Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 26, 2017 at 8:39am

Hi Dan,

I'm sorry to hear that. I asked one of our members who knows Kennedy's autograph well to look at your book.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Brady on January 26, 2017 at 8:41am

Thank you! I figured they just glanced at it and did no research at all. It was done within a day! $260 fee wasted!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 26, 2017 at 8:50am

Dan,

I would be surprised if they didn't put a lot of time and effort into your book. PSA/DNA has some new authenticators, though, and they may be more conservative right now. 

There is also the possibility that it was signed in a style believed to be by one of JFK's assistants. I don't know his autograph well enough to comment on the authenticity of yours, but Andreas Wiemer definitely does, and I asked him to take a look if he has the time.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Brady on January 26, 2017 at 9:13am

Thank you very much! You've already been more help than what I received from PSA.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Maxwell on January 26, 2017 at 8:41am

JFK is a tough signature to authenticate, but remember, all authentications are just opinions. That being said, why would you put this on eBay? Without an authentication letter, there will be a much smaller market for the item and given the family history, why not just keep it? I would place much more value on an item signed by a President to my personal family than anyone else ever would. 

I have also seen items that have been passed down by family members and the stories of how there were obtained are often exaggerated over time. I have seen Mantle and Ruth autographs that have similar family stories attached and are 100% not authentic. I am not saying yours is not authentic, but the possibility exists that this may be the case with your book? Maybe a family member personally gave the book to an aide or staff member to get signed and it is a secretarial?

Either way, good luck. I think the family connection makes it a wonderful piece regardless of the authenticity of the signature!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 26, 2017 at 8:50am

You're right, Ryan. That's not uncommon.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Brady on January 26, 2017 at 9:02am

I'm just not a huge collector. The only reason I would list this without a letter is, it's real I know it's real and it was already returned as "questionable" and I spent $260.00 to hear that. It's not like it's centuries old. I just don't see a value in an autograph or meet and greet like some people do. To me everyone is a human being just like you and me. Some just have more money,power or talent. But we all are created the same way. To me the value would be the same as having your autograph, no offense to you but I'm just not a star struck type person.

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Permalink Reply by Paulrichards on January 26, 2017 at 8:57am

Maybe I am missing something; is there an image shown of the item in question?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 26, 2017 at 8:58am

They're attached. I'll post the signed page.

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Permalink Reply by Paulrichards on January 26, 2017 at 9:04am

The image you show of a similar type signature appears on a memoranda as senator. This appears to me to be a printed signature that would appear o such memoranda and could be duplicated and disseminated en masse.

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Permalink Reply by Andreas Wiemer on January 26, 2017 at 10:28am

Hello Mr. Brady,

unfortunatly thats one of the most common secretary examples, not written and signed by JFK. I have attached a scan of my book "John F. Kennedy - autograph study (2013)" and of Charles Hamilton's book "The Robot that helped to make a President (1965)" - they speak for themselves.

Attachments: No photo uploads here

• Wiemer.JPG, 31 KB
• Hamilton.JPG, 519 KB

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Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 26, 2017 at 10:32am

Thank you, Andreas.

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