I recently entered the bidding for a signed Philip Larkin on e-Bay. Not expecting to win it but giving it a go for form's sake. I haven't yet tired of telling the tale that it went for £645.
But there was a Carcanet get together a while back and Mr. Turner who attended returned with a pleasant surprise for me in the shape of this signed Robert Wells which has some fine things in it and so that provided compensation at nowhere near the cost. No cost at all, in fact. So thank you very much to Robert for that.