About the Neil Carter collection
Signaturecollector.com was established
in 2005 to manage the autograph collection left by Neil
Carter, an avid autograph collector who amassed a collection
over his lifetime consisting of over 5,000 signed photos,
letters, show programs, signature cards, First Day Covers,
and other ephemera in categories that encompassed all of
the arts, as well as the worlds of sports, literature, and
politics.
read more >
Please browse the collection
below - all items are for sale.
Each category links to a downloadable Excel sheet containing
a more complete inventory. Additional information about
items will be furnished upon request. The entire collection
will be increased over the coming months and if there is
anything you don't see in our catalog, but would like to
inquire about, please contact
us.
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hollywood/tv
• music •
political • theatre •
opera •
ballet •
notables •
signature cards
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HOLLYWOOD, TV, ENTERTAINERS
AND MEDIA PERSONALITIES
Hollywood download
Inventory >
From the Golden Age of Hollywood to some of today's biggest
box office stars before they made it big, this collection
is a Hollywood Walk of Fame for any film buff. Look for a
cast photo of "Death on the Nile" signed by Bette
Davis, David Niven, Angela Lansbury, and Mia Farrow (among
others), a cast photo from "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance
Kid" signed by Newman and Redford, and signed photos
of such endearing stars and fan favorites as Ingrid Bergman,
Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Wood, Douglas Fairbanks - Junior &
Senior, DeNiro, Eastwood, and Hoffman. This collection contains
signed photos, letters, and promotional posters. The collection
also contains signed photos from movie directors and producers
such as Norman Jewison, Blake Edwards, and Robert Altman.
Television download
Inventory >
From the Honeymooners represented by signed photos and signature
cards from Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and
Joyce Randolph, to signed photos of the entire cast of Law
and Order for its first six years, and signed photos from
some of our favorites MASH characters, this collection takes
us down the Memory Lane of the small screen. Find such TV
icons as Ed Asner (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”),
Tony Randall (“The Odd Couple”), Shirley Booth
(“Hazel”), Dick Van Dyke (“The Dick Van
Dyke Show”), and Raymond Burr (“Ironside”).
Entertainers & Media Personalities
download
Inventory >
This collection contains tons of memories – it’s
a Who’s Who of some of the most beloved entertainers
and comedians of our time – from Fred Astaire and Dean
Martin, to Lucille Ball, Bette Midler, Bob Hope, and Red Skelton.
This collection also includes signed photos of newsmakers
such as Ted Turner, Barbara Walters, David Brinkley, and John
Chancellor; talk show hosts such as Phil Donahue, Bernard
Meltzer, and Dick Cavett; game show hosts such as Alex Trebek,
Pat Sajak, and Richard Dawson; and band leaders such as Lawrence
Welk, Guy Lombardo, and Doc Severinsen. |
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“Dear Mr. Carter…..Many
thanks for your very warm letter – I am so glad you
enjoyed my book.” –
Tallulah Bankhead, 1952
“Dear Neil Carter…..Thanks
so much for your kind letter. I want you to know that I am
grateful for the complimentary things you had to say about
me and my work. It’s always nice to know that one’s
efforts are appreciated.” –
Bert Lahr, 1951
“Dear Mr. Carter….How very
kind of you to write me such a very charming letter. I am
deeply touched and encouraged by your words.” –
Vivien Leigh, 1966
“Dear Mr. Carter…..My warmest
thanks for your gracious and most welcome support of my defense
of Bernard Shaw. Since new playwrights are so important to
the theatre, it is surely a terrible disservice to tell them
that Shaw was virtually an old incompetent. As for your kind
words about my reviews, you are a splendid morale-builder,
and I don’t mind saying that I need morale building
from time to time.” –
Richard Watts, 1970, “Theatre Week” columnist
for the New York Post |
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MUSIC: Composers, Performers,
Conductors download
Inventory>
This collection encompasses the
worlds of classical and contemporary music – performers
as noted yet diverse as Yo-Yo Ma and Joan Baez, Vladimir Horowitz
and Johnny Cash, Aaron Copland and Sidney Lippman. The collection
consists of signed programs from the New York Philharmonic as
well as other classical music venues, as well as signed photographs
of composers, conductors, and instrumentalists of both contemporary
and classical music. In addition to contemporary artists, composers,
and conductors, the collection contains a number of items from
a collection Neil purchased through Parke-Bernet, which consists
of early 20th century composers and performers including Franz
Lehar, Jules Massenet, Gustave Charpentier, and Georges Enesco.
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POLITICAL & PRESIDENTIAL
download Inventory
>
Neil began writing presidents, presidential
cabinet members, and politicians as early as 1939. He shared
his thoughts on the war, his sympathies for the death of FDR,
and his opinions on policy positions and speeches he had read.
This collection contains letters and signed photos from first
ladies Eleanor Roosevelt, Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Nancy
Reagan and Presidents Roosevelt, Hoover, Eisenhower, Nixon,
Reagan, and Clinton; noted politicians; military leaders of
WWII; senior cabinet members from the Roosevelt to the Bush
administrations; congressmen and senators over a 40 year period
of time; and Supreme Court Justices Black, Douglas, Milton,
White, O’Conner, and Bader-Ginsberg, among others. |
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“Dear Mr. Carter….That
was a kindly note and I just want you to know how much I appreciate
your friendly remarks. Thank you for writing me.”
– Herbert Hoover, 1952
“Dear Mr. Carter….Thank
you for the favorable remarks in your letter of February 24th
concerning my article in the February issue of the Empire
State Mason. I found your comments most encouraging, and you
can be assured that I have no thought of retiring, as it is
my hope to remain in my present position as long as I can
be of service to our Nation. Your expression of confidence
is indeed appreciated.” –
J. Edgar Hoover, 1968
“Dear Mr. Carter….Thank
you so much for liking my broadcast and for being so good
as t write and tell me so. May I say that it is very encouraging
to know that intelligent people like yourself are taking an
interest in post war problems. Such sympathy and cooperation
cannot fail to be helpful.” –
Fiorello LaGuardia, 1943 |
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THEATRE download
Inventory (coming soon)
Neil lived and maintained a residence in
New York City most of his life to be near the theatre, which
he frequented regularly. The Theatre Collection contains signed
Playbills from principal cast members from almost every show
on Broadway and many off-Broadway productions from the 1960s
through the 1980s, as well as signed photos and personal correspondence
from such stars of the stage as Sir. Alec Guiness, Helen Hayes,
Angela Lansbury, Sir. Laurence Olivier, Mary Martin, Sir.
Ralph Richardson, and Richard Burton. |
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“Dear Mr. Carter….Just
to thank you for your wonderful letter. This is what makes
the writing worthwhile.”
– Arthur Miller, 1988
“Dear Mr. Carter….I appreciate
very much your kind letter written after the opening night
of Romeo & Juliet. It was very gratifying, indeed, to
read what you have to say about the production and my performance
in it.”
– Olivia de Havilland, 1951
“Dear Mr. Carter….I’m
delighted that you and your wife have enjoyed the performance
of ‘Middle of the Night.’ I would like to thank
you for your note and, especially, for the extremely kind
words which are certainly gratifying to a performer.”
– Edward G. Robinson, 1957
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OPERA download
Inventory >
Neil held
season tickets to the New York Metropolitan Opera for over 20
years and was a regular at the New York City Opera. In his retirement,
he and his wife traveled extensively with opera tours that brought
them to the world’s greatest opera houses to see the most
celebrated performances and performers of our time. His love
of opera led to many friendships over the years with opera stars
such as Beverly Sills, Giuseppe Distefano, and Martina Arroyo.
The collection includes signed programs from performances at
the Met and other opera houses around the world, as well as
signed photos and personal correspondence. The collection also
contains a number of vintage photos and correspondence which
he purchased over the years, including a T.L.S. from Geraldine
Farrar and one from Olive Fremstad (1923), a signed photo and
signature card from Lawrence Tibbett (1927), and signed vintage
photos of David Bispham, Heinrich Hensel, and Fritz Vogelstrom.
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BALLET download
Iventory (coming soon)
Neil’s love of the performing
arts extended to the world of ballet. For over 30 years, Neil
frequented and or held subscriptions to the American Ballet
Theatre and the New York City Ballet, and had the opportunity
when traveling to see performances from the world’s greatest
ballet companies. The collection consists of signed and unsigned
programs, some personal correspondence, and signed photos. |
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“Dear Mr. Carter….So
many thanks for your charming letter. I appreciate it so
much and I am, of course, delighted that our return to America
came up to your expectation. It was a very happy visit for
us all.” – Ninette
de Valois, founder of the Royal Ballet, 1981
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| NOTABLES & NOTORIOUS
download Inventory
>
From Asa Cheffetz, the designer of
the official book plate of the Library of Congress (L.S. 1944)
to Simon Wiesenthal, Jonas Salk and Bob Kane, the artist who
created Batman, there’s something in this eclectic collection
for everyone. Also, check out the racy signed photos of Jacqueline
Bisset, Kim Bassinger, Julie Newmar and Joan Collins!
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SIGNATURE CARDS download
Inventory >
The collection's true diversity
can be found in the hundreds of autographed 3x5 index cards
and first day covers my grandfather amassed. Many he received
in person - he was always found with a stack of index cards
and a felt tip marker in his jacket pocket; some he appears
to have purchased through dealers and collected at shows. From
civil rights activists such as Jesse Jackson and Rosa Parks
to historians, celebrities, stamp designers, authors, sports
stars, and those noted for their celebrity or infamous actions
(Claus Von Bulow and OJ Simpson to name just a few....), there's
something in these cards for everyone. |
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| BACK TO TOP |
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theatre
• opera
• ballet
• music
• hollywood/tv
• political
• notables
• signature
cards
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