Talk about autographs being re-inked and restored - is this NOW really a Babe Ruth single-signed ball?!

Or is this plain-and-simple TAMPERING?!!!

Back in February, my friend Paul started a great and extremely important discussion about the re-inking and restoration of autographed items. It led to many great and important opinions and insights about the topic:

http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/autographs-being-rei...

What we now know (and many of us were already aware) is that there are "professionals" out there that have the ability to "clean up" or "restore" autographed items. They can clean them, they can remove autographs, and they can transfer autographs from one item to another item. In my opinion, these alterations "ruin" the original item.

So check out the description from a current eBay auction that has already garnered 140 bids:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXCEPTIONAL-1934-BABE-RUTH-SIGNED-AUTOGRAPH...

"For your consideration is a perfectly centered Sweet Spot Signed Babe Ruth Autographed baseball with a steel-tip blue ink fountain pen.

The ball has been authenticated by both industry leaders - PSA/DNA and JSA James Spence. Stickers for both are on the LOA's not the ball.

Originally this Anchor Brand Professional League red and grey stitched baseball displayed several clubhouse signatures of various Detroit Tiger players.

It was in this condition that the Ruth signature was authenticated by PSA, and the other player signatures at that time were deemed clubhouse signatures.

Because of the nature of a clubhouse signature (fake signatures executed by clubhouse attendants, bat boys, etc) it was decided that the clubhouse signatures would be removed by a professional, leaving only the authentic single sweet spot Ruth signature.

It was shortly after this professional service was performed that the Ruth autographed baseball was once again sent in for authentication, this time to JSA James Spence.

The result is a solid, sweet spot single signed Babe Ruth baseball free of any clubhouse signatures."

BUT YOU CANNOT MANUFACTURE A SINGLE-SIGNED BASEBALL!!

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Permalink Reply by James on April 5, 2015 at 12:20am
I seriously do want to say, however, kudos to the seller for clearly disclosing the alteration to the ball. Of course, JSA kind of made this unavoidable for the seller, as it is noted in the JSA LOA.

I remember when this baseball was first put up for sale on eBay a few months back. It was COVERED in autographs. It was clubhouse signed by pretty much the entire Detroit Tigers team. The only authentic autograph was Babe Ruth's. The Ruth signature is very nice. But I would rather have the ball in its original condition than this altered version. To me, it is almost worthless. I would not want it, personally. IMO, real is better than fake - and not just concerning autographs.
Permalink Reply by Dane on April 5, 2015 at 2:24am

No, it's not a SS baseball. It's a previously clubhouse-signed Tigers ball with a Babe Ruth signature that has been sanded/altered to remove the Tigers CH writing. It's exactly what the LOA from JSA says.

Given the top bidder has only bid on the Ruth ball, I assume the auction will get "relisted" after the "buyer" cancels the transaction.

Permalink Reply by Mike Shepherd on April 5, 2015 at 4:11am

I find it interesting that the autographed baseball is no longer authenticated by PSA.

Permalink Reply by Dane on April 5, 2015 at 1:05pm

http://www.psacard.com/DNACert/q99250

It still shows up in their database. In any case, I would think that altering the ball post-authentication would invalidate any authentication.

Permalink Reply by Paul on April 5, 2015 at 1:38pm

Its hard for me to make a comment because baseball, we play cricket. Before it was touched with a wire brush it looked like a real nice item. Its a shame.

Any idea who alters the baseballs in the industry?

Permalink Reply by James on April 5, 2015 at 4:22pm
Don't know, Paul. If I did, I'd like to thank them for contributing nothing beneficial to the hobby.
Permalink Reply by James on April 5, 2015 at 8:46am
I remember when this ball was first offered for sale with all 25 clubhouse signatures, if I remember correctly, it had a BIN price of around $8000 with a Best Offer alternative. Well, it sat and sat, unsold.

However, in its current "professionally-cleaned" state, I believe it is being offered by a new seller. So, I think it did change hands. The ball, as it is now, actually sold for $12,999 on March 21, 2015. Apparently though, the buyer decided he/she didn't want it. So now, it has been relisted in auction format, and apparently...we have a winner! It sold for only $5000 - considerably less than $12,999 and even much less than $8000 or whatever it originally sold for with all 25 clubhouse sigs!
Permalink Reply by James on April 5, 2015 at 8:49am
It would appear as though "tampering" or altering the original state of an autographed item may not always be such a great idea.
Permalink Reply by terrier8HOF on April 5, 2015 at 2:21pm

it's never a great idea.  

Permalink Reply by James on April 5, 2015 at 4:24pm
Couldn't agree more, Terrier.
Permalink Reply by James on April 6, 2015 at 10:50pm
I just thought I'd let you all know that I found the original listing for this baseball BEFORE the restoration in its ORIGINAL condition. It was offered for $13,000 by a different seller than the one who only got $5000 for it after the professional cleaning. So it did change hands. Here is the link with several pictures, plus one attached:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Babe-Ruth-autographed-baseball-PSA-DNA-Cert...
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