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Authenticity is Everything
The Great American Blues Players Signature Study: Please Add Your Examples
Hello everyone,
I have been wanting to start a thread on this for a long time, and i figure now is as good of a time as any. I collect primary guitar players, and have been selling alot of them off recently, but one thing i continue to collect are the great old blues guitar players. Their is something about the Delta Blues traveling lifestyle that holds alot of wonder for me. These guys laid the foundation of modern music and they inspired many, if not most, of the musicians working today. Most think of Robert Johnson when they think of the great Blues players, but their are so so many others that deserve mention and tons of respect.
As anyone who has ever studied early blues signatures knows, they are incredibly difficult to authenticate or even find at times. You have guys like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, BB King just to name a few whose signature examples can readily be found. But aside from a few key players, autographs from these guys are very hard to find. And when you find one, often you really have to trust your source or do some serious research. And even then you often cant find examples.
So i thought this would be a good thread that may help future collectors out with examples we think are authentic. Please post examples of blues signatures that you like and want to share. Guys like Buddy Guy and BB King probably dont need to be posted in mass b/c their signatures are so abundant, but dont hesitate if you would like to post some.
I hope this can turn into a good database, and really the only one of its kind on the net. I have many examples from many different sources and if someone doesnt want their picture posted just leave a comment and i will delete it.
I am going to start this off with Albert King. You can find Albert King signatures from time to time, and of the 3 King's, he is the next most available after BB. Alberts signatures are typically sloppy, shaky, and can take on a few forms. Albert often write "Love You" before his signature, and his typical signature takes the form of A. King. I have also seen variations including "A.B. King". King often would not write out King fully and the formation would flow from the K almost into the g. I have seen my fair share of forgeries with Albert, but his signature can be authenticated in most instances in my opinion. Here are some examples with sources:
This is one album i used to own and recently sold on RR Auction. It came from "Mr. Bebop", of Larrys Books and Autographs. He specializes in blues signatures and this was a great example of king.
These next images came from RR Auction
The Ace of Spades album is a nice example, and the rarer A.B. King signature. The middle cut display is more atypical. This one in my eyes can go either way but is probably good. The A looks typical but the King is a little more unusual. But he did do this from time to time in his shorter signature versions. The bottom example is a typical King signature.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Carl Ryan on
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Hi Guys, here are some updates.
The first is an additional examples of Jimmy Reed i feel is authentic. From RR auction. This collage of graphs is very important, it contains so many of the blues guitar giant signature examples, that its kind of a dream team. If you look carefully you will also see examples of Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi Fred McDowell, T Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, B. B. King, Eddie Taylor, Buddy Guy, Lightnin Hopkins and so many other greats. Just an amazing auction at RR. And save that image of Fred McDowell, you probably wont see another any time soon.
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Permalink Reply by Nate on
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Hi Carl,
Here is my example of Jimmy Reed (think it's a pencil sig, it's on the back of a cut show flyer):
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Also here are some great examples of Eddie Taylors signature from RR auction:
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One of these days i am going to add more to this thread, but autographs have not been a top priority in my life recently. But i thought i would add this one. I have searched for a junior kimbrough autograph for well over 6 or 7 years, and never have seen one for sale. That was until last week on ebay. It was a signed card and went for around 125 i think. I put a bid in of 50 bucks, but was outbid, probably by Nate, lol. There was a time when i would have won that item and bid high, but funds just are almost nonexistent now, which is why i have sold most of my collection. It was a sad day watching it come and go. But hey, thats the game i suppose. Life has its ups and downs. Anyway, i saved a pic of the autograph and will post it here. Is it real?? I think it probably is. It matches well with the few examples above. Granted, that style would obviously be pretty easy to forge. What disturbs me a little is the Kimbrough piece that Nate owns. It really doesnt match any of the above examples. Yet, i know the work Nate puts in, and that he purchased several authentic items from the same seller, so i dont question his Kimbrough piece. In fact, i imagine its the one true authentic example we can put trust in, knowing Nates knowledge and his good sources. So are we dealing with several JK signatures styles, possibly over his lifetime? I just wonder if Nates Kimbrough was signed possibly either early, or late in Juniors career, as its a much neater example. Typically writing styles fade over time, so i woudl imagine these block letter type signatures were done in his later years, but i cant say that for sure. We just need to see more examples to determine Juniors signature style and how it changed through his life. Its also possibly the signatures i have listed above could all be forgeries. Unfortunately, its all i have been able to find on the man. Hopefully we will find some new examples soon. And Nate, if that was you who got that signed card, congratulations man, im envious.
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Hi Carl. Firstly let me wish you all the best, and I hope you'll be in a position soon to spend more of your time on here, with your excellent knowledge you are sorely missed.
With regards to Junior Kimbroughs autograph...mmm...I still really struggle with it. Having never obtained one IP I just cannot be sure one way or other. The one I posses I obtained from a fan rather than an autograph seller and his story checks out (part of which is that it was signed in front of him by Junior). However can all the ones above be wrong? Highly unlikely unless they are all from the same source. So that leaves me with the (wholly unfounded) opinion that they are both right and he signed differently on different occasions. As you correctly said Carl, we need more examples to further our understanding.
BTW I was not the winner of the above item though I did look to hedged my bets by bidding on it. The seller happened to have another one that I did secure for a fair bit less than the one above. I don't know what to make of the seller having 2 (he seems to sell many autographs of various types), but, as I said, I want to hedge my bets, so I did purchase his second Junior piece. Here is a picture of it: - Attachments: No photo uploads here
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Permalink Reply by Richard Booth on
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Here is my 50's Fender spring plate signed by Albert King!
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Another great autograph to me from David Honeyboy Edwards. A great person!
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Beautiful beautiful pieces Richard, i am envious. Honeyboy really was an amazing man, and very generous to his fans. He could tell stories like no other and unlike many, he enjoyed being asked to tell them. He was a credit to the hobby and will be posting examples soon.
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Hi Guys, thanks for the comments so far and disucssions.
Tonight i thought we could look at a few guys, including a blues titan who lived longer than most any other. I have always enjoyed listening and reading about Henry "Mule" Townsend. Their are some amazing books and interviews out their from him, and i suggest blues fans pick them up. He was an amazing story teller and probably had a better memory than i do. Townsend lived into his late nineties, which makes him one of the longest living blues guitar players out their. Henry also was one of only 2 (i think this is correct) who recorded for 9 decades in a row. That is just crazy. The other i believe was Yank Rachell. Now i wish i could tell you i have some examples of Yank coming up, but i dont. I have only seen 1 before, and it was sold on ebay by Mr. Bebop. I bid, but lost out, as his items tend to go for a premium. but i will look hard for some here soon. Oh yeah, and i forgot to save that image of Yank. I am still kicking myself for that, and for not saving an example of Pee Wee Crayton Mr. Bebop sold, but oh well.
Henry lived up until 2006 i believe and was very active in the music scene. You would think his autographs would be common. Just like Yank, as he lived into the late 90s. But just as we have seen before, that is not the case with the blues guys, especially the less mainstream guys. You just cant find examples for sale. Its strange b/c their have to be a good number floating around, so my opinion is that collectors simply snatch them up and hold tight. I only have a few examples, one of which i own, but that will have to do. Henry's signatures come up on ebay typically around once every year or two. I have seen other examples, i just forgot to save them. You have to be patient, but eventually someone will put one on ebay. I believe i paid around 40 dollars for mine, which was a steal in my opinion. Average prices, i would say from 40 to 60 dollars depending on item. They arent as popular with collectors as some, and dont achieve high prices, but they still are desirable and get snatched up fairly quickly.
Here are some examples:
Here is one currently on ebay, signed by Henry. I believe it to be an authentic signature. Possibly printed, but it doesnt look like it to me.
Here is a copy of "Mule" from Henry that i own. It has a long inscription, and is also signed by his wife.
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Hi Carl,
Below are a couple of my Henry Townsend autographs. One signed on an album (which is also signed by the great Roosevelt Sykes) and one signed later in his life from a multi-signed blues book:
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Next i thought we could look at Mr. James Milton Campbell Jr, better known as Little Milton. Milton lived fairly late, and died in 2005. He was an amazing musician, and one heck of a guitar player. He could play numerous instruments, and also gained fame as a producer. He actually was responsible for lifting Albert King to the status that he ultimately achieved. Milton was underrated in my opinion, and was moved out of the limelight by many of the more prominent bluesmen of the time. But he helped to develop blues into what it is today, and his influence is being felt perhaps now more than ever. Blues is one of those funny genres where certain artists can die and be dead for half a century, and then all of the sudden their popularity goes through the roof, and before you know it the artists great grandkids are all rich from the popularity boom, when the artist himself died destitute. In my opinion blues never dies, and only gets better with time.
Little Milton was a great signer and he signed alot. Examples are pretty easily found in the market place. I typically see around half a dozen a year or so hit ebay. You have to be patient, but you will find one. Milton had a very distinctive writing style that was very neat and flamboyant. Forging his signature believably, would be difficult in my opinion. His signatures tend to run between 40 and 60 dollars, basically the same range as Henry Townsend. But Milton is a desirable signature, and as long as they are priced reasonably, typically they get bid on. In my opinion i overpaid for mine, as i think i paid around 60 dollars for an 8 by 10. I should have been more patient, but i really do like the piece.
Here are some examples to compare with:
Here is my item from Mr. Bebop
This one is from google i believe
Here is one from ebay
Here is another i believe from google
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