The history of Brandes Autographs
More than 25 years of passion for autographs, handwriting and signatures
Let's see how it became the company it is today:
1996- 2002
- After privately collecting autographs since the age of 13, Markus Brandes founded Markus Brandes Autographs in 1995, in Konstanz, Germany.
- After his successful education as a software developer, including an award for application development, Markus’ www.autogramme.com became the first internet website for autographs in Europe. A short time later, the leading European Autograph Magazine, Club der Autogrammsammler voted Markus Brandes as the leading autograph dealer in Germany.
- In the same period, Markus founded the Autograph magazine and Society IACC (International Autograph Collector Club) in order to reach an international audience and before the age of 18 year, was accepted as an expert in the field of autographs for the Auction Gallery Zürich. He is become an expert for secretarial signatures and autograph market analysis for Europe’s leading autograph magazine and supported, consultant and realized the new decoration of the McDonald’s theme Restaurants in Landau, Bispingen and Soltau.
- In 2002, the site was also recommended in the book, Germany’s 1000 most important internet and web sites.
2002-2007
- With the rapid popularity of the Internet, the autograph market was swamped with autograph forgeries. Together, with Switzerland’s leading autograph dealer, Rolf Ramseier they founded www.isitreal.com. With a selected expert team they created and published the largest worldwide reference library of “offical forgeries”. The site also offers extensive advice guides, instructing collectors how to be aware of forgeries.
- Afterwards, followed nominations as European Director 2006 for the recognition as the autograph organization with the most members as well as numerous television appearances and recognition as an authority on autographs in judicial cases.
- During this period, Markus also published his first autograph reference book, From the hands of Albert Schweitzer, about the prominent theologian, musician and physician Albert Schweitzer. Subsequent publications followed, including literature concerning Muhammed Ali, Graf Zeppelin and even the Dalai Lama.
2008-2011
- In 2008, we moved into our new offices in Kesswil and Markus Brandes Autographs GmbH was founded. Concurrently, the team was enriched through the addition of our historian, Josip Konjevod.
- 2 years later, we were distinguished as the first foreign autograph company to be awarded as the ‘Best Autograph Dealer 2010’ by the British autograph organization AFTAL.
- With the goal of developing further autograph education and advice, we developed the www.autograph-market.com website. It was the first time that virtually every published autograph reference book were available at one source, giving collectors the chance to learn about their collection and how to protect their collection.
- In 2011, we received the AFTAL award as the ‘Best Autograph website 2011’ for our work in the education of the autograph community as well as setting new standards for the autograph industry.
2012 - 2014
- The first Swiss Rock and Pop museum opened their doors and Markus Brandes Autographs supported this unique project with memorabilia, advice, authentication and consignments.
- As an independent autograph expert, we supported the television report Die Fälscher (the Forger) for the German TV Chanel „ZDF“.
- Through our brokerage, the unique Emmy Martin (secretary to Albert Schweitzer) autograph estate was sold to the Albert Schweitzer Museum, expanding our worldwide reputation.
- We become noted expert for autographs for the international Internet Auction House Auctionata.
- The company was honored as being experts in the field of autographs at the „Bundesverband Freier Sachverständiger (BVFS)”.
- Re-launch of the www.brandesautographs.com und www.isitreal.com websites, with additional sales and service innovations.