Photograph Sources



If you send a photograph or another item for the celebrity to sign your chances of getting an authentic autograph are much, much better.

The best source:
The best source of general photographs is Movie Star News; 134 W 18th St; NY NY 10011
(Include $3 for an illustrated catalog with regular updates.) They offer photos mainly of movie stars, but also of celebities in other fields such as sports. Color photos are $5, Black and White are $3.

Other good sources of photographs:

  • Eric Sanchez Good online site.

  • Space Images; PO Box 701567; San Antonio TX 78270. Voice: 800-877-8915. Voice/Fax: 210-499-4504. E-mail (Sells superb photographs related to space missions; Free list; Contact Space Images for current prices.)

  • Jerry Ohlinger’s; 242 W. 14th St; New York, NY 10011 (Sells photographs, movie stills, movie scripts, lobby cards, other items. Free catalog; B+W=$3.50, Color=$5. Shipping charges are $4.00 per order.)

  • The Movie Market; P.O. Box 3900; Dana Point, CA 92629-8900. Tel: (714) 488-8444, Fax: (714) 488-8445. (E-mail) (Illustrated catalog, with supplements about every month, is $8 for one year; 8X10 B+W=$3, Color=$4.50. Other sizes available. Shipping charges are $3.00 per order)

  • Cinema City; P.O. Box 1012; Muskegon MI 49443 (Entertainment photographs and other items. Catalog $3)

  • Milton T. Moore, Jr; P.O. Box 140280; Dallas, TX 75214-0280 (Movie star photos -- send SASE and requests. I am uncertain of his prices)

  • Sy Sussman; 2962 S. Mann St.; Las Vegas NV 89102 (write for information)

  • Vintage Prints; P.O. Box 84546; Vancouver, WA 98684
    Phone:(206) 944-1221

  • Hummerdude's; P.O. Box 4348; Dunellen, NJ 08812
    Phone:(908) 424-9367

  • Stephen Sally; Times Square Station; P.O. Box 646; N.Y., NY 10036

  • New York Sports Images;P.O. Box 47; Commack, NY 11725
    Fax(516)543-6625

    You may often buy photographs from your local newspaper. Photography departments sell photographs taken by their photographers. Contact the newpaper in your area for more information. This is often an inexpensive source for photos.

    You may also try obtaining photographs from national newspapers and news services. These are often very expensive and impractical for most situations, but they are sometimes the only source available for certain photographs. Here are two sources:

  • The New York Times; Pictures 9th Floor; The New York Times News Service; 229 West 43rd St; New York NY 10036—sells black and white photos taken by and published in the New York Times. Photos are very expensive (from $35 to $110). Contact the New York Times for an order form.

  • The Associated Press/Wide World Photos; 50 Rockefeller Plaza; New York NY 10020. Photos are $85 for color 8 X 10 and $65 for black and white (student discounts are available). Contact AP for an order form.

    The United States Department of Defense sells photographs related to military subjects from 1982 to the present. Photos are inexpensive but you must know what photo you are looking for. You must also pay a research fee for the photograph. Contact the department at this address for more information: Customer Services; DoD Still Media Records Center; Bldg 168, Anacostia; 2701 South Capitol St SW; Washington DC 20374-5080.

    The National Archives also sells photographs of historical subjects, taken prior to World War II. These photos are excellent and are great to frame with signatures of historical figures. Prices are inexpensive, but again you must know what photograph you are looking for. Ask for more information: Still Pictures Branch (NNSP); National Archives and Records Administration; 8601 Adelphi Rd; College Park MD 20740-6001. There is also a search engine available on the Internet to assist with locating photographs.



    An image from the National Archives Still Pictures Branch

    Photographs of current (and some recently retired) Supreme Court justices can be obtained from:

    Supreme Court Historical Society
    US Supreme Court
    1 First St. NE
    Washington, DC 20543
    (202)554-8300 or (888)539-4438

    Items available include formal and informal group shots and individual portraits. Prices start at $10 for 5x7, $15 for 8x10, a bit more for group shots. Color and b/w photos are available. Be advised that many of the photos are not well-suited to autographs, as they feature dark foregrounds and backgrounds. The individual portraits of Breyer and Ginsburg are the best for signing.



    Other items for signing:


    Books: You can always visit your local bookstore for books to send to celebrities, but spending $20-30 on each book tends to become very expensive quickly! A good way around this problem is to find a good source of overstock books. Overstocks are surplus books that are slightly out-of-date and are hard to sell, so bookstores sell them at huge discounts. The best source of overstocks is Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller. This company sells overstocked books at very low prices, mostly in the $3-5 range. Ask for a free catalog by writing to: Edward R. Hamilton, Falls Villiage CT 06031-5000 or visit their web site.

    Another source of overstocks online is Daedalus Books. The best online source of books at full price is Amazon Books.


    Engravings: Engravings of US Presidents, Chief Justices of the United States, and notable Wasington DC government buildings (Capitol, White House, etc.) may be ordered from:

    Bureau of Engraving and Printing
    c/o Order Processing Department
    PO Box 371594
    Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7594

    Small engravings (5x7, image abour 2x2 1/2) are generally $4.00, large engravings (8x10, image about 4x5) are generally $4.50, postpaid. Write to the above address for further details and a current pricelist. Items are slightly cheaper if purchased in person at the BEP souvenir gift shop in Washington, DC.


    A White House engraving signed by Gerald Ford.

    First Day Covers: Some collectors send first day covers for signing. First day covers are special envelopes printed especially for a new stamp, which are then cancelled with a “First Day of Issue” designation. The FDC is related to the celebrity who signs. For example, a Chemistry FDC could be sent to a Nobel prizewinner in Chemistry. The advantages to sending FDC’s is that they are inexpensive to send and are more interesting than a plain index card. You can buy first day covers at your local stamp collector’s store or through the mail with Bell Stamp Company; Box 1; Whatcheer, IA 50268. (telephone 515-634-2162)


    An example of a first day cover signed by several prominent authors.

    Presidential and political memorabilia is available from these two companies (among others):

    Political Americana
    685 15th St. NW
    Washington, DC 20005
    (202)547-1871 or (800)333-4555 for orders
    Two other branches in Georgetown and Union Station, DC

    Capitol Coin and Stamp
    1701 L St. NW
    Washington DC 20036

    Contact them directly as their stock changes almost daily.

    Next: Address sources

    This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 1997 by Stephen Beck.

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