Autographs of the rich and scandalous

Collecting autographs is one of the most popular children’s pastimes and can, sometimes, prove lucrative many years later.

Whyte’s auction next Saturday (September 20th) includes a collection of autographs of the rich, famous and scandalous of the 20th century collected by a Skibbereen, Co Cork boy, Michael O’Sullivan, in the 1950s.

Auctioneer Ian Whyte said the boy “simply wrote to people and asked for their autographs and while a few replied with refusals, the vast majority obliged with their signatures”.

There is likely to be overseas interest in the autographs of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Edward and Mrs Simpson) estimated at €800-€1,200; a signed photograph of Spanish dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco dated October 13th, 1959 together with accompanying secretarial letter (€150-€200); and a rare, signed handwritten letter from Boris Pasternak (Russian author of Doctor Zhivago) "in blue fountain pen on cream paper" (€1,000-€1,500).

A real historical curiosity is the autograph of S.S. Colonel Otto Skorzeny, the ex-Nazi officer known as "Scarface" who set up home in The Curragh, Co Kildare after the second World War (€100-€150).