Alexander Autographs
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Auction |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Bill Panagopulos |
| Headquarters | Chesapeake City, Maryland, United States |
Key people | Bill Panagopulos (President) |
| Products | Historic autographs, militaria, manuscripts, memorabilia, collectibles |
Alexander Autographs operates as an auction house specializing in historic militaria, autographs, manuscripts, relics, and various collectible items. Situated in Chesapeake City, Maryland, it commenced operations in 1993 and has attracted attention for handling items such as Nazi memorabilia.
Overview
Typically conducting three to four auctions annually, Alexander Autographs focuses its sales on a diverse range of categories including: all forms of militaria; Colonial and Revolutionary War artifacts; the American Civil War; Americana; Presidents and Vice Presidents; Supreme Court Justices, Cabinet Members, and politicians; Royalty and Heads of State; Military Commanders; Scientists and Inventors; Aviators, Explorers, and Astronauts; Business Executives; Authors and Writers; Artists, Illustrators, and Animation Art; Composers and Musicians; Entertainers; Rock and Roll figures; Notables and infamous personalities; as well as Sports memorabilia.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]
October 2005
In October 2005, Alexander Autographs sold a gold Rolex wristwatch engraved with a personal message from Marilyn Monroe to President John F. Kennedy. The inscription reads: JACK, With love as always, from MARILYN May 29, 1962—just ten days following her renowned "Happy Birthday" performance at Madison Square Garden. Accompanying the watch was a poem from Monroe to Kennedy concluding with an impassioned appeal: "Let me love or let me die!" This collection fetched $120,000 from an anonymous collector on the East Coast.[1]
February 2006
In February 2006, Alexander Autographs withdrew a letter attributed to Ronald Reagan, purportedly written during his later years while battling Alzheimer's disease. The letter contained handwritten notes referencing his illness and drew coverage from CBS News, U.S. News & World Report, among others. Upon discovering the document was a forgery, Bill Panagopulos, the company's president, removed it from auction and publicly acknowledged being deceived by a counterfeit source.[2]
August 2008
Alexander Autographs became involved in a dispute with the online auction platform eBay after eBay declined to list the company's Nazi and other German World War II memorabilia on its site. While Alexander Autographs complied with this decision, it posted a statement on its own website emphasizing that, "Although these artifacts are undoubtedly contentious, we believe they hold significant historical value and must not be disregarded."
November 2008
In November 2008, Alexander Autographs attracted media attention by announcing the upcoming auction of two notable items scheduled for November 6–7: the flight suit worn by Paul Tibbets[3] and confidential audio recordings from Jack Ruby's defense team.[4] Tibbets, who served as a colonel during World War II, piloted the mission over Hiroshima, and the auction featured the very flight suit he wore during that historic event[5] alongside the Distinguished Service Cross awarded to him for his service.[6] Moreover, Alexander Autographs released secret taped discussions involving Ruby's legal counsel, including attorney Melvin Belli, which challenged Ruby's claim that the killing of Oswald was accidental.
February 2010
In February 2010, Alexander Autographs auctioned a 180-page diary belonging to infamous German Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, selling it for an undisclosed amount to the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. The previous owner, whose identity remains confidential and who reportedly obtained the diaries in Brazil, was said to have ties to the Mengele family. A Holocaust survivors' group condemned the transaction as "a cynical exploitation designed to profit from the writings of one of history’s most atrocious Nazi criminals."
July 2011
Alexander Autographs sold an additional set of 31 volumes of Josef Mengele's diaries, despite ongoing objections, to a private collector of World War II artifacts identified as an ultra-Orthodox Jew for $245,000. These diaries document the years between 1960 and 1975, during which Mengele resided in South America.
July 2022
In 2022, Alexander Historical Auctions, led by the same president as Alexander Autographs, put up for auction Nazi memorabilia that included a gold watch gifted to Hitler, appraised at $2 million. This sale prompted numerous leading Jewish figures throughout Europe to sign a petition urging the auction house to withdraw the items from sale.
References
- ↑ Cosgrove, Bootie (2005-10-18). "JFK's Watch Fetches $120,000". CBS News. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
- ↑ "Fake Reagan Letter Is Taken Off Market". The New York Times. Associated Press. 15 February 2006.
- ↑ "For Sale: Flight Suit of Hiroshima Bomber". US News. Archived from the original on 2008-12-03. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
- ↑ "New Shocker in the JFK-Lee Harvey Oswald Story". US News. 2008-10-25. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
- ↑ "For Sale: Flight Suit Of Hiroshima Bomber". CBS News. 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2015-09-26.
- ↑ [1] Archived July 17, 2011, at the Wayback Machine