There’s a lot of fly fishing books out there and a lot of fly fishermen like to get their books autographed.
Most authors will incribe your book with something like:
To Joe Fisherman,
hope that nymph works out for you,
Tight Lines,
Charlie Author
… or something like that
Unless the book belonged to another famous person, I doubt this does much to increase the value.
A plain signature would be worth more for resale.
Do you collect author’s autographs? Do you do it for your own satisfaction, or do you think it increases the books value?
What one would you like to have?
When I was young I read a (fly fishing) book from my hometown library and was nearly astonished to see the author had signed it. I’m sorry to confess that my first thought was to keep the book and just offer to pay for it, saying I had lost it. I returned it, of course, but did check on it later on. It had been borrowed again and not seen since. I am not at all sure why, but I value my signed copies more than the unsigned ones. I think this is proper. I know I value the folks who have signed them very highly.
I get as many of books signed AND inscribed as possible. I was fortunate to get many of my old fishing idols to inscribe my copies because I have no intention of selling them, (I hope). It means a lot more to ME if it says: To Bamboozle…
I will seek out the author when possible or if impossible; I will buy a signed copy IF the author means something to me or if I met them before they died but didn’t get a book signed.
I recently purchased a signed book where some parties involved are dead and I inquired if it was inscribed or signed since I didn’t want someone else’s name on it. The seller asked me why I asked this question because in many cases; “inscribed” copies fetch more money because it’s more personal than just a signature.
I told him I was told the opposite by no less than Ed Zern when I asked him to inscribe all of my copies of his books many years ago.
In any case I still purchased the signed copy for my reasons but the modern attitude about inscriptions surprised me.
I collect fishing literature as well as baseball memorabilia(I live dangerously close to Cooperstown!) and I prefer inscriptions that are specific to me and prefer inscriptions that I have sought in person(obviously authors/players who have passed excepted). Resale value is the farthest thing from my mind. Sentimental value has no pricetag, imho.
I’m not really all that interested in the resale values when I get my books signed. If I’m handing a book to autograph he can write whatever he or she chooses. I’m much more interested in eventually passing my books on to my kids than trying to make a quick buck on them.
its realy a personal thing to me .
and in my opinion just adds that somtheing extra
to the book .
so to me it would just be a litle extra pazaz
just like when you add your name to the flys you tye for the swaps . i can go buy a fly at eny shop.
but the freindships i make here are pricless.
Sometimes it’s not so personal…I had a book signed [and a nice message]…later when I looked at it he had called me by the wrong name…sort of soured me…
Dave also did his art work on my copy. Front cover and inside. Sounds like the same art work --date, place, fly rod ,line with winged fly,water, insects,large trout and short message. Guide to Aquatic Trout Foods and permission to copy and enlarge the drawings to hand out at kids tying class. BILL
A K Best signed my well used copy of “Production Fly Tying” when he was at the Michigan Fly Fishing show a few years back. It was a personalized autograph that went along with the pleasant conversation that he had with myself and my daughter. That book will never leave my collection.
I’ve a number of autographed books, but the ones I most prize are signed by Nick Lyons. I enjoy his writing for the quality of the writing, and not just the flyfishing references and anecdotes. I’ll never part with them …
I also have a few flies and signature cards from both past and contemporary tyers. Of those I have, I most enjoy the flies I have from FAOL’s own Mantis (Bob Mead). Bob’s a friend, and his realistic flies set the standard and paved the way for realistic tyers who get far more attention.
First off there is a definite diference in value of a signature or a personalized signature. I don’t know why that is. With the plain signature worth more. I would assume though that say a book signed by Lee Wulff to say my good friend Nick Lyons might be worth more. Just an example. I don’t remember where I read it.
I don’t care myself, I do not intend to sell any of the books in my collection. What I do hate is that big sticker that some places put on the dust jacket of an autographed book. I’ve never tried to remove that sticker for fear of damaging the jacket but it looks bad and is usually put in a bad spot.
When I was a lad I attended and Trout Unlimited’s Conclave in Alberta and I was lucky to get the Big 5 autographs ever. I still have the program and it will always be a special little piece of history. The big 5 being:
Lee and Joan, Lefty, Dave Whitlock and Gary Lafontaine. That was back in 1985 I was 10.
Dave drew me a picture (of a smiling brown) and I exchanged flies with him as well. It was a wiggletail damsel and I lost it in a tree a few years later. Now that is a sad story…