Anyone recognise the signature or the origins of the paper it's on?

I have no recollection of getting this signature, but could well have been an older brother of mine. At 1st I thought it was just a print, but now doubt it as it seems the ink has gone through to the other side. 

I have no doubt it's vintage as it has been in my parents attic for at least 25 - 30 years and as you can see has become a victim of mice up there.

It's got Palitoy on it making it worth at least a £500 in today's market.   



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Back in the day, my local John Menzies (remember them?) had Darth Vader doing a 'personal appearance' & signing autographs. Needless to say it wasn't Dave Prowse in the outfit. Could your piece have originated from a similar event?

This could be a tough one although I have seen that exact image minus the signature. It may be in one of my books I will do some checking. It looks like a page from a book although it's hard to judge the size of it.

As for the signature it doesn't look like one I seen before Mr. Prowse has a very easy one to recognize he always signs it David Prowse as Darth Vader so people would know he was Vader after issues with the first movie.

Someone from SWFUK says "it's from a Darth Vader tour which was part of the Jedi promotion".

This could tie in with what Cantina says about it being signed by a bloke dressed as Vader in a shop. This was my initial thought and feeling. Although I cannot remember it, I feel like it happened. I don't have many specific memories from being 5 or 6 years old.

PS I do remember John Menzies. Was a great shops for mooching in as a youngster.

I also believe this could be from a toy store visit. The signature seems to have a distinctive 'D V' to it, so very likely it was a hired guy dressing up for the day signing 'D. Vader'.

The Palitoy copyright at the bottom also makes me wonder if this poster/promo/advert might have had a tie-in to claim some free toys, as well as meeting Mr Weekend Vader! But then maybe it was just organised by Palitoy simply to promote the toys at store.

It's a neat little piece despite the mice having had a feast. I remember John menzies too, my local one was just down the road from school so we spent lunchtimes looking in there as well as after school  

When "Darth Vader" visited Stamford's video rentals shop, to promote the launch of the T.E.S.B. on V.H.S. tape,
my uncle got his signature & a promotional postcard for me.

I can't remember what happened to the signature but I've still got the postcard kicking about somewhere.

Man this John menzies store sounds like quite a place, we never had anything like that here when I was a kid deffinitly no weekend Vader's or anything like that either.

I was thinking it might have been a poster/promo/advert as well. I am still trying to remember where I seen it at. I know it was in a magazine or book of some sort here in Canada so it was most likely used by a few different companies.

I found one from 1986 on ebay here is the link it ended bit if you scroll down you can read the description you will also notice how different the signature is. so hopefully this will give you some better understanding of what you have my friend.

Larry

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ORIGINAL-VINTAGE-1986-STAR-WARS-PALITOY-DARTH-VADER-STORE-PROMO-AUTOGRAPH-/360840594735?

Good work Larry. Hope the seller doesn't mind, I quoted some of his text below as his story was funny and well told:




"In 1983, Palitoy had a promotional campaign, involving Darth Vader (and a Boba Fett, I've been told) touring the UK and visiting toy stores to promote the release of the new Return of the Jedi toys.

I was 6 years old and made my dad take me to our local store, so that I could meet Darth Vader on one of these promotional days.

The man in the Vader costume was huge (Palitoy hired size-appropriate actors to wear the suit, apparently), and after waiting for some time, it was my turn to meet him.

He towered over me, then scooped me up, lifting me until we were face to  face (I was not unlike a teeny-tiny Rebel Trooper). He then said "The Force is strong with this one!"

It wasn't, and I promptly burst into tears.

He then said something like "I am not your father!", and passed me back to my dad.

He quickly signed some autographs for my dad and I, then that was that. My teary, but brilliant meeting with Darth Vader."
by: deadspooky



image: deadspooky2

There's no SW on it sadly, but here's my 1979 ad for John Menzies, and one of my LXWP Kenner 77a card backs with two John Menzies stickers attached.

Just had to pipe up on this one guys, I too remember going to see Vader on this promotional 'tour', but the shop I saw him at was called Goldies, a toy shop in Coventry, I was only 9 or 10 at the time and remember it being quite daunting, the guy was huge ! I clearly recall he signed an A4 sized sealed brown envelope, a kind of goody bag, and not a piece of paper like shown in this thread, although I can't remember everything that was in the envelope (it was mainly promotional paperwork), there was a free rancor keeper flyer, a painting competition leaflet and some form of discount voucher for in-store figures, it was only a small shop so I think store staff had put the package together themselves using items they had been sent. Sadly I no longer have any of these, pity really but when I saw the thread it just reminded me of a small part of my childhood during the Golden era, Happy days.  

Section 8 wrote:

PS I do remember John Menzies. Was a great shops for mooching in as a youngster.

Ye, I remember John Menzies, it was like a WH Smiths  

Pretty cool looking poster Andrew