Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Robin McKay on January 20, 2012 at 3:29pm

Stick with companies who are a member of AFTAL and the UACC and you can't go much wrong. One thing I stress is do your research. If you did this hobby without getting at least stung once, you're doing very well.

This is my opinion only but I would just treat Sign Here Autographs with caution. Personally wouldn't buy from them - bought from them once before and found myself dissatisfied.

Regards

Rob

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Soal on January 20, 2012 at 11:39pm

Thanks for this Rob. I must admit I am always a bit dubious of buying from non AFTAL OR UACC members. If your serious and honest surely it makes sense to join one of these organisations, it can only increase a customers confidence in what you are selling.

I will stick with the companies I know and trust, thanks for the advise.

Stephen

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Permalink Reply by Robin McKay on January 21, 2012 at 9:04am

Yeah no problems - but remember even the good dealers can sometimes unwittingly let something dodgy slip through...

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Permalink Reply by 029r4yc06b4rr on January 20, 2012 at 5:20pm

I would urge strongly to stay away. I have heard no good things about this company and in fact qutie alot of very bad things.

Chris

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Soal on January 20, 2012 at 11:45pm

Thanks Chris. I was interested in buying two signed photos from this web site, but could not really make out the autographs because the image enlargements were way too small. This kind of set the alarm bells ringing, and your answer just confirmed my fears.

I will stick with dealers I know and trust.

Stephen

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Permalink Reply by Michael Kasmar-AutographPros.com on January 21, 2012 at 7:41am

Hi Stephen, as many will point out and to those who don't know, there is a HUGE difference in just a UACC member and a UACC Registered Dealer.  I assume you mean you stick with AFTAL and/or UACC Registered Dealers because anyone can join the UACC for a few bucks but less than 300 UACC Registered Dealers Exist.  If you or anyone else was ever unsure if the seller was a UACC Registered Dealer, the link is here: http://uacc.org/dealerdirectory.php

Unlike your standard autograph dealers, there is a Strict Code Of Ethics required by the UACC Registered Dealers and their autographs are well policed to ensure authenticity.  Just felt this is important to mention as many reading this site may not have known the difference.

Michael Kasmar

www.AutographPros.com 

2011 UACC Autograph Dealer Of The Year

UACC RD #237

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Soal on January 21, 2012 at 8:59am

Hi Michael,

Thanks for this, it is difficult yo know where to buy autographs these days due to the number of forgeries around. The list on your link at least gives me an idea of who I can trust. I certainly intend to browse the AutographPros web site once I get the time.

Stephen

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Permalink Reply by Michael T on October 22, 2012 at 9:22pm

I was asked to evaluate Autographdealer.com recently and it looks like they are mixing the good with the bad with an emphasis on the bad. They do have some authentic material but also plenty of bad material.

Sigh...

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Permalink Reply by Paolo Grandi on October 19, 2014 at 8:48pm

Hi, I'm Paolo from Italy..I collect autograph since many many..  years ago..., I have seen your forum and I want to ask a thing to you.., my collections in almost 30 years, has been done face to face from me with many famous players or actors, I have more than 200 signature...and in my "career" I received many times perfect signature done carefully from them.. and others made in a rush quick way, absolutely different from the classic signature of the same person...., for example David Beckham made to me 4 autographs, two perfects and two terrible cause he was coming back at home in the middle of 50 persons..., like him also other players... Ronaldinho made to me 2, but one was just a confuse sign on the picture ah ah! ..so I want to ask:

how an expert can understand if is real or not, if the autograph has been done in a rush way, maybe in the middle of 100 persons, where the actor sign almost without to see the paper, just for to do to many persons?? I think he can't! ..I have seen some COA about a simple "line" of some singer on the picture, without any sense!! every one could do that line!! ..I understand the expert when the autograph is perfect..in that situation the experience is important! ...but how can give a COA if the autograph has been done in a rush way?? ...another example...Marcos Cafù (captain of Brazil two times World Champion) often sign with a normal C (always different...)...how give a COA??

So, for example, I read you say the dealer Sign Here (autographedealer.com) has some real autograph and some not.. for me the point is, someone has been done carefully in a relaxed situation and others in a rush way.. just this, cause in his website he has hundred and hundred pics hugged with famous actors and actress..and the autographs are made face to face always! for me this is a guarantee, more than a website who collect many signature from other persons, with signature many time perfect done, when every person who collect autograph know, how many time the autograph are just a confuse line and not so similar if made in a confuse situation.!

Thank you

Paolo

 

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Permalink Reply by Dan Gregory on October 19, 2014 at 10:18pm

Paolo, you raise some good points. Sometimes someone signs perfectly such as sitting at a table etc but will sign differently in a crowd, at an angle or when signing many items. This is of course how the forgers prey on people and tell people it is a rushed signature.

Some celebrities such as Sting and Meg Ryan do not help the industry when they squiggle a line rather than a proper signature. In that case the dealer can only sell what the person signed and try to explain that it is real and try to get a photo etc. 

I know when I have signed my own name in a hurry or many times on documents the 1st one differs to the last one but they all have some of the same characteristics, loops, lines etc. This is often where forgers slip up, they go slowly or go back over a part of the signature and get it slightly wrong and then claim it was rushed or signed at an angle.

An authenticator is giving only an opinion as are many of the knowledgable people on this site. The Bono for example being sold by this seller is truly awful and miles off many I have seen signed by him both sitting down and in an airport etc.

After many years collecting and being involved within autographs you learn a lot of things and pick up subtle hints and the way things flow when signed for real and when tried by a forger etc.

People on here will help you and look to help you avoid being scammed or buying bad items but if you trust a dealer and want to spend your money then go for it, it is your money and you can do. There are a few great dealers but a lot of bad ones and this dealer looks more bad then good for me

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Permalink Reply by Paolo Grandi on October 19, 2014 at 11:40pm

Thank's Dan, you speak well.., you know, every one can talk about autographs for hours, can trust or not to some dealer, to the COA of many "expert", but at the end don't exist the sure Autograph, if not done to you face to face..this is the only real situation...the persons who trust to much to the COA also if from u.a.c.c. bring a great risk, cause, for example, I have seen give COA to some simple line (more than rush!) on the paper, like to say to the buyer: "trust me, is real!"..I think this is not professional, cause is impossible to know this...also if that star normaly do just a line, that line can be done from everyone...and anyway those kind of COA are given from every expert, also the u.a.c.c.

In my Country, the only autograph I buy, are of some famous Italian actor of the old times, but I use to buy if made on some postcard or letter where they wrote something, cause in that way I'm able to check also the style when they wrote, the kind and the age of the ink, the kind and the age of the paper, the meaning of the words for to know if right for that person and situation.., the pressure of the line..so, many many things...but I can cause I have many elements for to study....to give a COA about a signature made with a big pen on a picture, also if well done, I think can't be never totally trustable, cause bealive me, with some exercise the great part of the sign can be done perfectly! ..someone not so much cause too complicated, but normally yes.

At the end, for this I must to consider the almost 500 pics of that guy hugged or giving the hand to the stars...is the sign he met them, after, if them made to him one autograph and he sell five...no one can know! ah ah ah

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