THE CHAMPION OF AUTOGRAPH HUNTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 126, 23 November 1935, Page 31

THE CHAMPION OF AUTOGRAPH HUNTERS

Jack Dempsey—2s 6d; Harry Roy—-| Gd; Lloyd George—£s ss. This is not .....an extract from the catalogue of an\~auction sale of celebrities. It is the rvalue placed on the signatures of these -famous people by a man who has -jspent thirty-six years collecting signatures from all parts of the world. He *~ is Reginald Bray, known as "The Autograph King." ----- Recently the adventures of Mr. Reginald Hunt, of York, who has collected 10,000 signatures, were described in English papers. Mr. Bray claims that his collection surpassed that of Mr. Hunt. He has sent over 23,000 ....letters to famous people and received "."".'"more than 10,000 replies. Night after ' "."night he spends writing letters ;o .■ world-famous people. No famous per- ;; ;;son arrives in Britain without finding ■Mr. Bray's card on his doorstep. ■■ No one can be "in the news" long 'without getting a request for a signa--'...tura from him. His "den" is sur.rounded with bulky volumes crammed ; full of signatures. His walls are deco- .;,; rated with scores of pictures arid cards bearing famous signatures. And every --post brings new captures. The collec,,.tion is making mushroom-like growth. ..;:;; Mr.. Bray is trying to get Hitler's ..;.. signature. He has sent off eight re-;-;-quests to him. So far they have met ■"■with refusal. But he doesn't give up. ■"-He has had 13,000 refusals since he ■•""started and is used to them now! Mr. „_ '"Bray's collection is believed to be one •of 'he most valuable in the world. •;'•• Yet he confessed that it only cost ■p. .him £125 for postage, stationery, and ■--printing over the.whole 36 years. "I ~ never yet bought a signature,"

I said Mr. Bray. He has adopted many clever ruses to obtain signatures. "I wrote to Pope Pius X.. several times without getting a reply," he said. "Then I wrote to him in Latin and he sent his signature back immediately." '•' This signature is one of Mr. Bray's most valued possessions. He approached: Bernard Shaw, and asked for his autograph. Shaw has a printed slip he sends to autograph hunters and Mr. Bray received this. "He didn't apply again. He values Shaw's signature at five guineas. Many celebrities would be shocked if they looked into a book kept by Mr. Bray, in which he enters the value of signatures. He prices radio stars at 6d each. He is trying to get a complete collection of radio people. He is also seeking the signatures of, air the people connected with the Abyssinian dispute. No celebrity escapes the eagle eye of the autograph king. j He reads the newspapers every day and listens in to the radio for news of them. As soon as anyone of importance is on his way to England, Mr. Bray writes to them. His letter ;s awaiting the celebrity the moment he steps into his hotel. "Being on the spot is the secret of success," says Mr. Bray. One of the most valuable sections of his collection is the military section. He has signatures of numbers of the famous people who held high commands during the war —many of whom are now dead —and some of these are rapidly gaming value. Mr. Bray believes that in years to come his collection will be worth a fortune.