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Define "In Person"

I guess I've never actually directly asked this question, but I always assumed that autograph dealers use the term "in-person" to refer to an item that either the owner or an employee obtained themselves. The reason I ask is that I was looking at an item for sale at a (I believe) well-respected autograph dealer that I am certain was obtained by another in-person collector who later sold it to said dealer. The listing still states the autograph was obtained "in-person."

Is it valid to still characterize the autograph as "in-person" when a third party who is not employed by the company obtained it? I'm just curious if I've misunderstood the terminology all this time, which I very well may have.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Board on October 23, 2012 at 12:47am

That is a great question, and I think you answered it yourself. The term "in person" is the same thing as "letter of authenticity" meant years ago. It started out having credibility, but no longer does.

For something to be "in person" it SHOULD mean that the owner of said autograph got it in person (or an employee, close friend, etc). Once it's sold -- that goes out the window. The seller can explain "this autograph was obtained by the person I bought it from, who met McCartney in person at...."

People don't sell a car listing it as "for sale by owner" and find out it's a car dealership when they go to that address...or that the car is listed as "only one previous owner" to find out it had 5. In a sense, saying "in person" when YOU DID NOT get it signed yourself, isn't accurate

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Permalink Reply by Rich on October 23, 2012 at 8:07am

In this instance, I've had my eye on this item for some time, hence I noticed when it changed hands. While it's certainly authentic (nicer than average example and obtained by one of the best in-person collectors out there), I almost feel like it's tainted since the current seller is falsely representing it as having been obtained by them. Chances are I'll look beyond this and make the purchase eventually anyway, but I'm still not a fan of this practice. Glad they know where it came from - so do I. I wouldn't buy it and then later sell it as something I obtained myself.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on October 23, 2012 at 8:18am

I suspect most "in person" Ebay sales are third party and the seller "assumes" the person he got it from had it signed in person. It is a pleasant little Ebay game just like "hand signed" reprints.

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Permalink Reply by Null on October 23, 2012 at 8:42am

I think of "in-person" as THAT SELLER got it in person...

I mean technically all autographs are gotten "in-person" LOL!

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Permalink Reply by DB on October 24, 2012 at 5:14am

I'd like to think of it from a collector viewpoint (my viewpoint). I obtain the signed graph "in-person" from the celebrity whose name is on it. Every other reference to "in-person" that was not obtain in such manner is 2nd, 3rd or etc... generation removed and therefore subject to skepticism.

Many claim an "employee" of the company where it was obtained "in person" but when you question exactly who that might be one seldomly receives a straight forward answer.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Harvey on October 24, 2012 at 6:15am

Hello forum,

Yes the general idea is '' In Person '' actually meaning the item was signed for the seller by the celebrity themselves, and not obtained by another individual or third party and passed onto the seller.

So can I ask another one to the forum ?

'' This item is signed by hand ''

What does that actually mean ? haha