Sunday, June 5, 2016

Sometimes the Valentino Items find you!!

Hello all, please forgive me for my absence.  I just spoke with my fellow Valentino collector friend, Jim Craig you asked where I have been.  He told me it had been almost a year since I have posted.  Which is ridiculous!  I am still very much a collector and fan.  I have been so busy with work, a small business and family!

Anyway, I have a great Valentino Collectible story to share with you.  About 5 years ago I purchased a cut signature on ebay.  The wording of the listing was a bit confusing and I assume the seller was unaware of what they had.  Long story short, I purchased the signature for about $100.  I was ecstatic and could not wait to get my new autograph in the mail.  I was hesitant and wanted to examine it up close!  After a week or two I grew impatient and was curious where my autograph was.  I contacted the seller who told me it shipped and provided me tracking information.  The tracking stated my package had been delivered!  I contacted the post office....nothing, checked with neighbors....nothing.  I was so upset that my autograph was no where to be found.

Fast forward a few weeks ago.  I went out to our subdivision garage sale.  I walked across the street about 4 houses down, went into their garage, looked down.....and there it was!  My cut Valentino signature with a sticker that read  $10.  I literally picked it up, held it in my hand and began laughing.  The man, who's house I was at, looked at me funny.  I looked at him and said, "you are not going to believe this; but this is mine."  I went on to tell him the entire story.  He seemed "busted" to say the least that he had received my mail and not returned it to me.  He quickly said, well, uh, I got that in the mail, I did not know what it was and simply threw it aside.  I said look, I will pay your $10; but this is mine.  He quickly said, no, no, I feel terrible.  Take it, it's yours.  He then asked me why would I buy this in the first place.  I said because I was a Valentino collector.  He obviously had no idea what he had.  He proceeded to show me a few baseball cards he had for sale which he bragged were worth $10-$20, which he had looked up online.  How fortuitous for me that he failed to type in Rudolph Valentino autograph!  With my autograph tightly in hand I quickly left his home, walked 5 houses up and brought home my "find" 5 years later!  I was more shocked than upset that I actually got back my autograph!  Unbelievable!  Anyway, it was the best day I have ever had at a garage sale!

10 comments:

  1. That is some story, Brad! Nice specimen, that signature, and interesting that it's on a fragment of a menu. It's fun to think about the circumstances behind how a fan got Rudy to sign it. Your neighbor though, not nice. I hope he was embarrassed. Great to see a post again!

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  2. I am from illinois. I have a 1930 news paper that you would be very interested in. All about him. Let me know because i am in touch with the historic society of chicago that is very interested in what i have

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  3. Great story! Discoveries can still happen! I had a similar experience with a Voison Cobra car mascot...identical to the one pictured in 1964 Car Magazine on the topic. Valentino's Voison is in a Museum in SoCal with a repro mascot on it. Most all seen are repros.

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  4. omg...wow!This is the best story yet!That autograph was meant for you and eventho it eneded up at the neighbors look how it found its way into your life.Enjoy my friend.

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  5. I believe I may have discovered an autograph...it's in an old yearbook from 1919 that was used as a scrapbook /autograph book. Lots of pics, but there are a few signed photos. Ben Lyon, Janet Gaynor, Conrad Nagel...and Valentino. I believe it to be hand signed. I'm excited to say the least!

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  6. Just pored over Valentino's photos posted by Staci Lynn and they were great! I noticed one in particular-Valentino dancing with a woman from A Sainted Devil. The woman is Yvonne Hughes, my husband's great aunt. I have been researching her life and you have the only photo I have seen of Valentino and Yvonne. Do you know of any others? Is it possible to purchase a copy? Eileen Hughes echughes70@yahoo.com

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  7. I have the only hand written and signed, lyrics of an unpublished song "Bell Bottom Trousers" by Consuelo Flowerton. Written on June 30th, 1943, while performing at "The Hotel Elysee of New York", in front of a group og Young Naval Officers. Just putting this out there incase that anyone would be interested in this item. Thanks, James

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  8. Thank you look forward to your posts.

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  9. Hey man! Where you at? No blog entries since almost 4 years now? And only 1 in 2015! Did you die? Did you quit being a fan/collecting? Say hey if you see this. Do you know how I can contact Evelyn Zumnaya? Also please fix your CAPTCHA! It's helluvannoying! There is no way to know what images we're supposed to tick as it's cut off at top. PLEASE RE-ALIGN THIS blog FRAME!

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  10. I just acquired 2 Rudolph Valentino scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings, documents, photographs, his signature, wall paper from his home, a car mirror, a post card dated 1915.

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