Fan Club Memorabilia

[Billy Rees]

I've been noticing online various Carpenters vinyl singles with fake picture sleeves being sold for high prices saying they were only available through the Fan Club, which I know is nonsense. (I feel sorry for the people buying them that think they're getting a collectable or very rare item.)

My question is, when it comes to collecting the memorabilia that was sold through the official fan club, how can you tell if it's genuine?

For example, I have the keyring with Carpenters on one side and Karen & Richard on the other, but not sure if it's the original item.

 

[GDBY2LV]

It is. I have one too. Somebody on here probably has an order form from the fan club in their collection. I don’t remember ever seeing and type of music for sale on it. Please correct me if I’m wrong.as I quit the club in 1978. Only simple things like t-shirts, pennant flags, playing cards, watch, key ring, flower key ring, belt buckle, posters, etc. Those adds are for bootleg merchandise. They usually say made in Canada. They ship from Las Vegas or somewhere like Michigan. They sell on EBay and Discogs. Message In A Bottle is one title, AfterPiece is another. Then they take individual cuts and make bootleg singles with picture sleeves to sell. They are asking a hefty price for them too. They did a large run on Your Navy Presents vinyl a couple of years ago. Now they are selling it on cd, along with looks like a fake 4 song ep. Do your own research, and then decide to support these people or not. It would be fun to see a copy of the order form again. I wish I had purchased a watch now.

 

[newvillefan]

I wasn’t a member of the fan club at the time but I’ve scoured most if not all of the newsletters and to my recollection they never sold records through there, it was only ever memorabilia items. If you were looking for a specific LP or single you were directed to your nearby record store.

 

[Matthew S]

They did actually sell some 45’s. Not sure which but I am 100% sure I got a Touch Me When We’re Dancing 45 right before the fan club shut down. It’s legit, not a forged sleeve.

 

[Song4uman]

I've been noticing online various Carpenters vinyl singles with fake picture sleeves being sold for high prices saying they were only available through the Fan Club, which I know is nonsense. (I feel sorry for the people buying them that think they're getting a collectable or very rare item.)

My question is, when it comes to collecting the memorabilia that was sold through the official fan club, how can you tell if it's genuine?

For example, I have the keyring with Carpenters on one side and Karen & Richard on the other, but not sure if it's the original item.

HOME | CarpentersCollection

My own personal collection of albums, CDs, Singles and memorbillia from The Carpenters!! Some rare items. CarpentersCollection

songforyouman.wixsite.com

Here is mine

 

[Song4uman]

I tried to share the picture of the key chain. Goes to home page. Sorry

 

[Harry]

I think this is what he wanted to post.

 

[Billy Rees]

This is the one I have.

 

[GDBY2LV]

That’s the fan club version.

 

[John Tkacik]

It is. I have one too. Somebody on here probably has an order form from the fan club in their collection. I don’t remember ever seeing and type of music for sale on it. Please correct me if I’m wrong.as I quit the club in 1978. Only simple things like t-shirts, pennant flags, playing cards, watch, key ring, flower key ring, belt buckle, posters, etc. Those adds are for bootleg merchandise. They usually say made in Canada. They ship from Las Vegas or somewhere like Michigan. They sell on EBay and Discogs. Message In A Bottle is one title, AfterPiece is another. Then they take individual cuts and make bootleg singles with picture sleeves to sell. They are asking a hefty price for them too. They did a large run on Your Navy Presents vinyl a couple of years ago. Now they are selling it on cd, along with looks like a fake 4 song ep. Do your own research, and then decide to support these people or not. It would be fun to see a copy of the order form again. I wish I had purchased a watch now.

In addition to the items that you mentioned, there are also the following: gold charm bracelet and gold necklace with medallions featuring their 1971 singles silhouette; clothes patches featuring the silhouette; a money clip featuring the silhouette; wallet sized photos; bumper sticker of the logo; book covers; and logo pens and pencils.

 

[Another Son]

It is. I have one too. Somebody on here probably has an order form from the fan club in their collection. I don’t remember ever seeing and type of music for sale on it. Please correct me if I’m wrong.as I quit the club in 1978. Only simple things like t-shirts, pennant flags, playing cards, watch, key ring, flower key ring, belt buckle, posters, etc. Those adds are for bootleg merchandise. They usually say made in Canada. They ship from Las Vegas or somewhere like Michigan. They sell on EBay and Discogs. Message In A Bottle is one title, AfterPiece is another. Then they take individual cuts and make bootleg singles with picture sleeves to sell. They are asking a hefty price for them too. They did a large run on Your Navy Presents vinyl a couple of years ago. Now they are selling it on cd, along with looks like a fake 4 song ep. Do your own research, and then decide to support these people or not. It would be fun to see a copy of the order form again. I wish I had purchased a watch now.

I bought the 'Honolulu City Lights' single from the fan club in the mid / late 1980s. I also bought a lot of photos from Carpenters' television specials, some posters and a few other items, such as telephone index thing, stickers, tour programmes and an exercise book cover. I still have the catalogue from the fan club.

It's really bad that people are selling fake picture sleeves, I think.

 

[Toolman]

I got a copy of the "I Believe You" single through the fan club since record stores weren't stocking it. Also have a Carpenters book cover (with the "Now and Then" portraits) and drink coasters (yellow plastic with the Carpenters logo and "A Song for You" era silhouettes), plus a number of posters. With each renewal the fan club would send some merchandise. I remember Ev being very willing to send specific items if you requested them. I was always asking for posters. Fan club and entire Carpenters enterprise was really great about showing their appreciation to the fans.

 

[newvillefan]

Fan club and entire Carpenters enterprise was really great about showing their appreciation to the fans.

From everything I’ve read and heard, that was down to Agnes. Whatever you think about her, she ensured that her kids (and the entire fan club operation) were very gracious to their fans. I wish I’d been around at the time to enjoy such a great fanclub experience. Richard even carries that on to this day with his replies to fans.

 

[newvillefan]

This is the one I have.

These are just lovely. Closest I got was the souvenir from the 50th Anniversary Convention. A heavy double sided coin in a black leather pouch, one was left at each seat on every table for the final evening dinner. I treasure it.

 

[David A]

These are just lovely. Closest I got was the souvenir from the 50th Anniversary Convention. A heavy double sided coin in a black leather pouch, one was left at each seat on every table for the final evening dinner. I treasure it.

Same

 

[Chris May]

We included a photo of this in The Musical Legacy book as well:

 

[Tom_P]

This is the one I have.

I have this one too and I got it from the fan club.

 

[Harry]

Me? I have none of any of those...

 

[Nick]

We included a photo of this in The Musical Legacy book as well:

I have those. Love my fan club items. Still collecting some of the photos but have a lot of the other items. Wish I was 10 years older.

 

[Lynda]

A friend of mine, who was part of the fan club, gave me this coaster a few months ago.