A Premier Autograph Event Called “The Magic of Handwriting”

 

                                                                                                                               By Stephen Koschal
              Miami, Florida USA

 

The German Autograph Club better known as the AdA held its first autograph show on March 17, 2007.  The event took place in the picturesque county town of Aalen which is halfway between Stuttgart and Nuremberg.  Two floors of the 16th century Fachsenfeld Castle were used for educational displays and dealer and auction tables.

 

Every dealer exhibiting was friendly and knowledgeable about their inventory which was very refreshing especially after my last few show experiences in the United States and England.  Autographs in all fields of endeavor were available for sale with many items that would be of interest to United States collectors.

 

My first impression was that the people running this event were more interested in collector relations and education with the selling of autographs coming in third. Much was to be learned from the conversations of collectors and dealers who were more than willing to share their knowledge and experience.

 

The exhibits could easily have won educational awards. On the first floor was a wall of exemplars of autopen and facsimile signatures many unpublished in autograph journals. The second floor contained an impressive collection of quality framed items from the personal collection of Markus Brandes. Unfortunately none were for sale.  This floor also contained a showcase containing a very important excellent content letter by Napoleon.  A side room was totally devoted to the autograph of Albert Schweitzer.  A most interesting educational display convincing me that what I had read in autograph reference books before was totally incorrect.  I had believed from what I read that Schweitzer “seldom-indeed, almost never- signed any letters or papers.”  In one of Hamilton’s books he discusses what he believe’s he found to be a genuine “elusive, actual signature of the great humanitarian.”  In this wonderful display, Markus Brandes and the Albert Schweitzer Society Augsburgclearly illustrates letters by both of Schweitzer’s secretaries.  He also has on display many souvenir items, letters, documents and photographs that bear a genuine inscription and or signature by Albert Schweitzer.  You come away from this display thoroughly understanding the difference of Albert Schweitzer’s genuine autograph from those signed by his two different secretaries.  The icing on the cake is the new heavily illustrated signature study of Schweitzer entitle “From The Hand of Albert Schweitzer”  by Markus Brandes.  This educational study was published in time for this extraordinary event.

 

There were other impressive displays such as handmade models of sports cars made by the award winning model builder Olaf Spiegel.

 

Axel Schmolt Autograph Auctions had a table at the show with some on the highlights of their next auction available for viewing. Catalogs for this sale were available at no charge.

 

A special meeting was held for the members of the AdA and the guest speaker was Georg von Humboldt a descendant of Alexander von Humbolt. He spoke about the importance of autographs for his research and asked for better relations between the Humbolt research department and the autograph community.  In the past, important facts which were not confirmed are now supported by autograph letters and documents.   After his talk, I was asked to come up to the main table and speak before Mr. Von Humbolt and members of the ADA.  It was a most enjoyable session which lasted for about half an hour. The collectors attending were given the opportunity to ask me questions regarding autographs, the state of the hobby and the future of collecting.

 

During my travels around the rooms I had the great pleasure of meeting for the first time such luminaries as Rolf Ramseier, the noted dealer from Switzerland, Florian Noller who specializes in space autographs and the noted U.S. Presidential autograph expert and author Andreas Wiemer.

 

I was extremely impressed by the warm greetings from Harald Detlefsen, President of the AdA and Dr. Heinz-Ulrich Kammeier, Vice President of the club who is also an English teacher.

 

I was asked how this show could have been improved and had a hard time coming up with any fresh ideas as spending a day at this event was pure delight.  My only response was “the lighting could be a little better” but what can one expect in a castle over 500 years old!  Pictures of this 2007 event can be found by going to the club’s website www.Ada1986.de  - “Nachlese zur Ada Veranstaltung....”

 

Without any doubt, this was a well planned and organized autograph event.  I can’t wait for next years show which will be held on March 29, 2008 in  Rathenow, Germany.  Rathenow is just outside Berlin and very close to historical Potsdam.

 

I hope to see some of you there.