Need advice on very rare autograph book!

[KristinErickson404]

Hi all:
This is my first time here. I found you guys while searching for advice on how to sell an autograph book O acquired and would like to sell. It has some extremely rare autographs in it and any advice you could give me as to where to sell it )or if any of you would like to buy it :-) would be wonderful.

Here's the deal:
I bought this from a friend of mine who is absolutely reputable. 110%. This is an autograph book an older teenager named Margaret Slaughter kept from about 1933-1939. She was the daughter of the man who owned a number of higher end hotels including the Clarendon in Daytona Beach and others. Many celebrities and sports figures stayed there, performed there and played there (on the nearby golf courses( one in particular that isn't around any more is the Kenilsworth Course in Sebring, FL).

Any time a celebrity came thru, Margaret asked them to sign her book or sign something which she put in her book. It is in excellent condition although she did fold some of the items and then glue the back down but there is nothing on the other jade of each page so it could be carefully be cut apart. No worries - I haven't touched it yet! :-)

I was pretty freaked out because I didn't know much about sports autographs when I first started looking some of these names up. There's a mix of sports people, celebs and mystery people whose names I can't begin to read. They're probably the ones worth a gazillion dollars. :-))) good old
What's his name!

To give you an idea:

1. Cab Calloway
2. Benny Goodman
3. A beautiful inscribed signature from Grantland Rice.
4. A signature w inscription from E. Vines Jr.
5. A scorecard from Kenilsworth for a foursome who played 18 holes in about 1934. The PGA president at the time, George Jacobus, took the guys out. The whole card is filled out with each score per hole per man. Man 2 is a guy named Beach; man 3 is a guy named Jimmy and man 4 is a man by the name of WALTER HAGEN. He has signed the scorecard beautifully in what appears to be black dark fountain pen.
6. A German actress and pilot (around the time of Amelia Earhart) named Antonie Strassmann. First woman to successfully fly across the Atlantic Ocean BEFORE A.E. She had signed on a large newspaper clipping that says something like "businesswoman and pilot touches down for a rest" with a large picture: she has signed and dated it - 1935 I believe. And her signature is insanely rare.
7. A handdrawn Mickey Mouse sketch of him wearing a scarf and skates - a popular movie was about to come out around them when he wore this exact same outfit. The guy who drew it - either EDGAR WEST or Edger Westake has also written V.S. "Word I can't read" WALT DISNEY. I can't find this guy although an autograph collector I talked to very briefly before so catalogued all of this (can't even recall his name...)!:did recognize this guy's name. THe illustration is on the back of all old Do Not Disturb Card so it's larger and quite incredible. It simply says MICKEY! MOUSE w his signature (whoever HE is).
8. Inscribed signature from Lawsom Little.
9. TWo pages which face one another. One signed and inscribed w Mary Livingatone and the other inscribed "Me Too!" By her husband Jack Benny. There's also a second bonus Jack Benmy in the book.
10. Robert Keith - apparently very rare actor's autograph.
11. BIlly Haines.
12. Fred Perry (tennis)
13. Buddy Rogers (of Mary Pickford fame)
14. Walter Huston
15. Bill Robinson (Mr. Bojangles)
16. Edmund Burke
17. Joe E. Brown (signed on his racing form from that day where he has also marked the horses or his that are running - really fascinating - from the Hollywood Race Track)

And about 20 more and what I believe is the best of the lot.

18. There's another foursome George Jacobus took out on February 16, 1933. Kenilsworth again - the 18 holes are all completely filled out and it is tucked in the book. These three other guys are a bit more we'll known. Number 2? Horton Smith. Number 2? Al Watrus. And Number 3? Craig Wood. I swear. They finished that day in the exact same order they would each finish the first Masters - was it even CALLED the Masters yet? - the following year. Smith won. Wood came in second. Watrus third and Jacobus fourth. Can't recall where Watrus finished at the Masters - 9th? and Jacobus, I think, was something like 59th or thereabouts?

Oh, and here's another beautiful thing; All four men signed the front of the scorecard.

HELP! I used to collect autographs but more along the lines of vintage MGM musicals. I appreciate but there's absolutely no reason for me to hang on to this and I'd like to see it go to someone who would appreciate it or who might like to pay me a nice price - whatever that means doe something like this - and perhaps then make some more money on top. I'm all for the entrepreneurial spirit! :-)

But, as mentioned, I'm not sure whether to sell it outright as is; cut it apart etc.

Any advice would be so helpful. Not sure if it's appropriate to share Phone #s or and emails so I won't until I know but thanks SO much in advance.

Kristin

[shelly]

Call Richard Simon 646-319-7531

[tazdmb]

I second Ricard Simon