Authenticity is Everything
Billie Holiday Autograph
I purchased this 78 vinyl record purportedly signed by Billie Holiday from an RACC trusted seller. I recently submitted the item to JSA for authentication, and unfortunately it did not pass.
I originally submitted it in person at a show here in CA a few weeks ago, and I was disappointed by how carelessly the item was handled during intake. When I received it back, there were fingerprints all over it. I contacted JSA immediately to report the condition, and they did expedite the review process.
Yesterday I received their letter confirming that the autograph did not pass authentication. I’m extremely disappointed and unsure what my next step should be, or if anyone here might be able to offer advice.
Prior to purchasing the item, I did my research and examined the signature characteristics—such as the looping of “Billie” and the shape of the “H” in “Holiday.” However, upon further inspection, the signature appears to have been written in ballpoint pen. Additionally, the Blue Ace label is known to be a bootleg label, and this particular pressing seems to have been released slightly before the time of her passing.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by a pug called eva
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That's true. Your "Billie" is actually very loose indeed, in contrast to the "Holiday".
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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin
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Yes, Billie took more careful signing to fit well.
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Somehow I doubt the wobbly "o" would have been caused by the surface as it doesn't seem to have affected the other letters much, apart from the bottom right of the "H" (see below). From your close-up it appears that the writer dug the pen in at various points. I'm no expert on pen pressure but I get the feeling that Billie generally signed with quite a light hand.
Thanks to your close-up my attention was drawn to the bottom right of the "H". This is pretty atypical. Normally Billie went from the "H" to the "o" without making much of a loop and in most cases none at all - such that she actually formed a kind of "v". The only exemplar in this thread that really comes close to yours is the signed "Lady Sings The Blues" book but the loop on that is much smaller. I just checked all the RR Auction Holiday's that sold for more than $3k and none has a loop like yours. The bottom of your loop also looks hesitant and certainly not free-flowing to me.
Am I right in presuming that JSA did not give any specific grounds for their opinion?
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Wolfson
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The “digging in” appears to be a lighting effect, there is no actual indentation on the physical. With all due respect, I will also email Roger a copy of the signature with the blank background for clarity.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo
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Be sure to send all the data and images/observations.
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Will do.
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I mailed it today and sent photo to Roger with no background. I agree, the start of “L” worries me.
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I thought you were sending the full backstory? The background might be seen as important. The low price, your treatment by the seller, the problems with the signature. We shall see. Might come back as good.
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I mentioned all this to Roger on initial email.
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JSA noted the exaggerated loops, among other issues—I unfortunately discarded their letter out of disappointment. This is a difficult autograph to evaluate. At times, the overall form appears convincing, but on closer inspection I do see the inconsistencies you and Eric pointed out. The “L” in “Holiday” is concerning, and the tail on the “y” looks unnatural.
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And the "o" and "da" problem. The formation as shown today. It is backward.
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Unfortunately, I don’t see that. If anything, it looks like the pen may have stopped at the “L.” And added loop on “y”
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