The Autographs and Collectible Memorabilia Blog

7 Things to Do for An Autograph Session

You're going to meet someone famous at an event or party. Beforehand, there are several things you should consider doing to prepare for the experience. KNOW WHO YOU ARE MEETING If you're meeting someone who's well-known, you'll probably want to make sure you've done some research beforehand. This will help...

Marston Records - A Story

MARSTON RECORDS IS NOW 26 Scott Kessler and I founded Marston Records in 1997, so it is now twenty-six years old. Starting the label was a natural extension of the audio restoration work I had been doing since 1976, remastering historic recordings of musical performances reissued by labels such as...

The Sembrich Museum: History, Collection, and Events

Marcella Sembrich: Her Life and Career The Sembrich Museum originally served as teaching studio for Marcella Sembrich. She was a famed Polish musician, soprano, and teacher active throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sembrich's first performance in the opera took place in 1877 in Athens. She then moved...

Beethoven Hair: In Search for the Truth

Reality may often be weirder than fiction, with more planning and rifer with an accident that could be envisaged in a composition generated only by the mind. One example of this aspect is Russell Martin's Beethoven's Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved. Some components may shake even...

No German at the Met: 1917-1921

In 1917, the Metropolitan Opera could hardly ignore the fact that the United States was at war with Germany, the homeland of the Richards Wagner and Strauss, and of many of the singers who sang their music. The German language would not be sung again from the stage of the...

Richard Wagner's Visit to London in 1855: A Turning Point in His Career

One of the most enduringly influential composers of the 19th century, Richard Wagner made three visits to London. His first, in 1839, was almost accidental - caused by the travel requirements of the Wagners large Newfoundland dog, and a planned trip to Paris. [CLICKABLE IMAGE] A portrait of the celebrated...

Schubert Geburtshaus in Vienna - Exploring Where it All Began

Schubert Geburtshaus, or Schubert’s birthplace, is a museum in Vienna, Austria, dedicated to the life and work of composer Franz Schubert. The museum is located in the building where Schubert was born. Here, a young Schubert took his first explorative steps in the world - long before he became known...

Francesco Tamagno - The Fantastic Tenor and First Otello

Francesco Tamagno was born in Turin on December 28th 1850. His family was from the peripheral area “Barriera di Milano”, where they run a trattoria (small family-run casual restaurant). Unfortunately, after the Cholera outbreak of 1854, parents Margherita and Carlo were left with only 5 of their 15 sons. Among...

The Met 1910-17: The Toscanini Era and the Winds of War

NEW BROOMS At the start of the 1910-11 season, Giulio Gatti-Casazza and Arturo Toscanini had secured mastery over the artistic fortunes of the Met, but rather than settle into complacency, they strengthened their resolve to give New York a program of meticulously prepared revivals of the standard repertoire, premieres of...

Marcel Proust: Une vie de lettres et d’images by Pedro Corrêa do Lago

When an author spends forty years of their life putting together a book that is as much labor of love as it is academic text, you know it’s going to reach a wider audience than a new life of Proust might otherwise do. Only a part of Pedro Corrêa do...

The History of Photographic Formats After 1924

The main challenge during the first 100 years of photographic printing was to develop a stable method for saving an image on paper. The following century was devoted to fine-tuning this process, yet, having reached the pinnacle of printing with exceptional clarity and vibrant colors, it is now largely ignored...

Did Callas give birth to a son by Onassis?

Soon after the sudden death of Maria Callas in 1977, rumors of a pregnancy by her lover Aristotle Onassis emerged, but of a forced abortion rather than a birth. Those close to her could not believe that she would have done this, as she desperately wanted a child. She had investigations for...

Jaws Memorabilia: The Ultimate Guide for Collectors

As one of the most iconic and memorable films in U.S. cinema history, Jaws catapulted Steven Spielberg from a fledgling director with promise to a household name who's never wavered from his place on the roster of box office royalty. Fans have feverishly collected Jaws memorabilia, from T-shirts to movie...

Haus der Musik - Oscillate Between History and Musical History and Interactive Experiences

The Haus der Musik, or "House of Music," is a museum in Vienna, Austria, dedicated to the history and appreciation of music. Located in the center of the city, the museum offers a variety of interactive exhibits, concerts, and educational programs for visitors of all ages. The self-proclaimed "musical adventure...

Farewell to Grace Bumbry: A Life of Trailblazing Success

THE BIRTH OF A STAR Grace Melzia Bumbry (1937-2023) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on January 4, 1937; the third child of Benjamin Bumbry, a railroad freight handler, and Melzia Bumbry, a teacher, a family of modest meands, deeply religious and highly musical. [IMAGE] A beautiful black-and-white photograph signed...

19 Greatest Organ Composers in Classical Music

Organ music is one of the most beautiful and moving forms of classical music. It's also one of the more difficult to write, as the organ is an incredibly versatile instrument that can be used to create a wide range of moods and styles. But who are the greatest composers...

Farewell to Record Collector Larry Holdridge

Record collector and dealer Larry Holdridge - a unique and important member of the classical music community passed on February 7th, 2023. Lawrence “Larry” Holdridge of Amityville, New York was 83 years old and died after a short illness. His key place in the current music scene was little known,...

We are at the 63rd New York International Antiquarian Book Fair!

Every year, over 20 thousand visitors come to the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair, at the Park Avenue Armory. Event is organized by ABAA (Antiquarian Bookseller Association of America). 200 dealers, mostly from the United States and Europe bring their best items and exhibit them here, in the largest...

Personalized Autographs: What They Are and Are They Less Valuable?

A personalized autograph is one that includes the name of the recipient (for example “To Ken” or “For Ken”). Sometimes a short salutation or expression of good wishes is added (for example, “with best wishes”). This is what we also call a sentiment. There has always been a lot of...

To Frame or Not to Frame: That's the Big Question - Pros and Cons

The original Engrossed Copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence contains one of the most recognizable groups of historic autographs. The oversized piece of parchment paper is a priceless founding document and one of five that the government protects with extra security. The copy sits out on display every day...

Titans on the Met Podium, 1907-1909: Mahler and Toscanini

HEINRICH CONRIED FIRED BY MET BOARD In June 1907, when Heinrich Conried announced “the engagement of the very best of all musical directors Gustav Mahler,” his own days as impresario of the Metropolitan Opera were numbered. The Board, deeply dissatisfied with his decisions about repertoire and casting, and his crass...

Ned Rorem: American Composer and Diarist

"Divine fires do not blaze each day, but an artist functions in their afterglow hoping for their recurrence." —Ned Rorem. Ned Rorem was perhaps a little humble when he spoke these words, as his output, both musical and written, is nothing short of prolific. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Music...

Haydn Wohnhaus - Where an Era Ended

On a recent trip to Vienna, we stepped into the world of one of the greatest classical composers of all time at the Haydn Wohnhaus Museum. Housed in the very building where Joseph Haydn lived and worked for much of his life, this museum offers a unique opportunity to learn...

Cosima Wagner: The ideal companion

INTRODUCTION Francesca Gaetana Cosima Liszt was the second daughter of Marie d'Agoult and Franz Liszt. She was born on December 24, 1837. Her unusual third name was derived from the lake in Italy where he parents had gone to wait for her birth. Cosima lived to reach ninety-two, outliving her...

THE AUTOGRAPH BLOG

7 Things to Do for An Autograph Session

Marston Records - A Story

The Sembrich Museum: History, Collection, and Events

Beethoven Hair: In Search for the Truth

No German at the Met: 1917-1921

Richard Wagner's Visit to London in 1855: A Turning Point in His Career

Schubert Geburtshaus in Vienna - Exploring Where it All Began

Francesco Tamagno - The Fantastic Tenor and First Otello

The Met 1910-17: The Toscanini Era and the Winds of War

Marcel Proust: Une vie de lettres et d’images by Pedro Corrêa do Lago

The History of Photographic Formats After 1924

Did Callas give birth to a son by Onassis?

Jaws Memorabilia: The Ultimate Guide for Collectors

Haus der Musik - Oscillate Between History and Musical History and Interactive Experiences

Farewell to Grace Bumbry: A Life of Trailblazing Success

19 Greatest Organ Composers in Classical Music

Farewell to Record Collector Larry Holdridge

We are at the 63rd New York International Antiquarian Book Fair!

Personalized Autographs: What They Are and Are They Less Valuable?

To Frame or Not to Frame: That's the Big Question - Pros and Cons

Titans on the Met Podium, 1907-1909: Mahler and Toscanini

Ned Rorem: American Composer and Diarist

Haydn Wohnhaus - Where an Era Ended

Cosima Wagner: The ideal companion

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Autograph Collecting Guide

Framing and Storing Autographs