The Duffy was purchased by me here, and then traded:
http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/.../2010/972.html
<<Should I kick myself for trading T206 collector my signed Fred Clarke?>>
I continue to hope that you don't regret the trade that brought this to me too much -- as I recall you got three signed pre-war cards for it, including a killer T202 Wheat. Hopefully it comes as some small consolation that the Clarke is in a good home where he is cared for and cherished regularly.
To answer your primary question, I think there is a lot of room for growth in some areas of the signed card world. What I think is critical to understanding the market is that the medium is paramount. I just purchased this signed "card" of Marquard from 1911 on ebay in December for $100.
The same beautiful signature on a 1911 T206 Marquard would go for 10x that at least. The desirability of the set is what is driving the price. Marquard on a reprint is a $10 card. His signature is so common. Crazy common. But, combine it with a desirable set and you've got a four-figure card.
T206 is the most desirable set in pre-war, and it is tough to find a player from the set who signed one of his cards. Marquard died in 1980, which is a reasonable cut off. One of the reasons that signed Goudeys never did much for me is that many of the players lived well into the 1980s, when collecting really took off. But, I still can't believe what a signed Elmer Flick T206 brought in the recent Heritage Auction. I'd like to believe that those prices will come down to earth a little. But, who knows. It would take a lot to outbid me on a signed T206 pose I do not already have. For those, just get out of my way!
