!

Sign Here: Collecting Signed Opera Magazines

Sign Here: Autograph Books!

Marie Taglioni, Celebrated Ballerina – Playbills

Caruso Porcelain Figurines

A Truly Amazing, Large Collection of Programs

Farewell to Claudio Abbado (1933-2014)

Trapp Family Chorus Signed Program – Back 63 Years Later

TOP 7 Opera and Classical Music Summer Festivals

Opera & Concert Scrapbooks: A Window to the Past – The Biggest One Yet?

Wagner vs Verdi – Brain vs Heart? You Decide

Farewell to conductor Colin Davis

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Autograph Collecting Guide

Framing and Storing Autographs