Mark Allen Baker

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Mark Allen Baker (b. 27 March 1957) Binghamton), New York, is a former business executive, and American author and writer of over 200 articles and 14 books^[1].

His thorough knowledge of sports, sports artifacts and memorabilia and in particular the field of autographs and historical manuscripts, is exhibited in many of his books. Baker has also written books in numerous other areas including auto racing, boxing and music. He has also written many stories outside the genre including articles about antiques, authors, computer graphics, forensic documentation, and music.

His expertise has been referenced in numerous periodicals including USA TODAY^[1a], Sports Illustrated^[1b] and Money. Following his 1997 book, Goldmine's Price Guide to Rock & Roll Memorabilia^[2], he appeared as a co-host on the VH-1 series "Rock Collectors." Baker has also been a featured speaker at many events including the Hemingway Days Festival & Writers Conference in Key West, Florida. He acts as a historian for many institutions including the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York^[2a] and was given a Lifetime Donor Membership by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York^[2b] for the research in his first book.

In his book Collector's Guide to Celebrity Autographs (2000), expert Mark Allen Baker shared the secrets of his 40-year experience in autograph collecting^[3]."We collect celebrity autographs to preserve a moment, and to remind us of the human spirit that succeeds despite adversity," he explained. His book featured 7,000 address listings and more than 900 autographs⁴.

Baker continues to draw the attention of new readers, historians and researchers through his valuable contribution to the field of autographs and historical manuscripts. In "The Pen & Quill," ^[6] a trade journal for librarians and archivists, he examines the writing of Abraham Lincoln, including a stroke-by-stroke analysis of many of his key documents and major correspondence.^[7] "Perhaps the most common comparison point in any Lincoln signature is the "Lincoln Lift.” It has been noted by every major forensic document examiner and graphologist for decades. The departure of the “ln” letter formations from the signature baseline has exhibited degrees of variation that can clearly be emphasized through image manipulation." ^[8]

Baker attended the State University of New York at Oswego. Now Editor and Publisher of "The Pen & Quill,"^[5]considered by many to be one of the finest journals for autograph and manuscripts, he resides in Hartford, Connecticut. He has three children : Aaron (b.1985), Elizabeth (b. 1986) and Rebecca (b.1990).

[edit] Selected Books

Baseball Autograph Handbook (1990) ISBN:0-87341-125-0
Baseball Autograph Handbook, SECOND EDITION (1990) ISBN:0-87341-169-2
Team Baseballs (1992) ISBN: 0-87341-316-4
All-Sport Autograph Guide (1994) ISBN: 0-87341-316-4
The Complete Guide to Boxing Collectibles (1995) ISBN: 0-87341-391-1
Auto Racing (1996) ISBN: 0-87341-437-3
Celebrity Autographs (1996) ISBN: 0-87341-464-0
Goldmine's Price Guide to Rock & Roll Memorabilia (1997) ISBN: 0-87341-490-X
The Standard Guide to Collecting Autographs (1999) ISBN: 0-87341-613-9
Advanced Autograph Collecting (2000) ISBN: 0-87341-632-5
Celebrity Autographs, SECOND EDITION (2000) ISBN: 0-87341-838-7
The Official Autograph Collector Price Guide (2004) ISBN: 0-9669710-9-4

[edit] References & Sources

1. Marquis,"Who's Who in America" 1a. USA TODAY, Baseball Weekly, August 29, 1991 1b. Issue cover date: 11/14/2005; http://subs.timeinc.net 2. Goldmine's Price Guide to Rock & Roll Memorabilia (1997) ISBN: 0-87341-490-X 2a.www.ibhof.com 2b. www.baseballhalloffame.org 3. http://www.dailycelebrations.com/100900.htm 4. * Celebrity Autographs (1996) ISBN: 0-87341-464-0 5. http://www.uacc.org/ 6. "The Pen & Quill", (ISSN 1089-9464) January-February 2008, page 35 "Lincoln Fragments" 7. The Library of Congress 8. "The Pen & Quill", (ISSN 1089-9464) January-February 2008, page 40 "Lincoln Fragments"