Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on October 26, 2023 at 5:45pm

Interesting. Are there any of this photo that you think are authentic? How do you tell?

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on October 26, 2023 at 5:44pm

I did post the entire CEAD page of Davis secretarials and the later style was not among them. It would be good to see more examples of these (in another thread).

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on October 26, 2023 at 5:46pm

It takes a good eye to get Bette right, in my experience (and those I trust as dealers/collectors).   She's not as plentiful on the market as most think, unfortunately.     

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on October 26, 2023 at 6:05pm

JMS1223,

I post my own vintage example - which is where I have more experience:

Click for full image

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on October 26, 2023 at 5:32pm

Typo. "much" - I meant to say " If you mean this signature style below, those are authentic but each must be examined on its merits.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on October 26, 2023 at 5:59pm

JMS1223 - There are some members who were more active at one time here on AL who actually do know Bette's signing habits well.  If you find something you like, you can always post an image of it here and they might see it and comment.

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on October 26, 2023 at 6:05pm

Thanks. I appreciate that. I think might be better to send in Private Message since I know lurkers might find it  and buy/bid if it’s a good one.

Somewhat off topic - but were the letters Katharine Hepburn was known to send out in the 1980s and early 1990s authentic or secretarially signed? 

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on October 26, 2023 at 6:07pm

Funnily enough, I believe a good deal of those Hepburn letters from that later period were from her.   

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on October 26, 2023 at 6:10pm

Good to know. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Eddy on October 26, 2023 at 6:13pm

When I was first starting to collect in classic Hollywood a couple of decades ago, it was K. Hepburn who was always claimed to be so unbelievably rare in authentic form and was super expensive from dealers.  Davis was considered plentiful and was super cheap to purchase.  Hepburn has come down in price considerably over the years because she is more available than was once thought, I guess.  

If you can get an authentic Bette Davis letter...that's a nice little treasure indeed.

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Permalink Reply by JMS1223 on October 26, 2023 at 6:18pm

I knew someone that corresponded with Bette Davis over the years and he got secretarial handwritten letters as well as the occasional authentic one. He knew the difference but at first looked hard to tell. I’m no expert but I have a little bit of an idea of what to look for with letters. Most I see seem to look like what I think are the secretarial version. 

Permalink Reply by Eddy on October 26, 2023 at 6:20pm

I think you're right that so many of her letters are secretarial....just like many photos.

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