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Lee Van Cleef opinions

This came from a solid looking TTM collection from the 70s and 80s. Not a signature I have studied, but looks likely good based on the limited exemplars I could find.

Thoughts?

Tags: Lee Van Cleef

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Permalink Reply by Steve on July 5, 2018 at 5:07pm

Steve, I saw this one when it came up on eBay recently, almost bought it. My only real concern was that the double ee in both his first and last name are usually very close to each other, usually touching each other. I am adding a photo of my signed photo. I did a lot of research in his signature and it took almost two years before I found a photo I liked with a legit signature.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on July 5, 2018 at 5:22pm

I see the difference, yet there are also a ton of very small positive traits they both share. The quick flick marks on the L, C and F for example. Not knowing when they were signed and how his signature may have changed over time makes it difficult.

On the back of my photo there is residue from an old "magnetic" photo album, which I think weighs in favor of it being from an old collection. And it was clearly signed quickly and smoothly without the slightest whiff of hesitation.

I think a malicious forgery is unlikely, but not sure if he ever used a proxy signer.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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Permalink Reply by Steve on July 5, 2018 at 9:51pm

Actually, I completely agree with you. I think it is good also, it was just the ee that kept me from buying it.

For the other two examples, the first one that says Good Luck is definitely good. The other one I’m not sure of. I have seen a few where the e in Lee does not attach to the V in Van. I have not seen his signature with a printed inscription before. Some of the letters do not match up like the letter y compared to his cursive. The spacing of the three portions of the name is a little wider. Of course, if he was signing this to someone he knows personally, he may have given a nicer signature. I remember once I was at a Phoenix hotel getting the Buffalo Sabres and I gad a mini goalie mask for Dominik Hasek to sign. He signed everybody’s stuff the same including my mask. Unfortunately, it smeared. I waited two hours for him to come back and showed him and asked if he could resign it. He said sure, took it to me and said “Let me give you a really nice one.” He signed it perfectly in silver paint pen on the black. My signature looked different than everybody else’s.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on July 6, 2018 at 3:50am

Yes, the example in blue signed to Rev. Forwood struck me as atypically neat and clean as well. Perhaps because it was not the typical fan piece as you suggested.

It strikes me that if he had a proxy signing for him, we’d probably see a lot more signed items.