We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

A Time to Authenticate

Hi all,

If you haven't read anything I've written, no matter but I've started to authenticate the over 1000 photos I have. Collection started in the mid-90's and has continued since.

I posted recently about a failed photo from Odyssey and since then .... it's only gone downhill.

So either I was simply far more trusting of people in the mid-90's or incredibly naive but either way...

Odyssey has failed (only 1 I've sent - see prior post)

Sign...Here has failed (only 1 sent so far)

Finest Memorabilia all failed (5 sent) (purchased around 2005)

Autographs21 failed (2 sent) (purchased last year)

Signatures in Time has failed (1 sent) (purchased within the last two years)

So... with this debacle.... I no longer know who to buy from. Golden Age Autographs is coming up next and I think that will fail too (Robert Shaw). I haven't tried Autograph World yet - but with their massive inventory of ridiculously rushed photos it must be hard for PSA/DNA or JSA to actually say what might or might not be authenticate.

Knowing that the over $20,000 I'll have to invest to do this from now on (without purchasing any other non-PSA or other photos) .... I have come to understand that this is now more for my personal comfort, to know if they are real or not. I will try to get my money back for all the photos that fail but for a vast majority - anything prior to 2005 for sure - I have no idea what I bought them for.

A sad time for me in this hobby....

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on March 25, 2017 at 7:48am

Who is authenticating these items? Who are the signers?

I understand your concerns, but it would help to get more context. It's possible the "failures" are incorrect.

Feel free to share photos of the questioned items.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joe W. on March 25, 2017 at 8:07am

Why don't you post the Robert Shaw here. I know I've gotten great opinions here from members. These are pretty good sellers you are speaking of. Are they perfect? No one is. But, your random sampling is too small to rush to a conclusion. Would like to see how the failures look to members here.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chad Kessler on March 25, 2017 at 11:23am

So this is the Shaw I'll send in.

Using PSA/DNA or JSA for authentication for all my stuff (did use PAAS for some online stuff but lost faith after readings things on here).

I'll post pics of all the remaining failed photos (Rosie Perez, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Emily Blunt, Christian Serratos and Will Smith) when the come back to me this week. The 5 failed Finest Memorabilia photos have been shredded....

Talk to you soon, thanks for your help!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joe W. on March 25, 2017 at 11:27am

I do know that Tom Kramer is a vintage Hollywood advisor for JSA but not sure how often they use him. There are several here that know Shaw very well. Let's see what their thoughts are on this one.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 25, 2017 at 12:28pm

Well, you mentioned nothing about the signatures, you are just buying business names, reputations and papers? I'm sorry this happened to you. But you gotta play too...not trusting, not naive, but also not involved? Papers don't equate authenticity no matter who they come from. I would not put $20,000 into this at this point. My 2 cents.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CJCollector on March 25, 2017 at 12:32pm

Eric, I was about to post something similar.

That's why so-called "Forensic" COAs convince the delusional that the autographs they are purchasing are authentic.

It's also why selling forgeries on Ebay or any other venue is relatively easy.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 25, 2017 at 12:41pm

Well, authenticating before you buy is a good strategy I find. I also assume everything is fake and start from there, but that's me. The other bit could be called hindsight.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Pete Bendu on March 26, 2017 at 12:21am

There are a number of things about this Shaw that would keep me from ever buying it, not the least of which, is the fact that these purple felt tip signatures have all entered the market in the last decade in abundance, and they all have the same issues.

Popping up one at a time year after year from different sellers, they just look like a slightly off (possibly rushed) signature. Seeing a group of them certainly gives one some serious pause.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 26, 2017 at 12:29am

Sometimes I wonder if this color is used because it reminds one a bit of vintage 70's black felt tip on B/W photo and that could influence one unconsciously. Just a notion. I have seen crazier.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chad Kessler on March 27, 2017 at 1:59pm

Thanks, Pete, I agree, I've only seen the fluorescent pens used by the famous forger Carlos in the late 90's but the size of this auto now gives me pause after seeing an in-person example a month ago also from around the same year as this one was supposedly done. The autograph overall looks wrong.....