Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe W. on February 12, 2017 at 7:46pm

Looks to be a secretarial signature.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James on February 12, 2017 at 8:08pm

I agree.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gareth on February 12, 2017 at 8:13pm

Does that mean it was done on his behalf by someone else? Sorry for my ignorance on this.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joe W. on February 12, 2017 at 8:15pm

Yes, he probably received so much fan mail that he had someone on his staff sign on his behalf.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on February 12, 2017 at 8:19pm

Agreed, see secretarials 22, 27 and 29 UACC study.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James on February 12, 2017 at 8:20pm

Exactly. A secretarial autograph is not a blatant forgery. It's known as a non-malicious fake. It's when a secretary or other handler signs things like fan mail for the star. Years ago (and still today) a fan would get back a signed photograph or other item in the mail from the star and assume they had a real autograph when in fact they did not.

A secretarial is different from an outright malicious forgery by a seller who does it just to steal money from your wallet.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on February 12, 2017 at 8:25pm

Precisely, not done with the same motive as a forger. Just like Gleason secretarials, if you wrote to the star at that time this is what you would receive. Fortunately, these secretarials clearly distinguish themselves from modern forgeries in several ways, and they have the advantage of age as well. Some are actually collectable IMO. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by James on February 12, 2017 at 9:48pm

I agree. I do believe some secretarials have halfway decent monetary value...depending on the star. One example of a valuable secretarial are the "Babe Ruth" signed baseballs from the weekly Sinclair Oil radio contest. Winners from this radio contest in the mid-1930s were sent baseballs that for years were believed to have been signed by the Babe. Years later it was determined that these balls were all signed by a ghost signer. Today, ones in decent condition sell for up to $800 or so.

Also, JFK secretarial autographs do sometimes sell for a few hundred dollars even with the buyer knowing that the item is a secretarial autograph.

• ▶ Reply