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How to collect big rewards from the memorabilia market
Jamie Breese grew up around antiques. His family was in the collectables business and it wasn't long before he was running his own market stall.
Since those early days he has become an expert on everything from historical letters to football programmes. Now, with the recession turning us into a nation of bargain hunters, a browse round a car boot sale or second-hand shop may unearth a treasure worth investing in.
Autographs: Prices have increased over the year, but the market is prone to supply and demand, fashions and the unexpected. An autograph on a scrap of paper or in an album is worth less than one on a handwritten letter or photograph. A signature in ink is better than pencil and a personal inscription to a fan with a signature is usually worth less than a clear signature on its own.
Best buys: Bruce Lee 9,500. Winston Churchill 6,500. The Beatles: 24,500 for signed photograph.
Pottery: Not so long ago car boot sales were full of Denby pottery, but now it is creeping back into fashion. The company opened its doors in 1809 when a seam of clay was discovered in the Denby area. It is the animal pieces from the 1940s which are most popular, and it is still possible to pick items up very cheaply.
Best buys: Giraffe from 1940s: 60, Luxor dinner service sold for 313 on eBay in November last year.
Letters: The market is buoyant for this type of collectable. Important historical figures always fetch a premium, as do the best-known literary figures. Letters from royalty are also keenly sought after.
Best buys: A signed letter from Captain James Cook sold for 33,600 a couple of years ago; a letter from Charles Dickens to a colleague signed simply C. D, went on sale for 2,950 towards the end of last year.
Comics: Classic British comics have found a great niche and, while values are usually far less than for US gems, they're easier to find. Usually its the first appearance of a character which creates the most interest, but collectors also look out for a character's final appearance. Girls' comics, such as Bunty, are not particularly sought after, as the majority of collectors are male.
Best buys: The Beezer first issue from 1956: 500 plus; The Beano first issue: 12,000.
Dolls' Houses: The best examples are works of art in their own right, they tell historians exactly how we used to live and can sell for thousands of pounds. The more mass-produced ones remain accessible price-wise and if kept well, may prove to increase in value. Original condition is a key factor and in general the furniture is worth more than the houses.
Best buys: Set of tin plate furniture by Rock and Graner: 1,000.
Books: Modern first-edition books, dating from 1900s, have become extremely collectable over the last decade or so. Initial print runs for unknown authors tend to be low, so to identify a true first edition look for a single date on the title page. If it is followed by the words "second impression" or "republished in" then it's no good. The presence of a dust jacket is very important.
Best buys: Casino Royale by Ian Flemming with dust jacket: 25,000; Brighton Rock by Graham Greene with dust jacket: 11,000.
Football: This is one of the few areas where modern items can fetch as much as vintage memorabilia and the game is so ingrained in our national culture, it is difficult to see a time when values might tumble. As a general rule mass-produced items such as sticker-albums don't have a market value, even if complete, and it's much better to look for club lapel badges or unusual match programmes.
Best buys: Souvenir book from the 1966 World Cup: 250; Signed David Beckham photograph: 200.
Films: The big money is in the screen idols of Hollywood's first 50 years, such as Audrey Hepburn, Laurel and Hardy and Marilyn Monroe. Equally large amounts lie in the exceptionally rare models, props and costumes from major films. Oscars and actors' scripts are considered the Holy Grail of film memorabilia.
Best buys: Original Terminator poster from 1984: 250; Flag from Indian Jones and the Last Crusade: 800.
Newspapers: The most popular editions are usually worth the least, as more people keep them for posterity. Many collectors go for a certain subject and, curiously, murders are popular. The one thing to beware off is facsimile editions of papers which are often produced to celebrate a certain anniversary.
Best buys: Final issue of the Today newspaper which folded in 1995: 90; First edition of the Daily Mirror from 1903: 200.
Jamie Breese's Collectables Manual, published by Haynes, priced 16.99, is available to order through the Yorkshire Post Bookshop on 0800 0153232 or online at www.yorkshirepost bookshop.co.uk Post and packaging is 2.75.
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