A COLLECTION of autographs from famous figures including the Dalai Lama and Buzz Aldrin are expected to sell for thousands of pounds at auction.

A variety of signatures and photographs, which were amassed in 1974 and 1974, will be sold at a two-day auction of collectors’ items at Charterhouse in Sherborne.

Now for sale for the first time in 45 years, interest is expected from collectors from the UK, Europe and America, with the autograph collection estimated at a value of £2,000-3,000.

“I have seen and sold many autographs over the decades but this collection gives a very good insight into Who’s Who’s in 1973 and 1974," said Richard Bromell, director of Charterhouse.

"While I was young at the time, I remember the vast majority of the people who replied to the owner’s request for an autograph or photograph, which are now together in an album.”

Among the autographs in the collection are those from royalty, leaders, and military figures including Odette Hallowes GC, Enoch Powell, Jeremy Thorpe, Harold Wilson, Field Marshall Montgomery, Grand Admiral Donitz, Sir Oswald Mosely, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, President Chiang Kai-Shek China, the Dalai Lama, Princess Grace of Monaco, and President Tito of Yugoslavia.

From the arts there are autographs from Henry Moore, Laurence Olivier, Agatha Christie, Sir John Gielgud, Noel Coward, W H Auden, J B Priestly, Sophia Loren, Bing Crosby and Spike Milligan.

And, on the 50th anniversary year of the first moon landing in 1969, there is also a collection of autographs of the American astronauts and scientists from Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17, with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong among the names.

Charterhouse are now accepting further entries for their summer auction programme with models, coins, medals, stamps, toys and other collectors’ items on September 19 and 10 and also for their classic and vintage car auction on September 11.

They are also accepting further lots for their October auctions of classic motorcycles, pictures, sporting items and Beswick.