Stansted Mountfichet, England (Commonwealth Union)_The world’s largest private collection of autographs owned by Clive Bullimore, known in England as the King of Autograph Hounds, went under the hammer this week. The seventy-year collection with over 100,000 signatures from 60,000 celebrities representing the A-list of 20th-century pop culture is expected to fetch nearly USD 130,000. Among the autographs are a cross-section from the 007 universe including Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, Roger Moore, and Timothy Dalton, plus music-makers Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Amy Winehouse, Spice Girls, and Linda McCartney, soccer legend George Best and golfing legend Tiger Woods and most of the 1996 World Cup winning team and a host of vinyl records including a copy of ‘Let it Bleed’ signed by The Rolling Stones.
Bullimore has been a celebrity autograph hunter since the age of 17. While his day job at the London Stock Exchange kept him busy from Monday to Friday, on Saturdays he would visit theatres, record stores, TV studios, and hotels on his celebrity hunt. He would get tips from the press, exchange information with fellow autograph addicts and even turn up at the BBC Studios hoping to get lucky. He would also send a stamped self-addressed envelope with a cover letter to Hollywood stars, requesting a signed autograph or a personal note. Most often, he was lucky!
Even after retirement, his enthusiasm didn’t dampen. He would travel miles to meet actors, musicians, politicians, athletes, and the who’s who in public life to get an autograph. But it was during COVID and being in lockdown that Bullimore and his wife decided to organize the collection and prepare it for the sale.
The 600 lots in three distinct categories include individual autographs on white cards and autograph albums, one of which is 78 pages and contains the signatures of Nick Rhodes, Slash, and Robin Gibb and another 62-page album with the autographs of Elaine Page, Colin Firth, Yoko Ono, Meat Loaf and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Binder files hold within its plastic envelopes signed photographs, flyers, and autographed letters including those from the 13-member Star Trek cast, the cast of Dr Who and the Harry Potter series, and 33 actors from the Star Wars universe. A set of seven postcards attributed to individual Roger Moore’s Bond films, each signed by Moore.
For Bullimore, it has been the thrill of the chase and making memories and friendships that kept the enthusiasm fired. He will retain a few of the most meaningful ones including a book signed by Muhammed Ali. And his few regrets: not having got the autographs of Marlon Brando and Madonna.
