Autographed from America: How to bring business from overseas

Alexander Krylov lived 20 years in immigration to the United States and brought the idea of ​​business from there. It turned out that a purely American “trick” - to collect and resell autographs of celebrities - took root both in Russia and in Ukraine, and their sale brings round sums.

On the American fair in Kiev The businessman managed not only to give a lecture about autographs, but also to immediately confirm the word with a deed: to sell the autograph of a Hollywood actor Mel Gibson. Bidding started with five dollars, passed cheerfully, as a result - the lot went for 250 dollars.

In an interview with the “Forum,” a businessman told how to start a business by chance, how much his collection costs, and how not to buy a fake autograph.

Alexander Krylov near the autograph of Marilyn Monroe
Photos: Facebook

Krylov was born in Kiev, went to Israel, then to the USA, where he settled for many years. In America, he was doing nothing: selling New Balance sneakers, flowers, metal; He was a manager of a basketball player, and then, finally, began to collect and resell celebrities with autographs.

Returning to Ukraine after decades in immigration, Krylov opened the company Memorabilia with an office in Kiev, as well as in Moscow and Los Angeles. The name from English is just translated as “memorable things”.

This business is rather unusual for Russia and Ukraine, but things with autographs (most often photos with quotes) have become in great demand, especially as gifts for rich people. Krylov even registered the copyright of the slogan “A gift to a person who has everything”.

How did you start collecting autographs, and whose was the first?

After moving to the USA, I did a lot of things, including I was the business manager of Glory Medvedenko. I believe that this is one of the best basketball players in Ukraine, who began to play in the Los Angeles Lakers [one of the most expensive NBA league teams].

When my friends found out about this, they began to ask me to bring them autographs of basketball players - Shakila O'Neill, Kobe Bryant. Sometimes I asked Slava, sometimes I went to train with him and took it. No one ever refused. When Kobe found out that I played basketball in the past, I took off my sneakers, signed and gave it to me. They lay at my house. Once a friend came to visit, and, seeing these sneakers, offered to buy them for almost 2000 dollars.

I was very surprised, because they were ordinary sneakers, in the 2000th year they could be bought in a store for a hundred dollars. I began to explore this question and realized that personal belongings, including autographs, have a certain value, and in the states a lot of people collect them. I started collecting things and autographs. Given that I often went to the Los Angeles Lakers games, I met many celebrities. Started looking for dealers. Exchanged with them and increased its collection.

What are you collecting autographs for?

I want to leave something behind me. Part of the money goes to charity, part - to buy new autographs.

How much is your collection worth?

For me, it is priceless, but its approximate market value is a couple of million dollars.

Any items or autographs that you don’t sell?

There are some things that are very close to me. This, for example, is the autograph of Andrei Tarkovsky, whose films I love very much. Autograph of [actor, poet and performer Vladimir] Vysotsky is. There is a letter signed by [writer Vladimir] Nabokov, which he sent to Playboy magazine with gratitude that they published an article about [the poet] Yevgeny Yevtushenko. Recently, at a charity auction, I bought a hard hat; the guys from the anti-terrorist operation zone [the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine] brought it. I gave all the money that I had with me in order to help them.

How to check that thing or autograph is not fake?

There is a check for authenticity [carried out by experts in America]. For autographs - the certificate of authenticity provided by the company that conducted the autograph session is given. We gave such certificates when we conducted an autograph session with the Klitschko brothers [boxers], with [the singer] Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. Near the very autograph we glue a hologram that can not be unnoticeably removed. By hologram number you can return to database [Krylov's company] and check the autograph history. [In America, there are also summary databases where you can find the history of things and autographs, as well as the dynamics of prices - for example, broker for baseball cards and sports-related memorabilia].

If an autograph or thing is not bought during the session - how to verify authenticity?

In this case, you need to look where you buy. Auction houses quite seriously verify the authenticity. In the States there are several expert companies that check several items: the autograph is written, not printed; the autograph is signed by a pen, not by an auto-fuel [by a special robot that so skillfully “forges” the signature that even experts cannot always notice the difference]; when the autograph was made.

Auto heating in work
Photo: Museum of autographs

After the acquisition of the lot, I always send it to an independent certification.

Did you get the printed autographs, the autogen?

Yes, there were, and even the signature of the secretary. At a book auction, I once bought a book with the signature of Mandela [Nelson Mandela, black rights activist]. The examination indicated that it was a seal, so I returned it.

And with the autograph of [actor and director] Al Pacino, there was a story. I got a very beautiful signature. I became interested in the stories of his autographs. It turned out that the secretary very beautifully signed for him. I hesitated and gave for examination - it was still the signature of the secretary.

How to earn a million on autographs?

Very simple - for this you need to have acquaintances with great people. For example, if you [singer and actor] Elvis Presley gave you a car, as he liked to do, you could sell it at auction for a million.

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