We're an eBay affiliate and may be compensated on purchases made through clicks.

Charlton Heston Secretarial Signature Study

Hi:

At Steve Cyrkin's invitation, I'd like to call your attention to a signature study I've posted on my blog, Charlton Heston signature study by Steve Zarelli.

I believe I have identified the "tell" in Charlton Heston secretarial signatures, and if I am correct, the news is not good for most collectors. It appears that most Heston signed photos are secretarially signed.

Here is a synopsis:

The Theory
Photographs and other memorabilia sent to Mr. Heston's office were signed by a secretary. However, Mr. Heston did authentically sign books through-the-mail.

Real vs. Secretary
In authentic signatures, the R in "Charlton" is distinctly a lowercase "r" and less than half the height of the L. The first four letters are clearly "Char."

In secretarial signatures, the R looks much more like a lowercase "l" and is about the same height as the L. So, the first four letters appear to be "Chall."

I have attached two images to give you a small sampling.

For more details and images, please visit my blog at the link below.

I'd love to hear your feedback and thoughts on this. I fully anticipate some resistance to the theory, because denial is always the first step. In fact, I would love to be proved wrong, because that would mean I wasn't sitting on a bunch of secretary signed photos!

By way of introduction, I have been collecting since the early 90s and I am the UACC Ethics Director.

I look forward to the discussion.

The Collecting Obsession

Regards,

Steve Zarelli

Tags: Charlton, Forgery, Heston, Secretary, authenticating, autograph, secretarial

2 members like this

Attachments: No photo uploads here

Figure 1.jpg, 60 KB
Secretary 1.jpg, 37 KB

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike Sibley on March 19, 2011 at 10:59am

Steve, I think I have just burst my stitches laughing at your reply! Sorry, no gall bladder but my surgeon said the stones would have made a great necklace!

Permalink Reply by Mike Sibley on March 19, 2011 at 11:32am

Just a quick one to add to this. In my post I mentioned I gave something to my son to get signed when I met him at the Haymarket theatre in London 1999. I had a lobby card from Will Penny which my son asked Mr. Heston to sign which he graciously did. I already had another of this lobby in my collection that I had received in the early 80's from his home address after sending it to him. Top is the secreterial signature, bottom is the in person from 1999. The 'Chall' is quite clear in the secreterial as is the 'ES' that loops back on itself as it does in all my secreterial signatures. His in person tends to be more 'jagged' an 'ES' for want of a better word. I think these two very clearly show the differences between secreterial and in person....Mike.

Permalink Reply by Kyle M. on March 20, 2011 at 4:37pm

Hahaha!

Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on March 19, 2011 at 11:38am

Thanks for sharing, Mike. Great stories and pics. Hopefully this puts the issue to bed... at least for anyone within reason. :-)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DB on March 19, 2011 at 11:56am

glad to see you were healing so soon. And have you raided your kids collection, yet! I really do believe if there are any doubters and I suspect there will always be some as well as dealers and websites that will continue to sell the "dbl L" brand.

Here is another link to http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/sports-products/charlton-heston-be... the secretarial book they had up for sale and couldn't answer my questions.

Not to mention the fopars from PSA/DNA especially the recent ones.

Well, this blew the lid off for alot of people and I suspect alor of people will just not want to believe it. Heck, I had some from ten years ago that I and others thought were fine. Not Anymore.

Great work everyone, can't wait to see the letter - Mike. I wonder if it has the "dbl L" brand or "Char" lol.

Permalink Reply by Mike Sibley on March 19, 2011 at 11:56am

Thanks Steve. I have more stuff to add when I am able which will hopefully settle it for more people. No one likes to be the one to bring such issues to the forefront and you have to be congratulated for doing this in the first place. I take no pleasure in adding my comments but for the sake of the hobby and fans collections it has to be put out there.....
At the end of the day it is down to the individual to decide if their Charlton Heston TTM signature were signed by him or a secretary. Mike.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 19, 2011 at 12:11pm

I think it provides overwhelmingly convincing evidence that "Challs" are secretarial. Too much to make them a safe buy for a collector, and that's really all you need to know.

Steve, thank you for your dedication. Rolf...you, too.

Permalink Reply by DB on March 19, 2011 at 12:20pm

Steve C - this should be written up in Autograph Magazine Live as a featured piece.

Permalink Reply by Mike Sibley on March 19, 2011 at 12:23pm

Thanks DB and the Will Penny photo didn't go into my son's collection. I 'used' him to get the extra photo! Does that make me a bad father? Only kidding, neither of my two sons have gotten into collecting signatures, although they do have the odd one or two on their walls. They are in their 20's now, so they tend to be of the young female variety! My daughter on the other hand is a 'chip off the old block' and loves collecting, especially in person. It was only last December on a day out in London that we ran a couple hundred yards to catch up to Sir Michael Gambon in the street. He signed and posed for photos - lovely man. Not one of the best pictures of me though having just run a couple hundred yards!!

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 19, 2011 at 12:32pm

DB, good idea...thanks.

Permalink Reply by Mike Sibley on March 19, 2011 at 12:42pm

Steve, if you want to use any of my photos etc, please feel free and if you want any further info, please don't hesitate to ask. As I stated earlier I have other stuff to add so I'll try to get them posted ASAP. I'm sure you would do but I would appreciate being credited with any photo etc you use. Many thanks. Mike.

Permalink Reply by Kyle M. on March 20, 2011 at 4:38pm

Great side-by-side Mike! Very clear to me now. I say the study is solid.