I am starting this thread from another Autograph Live thread (click here) to further discuss Joe Long forgeries. Joe long was a prolific, master forger, and I am starting to learn that there are a lot of his autographs out there that people still think are real, so much so that they are influencing collectors to think that the fakes are authentic examples. Here is a case in point:

If you do a Google search for "Brian Epstein autograph" you will be brought to the page that contains your search items. From that page, here is an example that is currently found near the top of "authentic" signed items:

Unfortunately, there are others on the Google search page that match this this style of (Joe Long) forgery. The comments concerning the fake example shown here ask whether or not this piece will sell for $1000 or more, which it could have.

I have seen this exact style of autograph on known Joe Long forgeries, which become more apparent as fakes when you look at real Brian Epstein exemplars. Some of the best exemplars have Epstein signing contracts with the Beatles, as he was pretty much considered their fifth member in the early to mid-60s. The advantage that Joe Long had when he sold his fakes a couple of decades ago was that he didn't have the oversight and scrutiny of the Internet that we all have now.

This is important because Brian Epstein was the Beatles manager, and frequently on tour with them during their first few years of touring and success. He contributed greatly to that success, as outlined in the excellent biography "The Man Who Made The Beatles." Therefore, Brian Epstein's signature is desirable and valuable. It will only make sense that emerging forgers will figure this out, and by adding Brian Epstein to their sets they will have one more way of conning people into buying their garbage, as Joe Long did. Caveat emptor.

I am continuing this research into something that can be published and made available to all, so if you have anything to add to it I hope that you please let me know.