2,500 Autographed Photos Spanning a Century of Hollywood Stars Head to Auction

Jul 22, 2025

Pesala Bandara

A black-and-white photo collage features two men in suits, both with serious expressions. Each photo has a handwritten autograph and message on it. The left man wears a cowboy hat; the right man is in a light-colored suit. — An autographed photo of John Wayne, dated 1970 (left) and a photo of Frank Sinatra, signed and dated 1979.

A remarkable collection of over 2,500 autographed photos, covering a century of Hollywood icons such as Frank Sinatra and Charlie Chaplin, is set to go to auction.

This single-owner collection, gathered over more than 60 years, will be auctioned by British auctioneers Ewbank’s later this month. The collection is so extensive that Ewbank’s has dedicated a two-day sale to it, scheduled for July 23 and 24.

A man dressed as Superman lies between railroad tracks, holding the rails apart with his hands and shoulders to stop a potential train accident. The photo is black and white and has an autograph in the top left corner. — Christopher Reeve in his career-defining role as ‘Superman’

Black-and-white photo of Charlie Chaplin in a military uniform as his character in "The Great Dictator," standing with hands on a large globe, with ornate doors and a bust visible in the background. — Charlie Chaplin in ‘The Great Dictator’ (1940)

A man with medium-length hair, wearing a vest over a light shirt, holds a sci-fi blaster. He looks seriously at the camera. The image is in black and white and features a blue signature in the top left corner. — Harrison Ford as Han Solo in ‘Star Wars’

The auction, titled “Autographs: 100 Years of the Stars of Hollywood, Stage, TV & Music,” includes signed photos of early legends like Charlie Chaplin, Marlene Dietrich, Clark Gable, and Laurel & Hardy. It also features autographed photos of Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Judy Garland, Raquel Welch, Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, and Superman star Christopher Reeve.

Black-and-white portrait of a woman with wavy hair, wearing an ornate, beaded top. She gazes upward with a serious expression. There is a large autograph signature across the lower part of the image. — Marlene Dietrich

A man in a suit points a large revolver directly at the camera, with his face partially shadowed. The photo is black and white and features a handwritten autograph in the top right corner. — Clint Eastwood in ‘Dirty Harry.’

The astonishing collection represents the lifetime work of the late Eric Booth (1939–2025), who expanded on his father’s early collection and eventually made autograph collecting his full-time pursuit. By the age of 10, Eric had already built an impressive array of signatures and was trading autographs of early Hollywood stars.

A man in a white tuxedo jacket, black pants, and bow tie stands facing forward, holding a small gun. The photo is signed with the message “All the best” and a signature in blue ink on the left side. — Roger Moore

Black-and-white portrait of a glamorous woman with wavy hair, wearing an off-shoulder dress and a pearl necklace, resting her chin on her hand. A handwritten signature is visible in the lower left corner. — Rita Hayworth

A black-and-white portrait of a woman with styled light hair, wearing a fur wrap, looking directly at the camera. The photo is signed "Sincerely, Angela Lansbury" in blue ink. — Angela Lansbury

Described as possibly the most dedicated autograph hunter ever, Booth wrote daily to actors, actresses, and their agents, sending letters and photos with return envelopes. Many autographs come with replies from the stars or their representatives. Most were obtained directly and are often personalized to Eric or both him and his daughter. Known for his persistence, Eric followed up with phone calls and typed daily letters on his typewriter — which is also included in the auction — sending them out regularly to the stars.

A smiling woman in a long, off-the-shoulder leopard print dress and large black hat poses by a swimming pool ladder, one leg raised to reveal a high slit, with a towel draped over the rail. — Gloria Swanson

Black-and-white newspaper clipping titled "The Flying Deuces" shows two scenes: one with two men in a room with a large prop, and another of three people standing beside an airplane. Handwritten signatures are visible. — Laurel & Hardy

Black-and-white portrait of a smiling man with dark, wavy hair wearing a plaid jacket. There is a handwritten autograph in the upper left corner. — Dean Martin

Black and white portrait of a man in a suit and polka dot tie, with a flower in his lapel, seated and looking to the side. The photograph is signed "Fred Astaire" in the top left corner. — Fred Astaire

“Eric Booth followed his passion for more than 60 years. His approach was very successful,” Senior Partner Andrew Ewbank says. “Rarely does a collection of autographs of this scale, comprising such important names, and with such strong provenance come to market. It is offered here complete, aside from a handful of Eric’s favorites retained by the family, who have consigned the collection.”

Estimates range from just $37 to $62 (£30 to £50) for some lots, and up to $370 to $620 (£300 to £500) for signed photos such as Charlie Chaplin and Judy Garland. In total, the sale is expected to raise more than $105,000 (£85,000).

Image credits: All photos via Ewbank’s.

News