Cause A Frockus

Collecting Music Memorabilia

Feb 17, 2016 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

In the spirit of the recent Grammy Awards, let’s talk about collecting music memorabilia. After all, in another 30 years all our favorite artists from today will roll into vintage territory! We’ll cover the big things to look for in each category of collecting, but first the rules of the road. Like most other genres, the more unique a find the more economically valuable. If it’s a signature from an early band member, later ousted from the group, or a ticket stub for a small concert – typically the more obscure, the better. So let’s get our jam on; first up is a familiar tune that extends beyond musical collections: autographs.

Autographs

We’re going to start our guide with the category offering (historically) the most economic possibility. You may think a signature is a signature, but there are certain qualities that you’ll want to be aware of as you start investing more seriously. First of, much like in real estate, you have to consider location. If your signature is in an autograph book or a blank sheet of paper that’s not as valuable as one written on a piece with meaning for the artist or band. For example that could be a concert program, picture of the group, or record cover. Some experts think the prime location, the Boardwalk square, is penned lyrics. First drafts or napkin sketches of lyrics and melodies is the holy grail. For the serious collector and music enthusiast, this is akin to getting a glimpse into the inner workings of their idol’s mind. A tangible treat – and one that is highly prized. Competing for a close second is a handwritten letter. If the letter is deeply personal or historically relevant it may bump up to that Boardwalk status. Where it lands on the scale largely depends on how the next factors shake out…

After location, the next thing you want to consider is the person who signed. Ask yourself: is this person incredibly popular and are they alive? If they are famous you usually can seek a higher asking price. The second question is like the Van Gogh syndrome. Once someone is gone it’s impossible to get another signature, another masterpiece by their hand – the supply becomes limited. And as our high school economics shows us if supply goes down, then demand can only go up over time. Morbid approach to the joy of collecting, but an unavoidable point to consider.

If an autograph is personalized is it worth more or less than its flat-signed counterpart? There’s a lot of debate on this, but by in large, personalization usually diminishes value. Unless the person it’s personalized to is also famous / has a connection with the artist, which adds even more history to the piece. (And can bump up the value considerably)

You also must consider the quality of the signature – the more legible the name, the better return on investment. But finding a clear signature isn’t a guaranteed green light. Go back to location – is the item it’s written on in good shape? If it’s a letter, do you have the envelope? Are there smudges around the signature – is it torn or damaged in any way? I do want to point out that the more coveted the location, the more forgiving appraisers are on condition. Case in point: if you have the original scribbled lyrics to Hotel California, people aren’t going to argue over a coffee stain in the corner of the page. At this level you are dealing with history and that impacts the valuation approach.

As you can see there are some overarching guidelines to follow, but as with all collecting, you should seek out the pieces that speak to you. It’s debatable which combination is the perfect recipe for high-value collections, so trust your gut and do your research.

Promotional goodies

Now that we live in an age steeped in marketing, artists are creating all sorts of promotional items. But back in the day, there was less of this global branding approach. As a collector you have a better chance of finding something special the further back in time you travel. The biggest lesson with this specific subset of collecting is condition. Promotional items that have not been disturbed – and by that I mean are living in unopened containers – are hands’ down the most valuable.

Clothes, accessories, and instruments

There are all sorts of random goodies people close to musicians could obtain. Look to your concert goers, assistants, roadies and devoted fans. As a collector you must look to actual proof – you need to be able to prove the article’s provenance. Icing on the cake includes an autograph on the actual piece, photographic evidence of the artist wearing or playing the item, and a letter from the artist talking about the item. As mentioned above – the more famous the performer the more valuable. And the more exposure a piece has had (ex: an outfit worn at an acclaimed concert or a guitar played on tv) the larger the asking price.

One thing you should note – this category in particular seems to have the strongest hold on your fellow collectors. It’s not often that these items come up for sale. And if you are lucky enough to find one with authentic provenance, it’s typically going to be at an auction house.

Printed material

We decided to leave the best for last. And by “best” I mean the area with the most diversity! I think this is the strongest genre for the beginning collector. There are so many avenues for collecting – tickets, posters, programs (to name a few).

Be on high alert with backstage passes; fakes are everywhere. Make sure you have the seller prove its history.

When it comes to this category you’ll want to look at the quality of the paper it’s printed on. Scan for tears, folds, smudges. As we all know, it’s easy to beat up those programs or ticket stubs over the course of a music-filled evening. Finding something in mint condition is tricky – but worth the effort!

Please check out our previous article on poster collecting to dive in deeper on what to look for in terms of quality and size.

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For our reader: what vintage musicians do you enjoy most – share your collecting stories and triumphs with us in the comments.

The author would like to thank Antiques Roadshow: 20th Century Collectibles, the array of passionate collectors offering opinions on forums across the internet, and Wikipedia Commons.

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