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Lyndon B. Johnson 11x14 autograph

I found an 11x14 photo with a Lyndon B. Johnson signature today at a local antique shop. I only paid $5 for it. A teenager was working the cash register and didn't even look at it. When I asked how much, she said $5. I figured it was a low risk purchase. Here are some photos of it. What are your all's thoughts?

Tags: B., Johnson, Lyndon

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Permalink Reply by Randy on January 26, 2016 at 3:51pm

Secretarial IMO.

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Permalink Reply by RedBeard on January 29, 2016 at 4:19am

I've emailed the photo to two different autograph specialists, the Cowan's Auction House and the University Archives, a company that specializes in historical documents (they also posted a video on LBJ's autograph). Cowan's says they think it may be authentic, University Archives says they think its a secretarial. It would cost me about $90 to have PSA/DNA authenticate it after paying for shipping and the fee. Do you all think its worth it to do that, or would you hold off?

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Permalink Reply by Randy on January 29, 2016 at 4:52am

I watched the video you refer to before opining "secretarial." It is pretty clear if you compare this signature to one of the "secretarial" ones that it is a close match so again in my opinion you will be sending an additional $90 against an unlikely win on authenticity.

However, to each his own. LBJ is not particularly rare and obviously, if authentic, $5 is a great price and so is $95 but the reality is his autograph is worth a few hundred dollars if authentic and a secretarial is worthless.

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on January 29, 2016 at 5:25am

I also believe it to be secretarial

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Permalink Reply by RedBeard on January 29, 2016 at 7:26am

Randy and terrier8HOF, thanks for your input! I'm going to hold off sending it in right now, $75.00 is a steep authentication fee from PSA/DNA, and if it is a secretarial (which I'm now agreeing with you all on), I'd rather save my money. It's still a neat piece.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 29, 2016 at 8:15am

You've got a good attitude about it, Chris. I agree, just hang onto it and enjoy it.

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Permalink Reply by Randy on January 29, 2016 at 2:19pm

I agree it is a neat item. To be honest, some of the secretarial signatures are quite close to LBJ's.

Obviously, Presidents don't have time to sign mail requests and that was the case even in the early to mid 60's.

For many years, I'm sure the secretarial signatures were thought to be authentic but in the last 20 years or so autograph studies have proven otherwise.

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Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on January 29, 2016 at 2:36pm

here is an authentic LBJ on a presidential bookplate (from my collection)

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Permalink Reply by Randy on January 29, 2016 at 3:01pm

Very nice Presidential item. The "J" has his typical triangular shape on the top loop which is usually the quickest give away on the secretarial ones as they are more rounded. Also the period below the "B" is usually left off the secretarial signatures from what I have seen.