Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Pauline Berry on June 6, 2017 at 12:18pm

Hi Ashley L

Sorry to say, this is not authentic. It's clearly not from the Love Happy era, she didn't sign like this then, but also it is a forged hand I have seen many times before. Its not the worst forgery, but it's not her hand.

There is an example of her writing during the tour to promote this film on my blog below. It's among the first after her Norma Jeane signings, two examples. She hadn't developed many of her hand writing quirks yet. Explanation may be that it was written later on an older photo? but it's simply a forgery. The Love Happy autos were written on the back of promo tickets usually. And in fact originally appeared for about USD100 on Ebay, and they were real. Didn't last long, got snapped up by one of the dealers.

http://marilynmonroeautographs.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/evolution-of-...

I think once you have browsed the examples you will know yourself, whether it is authentic or not.

I hope you haven't paid money for this yet. It is 100% not real. I don't have even the tiniest doubt. I see you have bought another from that auction house already, by all means post that one. I wouldn't buy anything from someone selling this. The COA is worthless.

Permalink Reply by Ashley L. on June 7, 2017 at 8:16am

Pauline, thank you so very much for the help & useful information. Unfortunately, I've already paid & own them:(

Here is the second one. I am extremely skeptical of it as from what research I've done seems as though she did not typically sign the 'Red Velvet' photos. The signature is very neatly written, different from the first photo. This signature also looks to be pen & is faded.

Both COA's are from the same company. However, in conjunction with a COA this photo also had an independent document of authentication.

Thanks again!!!

Attachments: No photo uploads here

• IMG_3626.JPG, 1.9 MB
• IMG_3627.JPG, 2.4 MB

Permalink Reply by Pauline Berry on June 7, 2017 at 4:24pm

Hi Ashley

Oh what a shame. As you can probably see yourself that the same hand didn't write either of these signings. In fact two different hands wrote your two autos. They are not even secretarials and a waste of photos. The Love Happy is a nice real old photo.

I have often wondered what to do with such items. I have one myself from long ago before I knew.

Marilyn rarely wrote on photos, and if she did she wrote a message with the signing. If your second one was real it would be extremely, crazy valuable because of the photo and it's rarity of being signed. I have only seen one Golden Dreams/red velvet photo signed. These are worth anything up to 20k, and most signed photos can get to 10k on auction.

There was a huge glut of Marilyn signed photos sold at Julien's not so long ago, there were so many that many went for a very reasonable item. They had been in the same collection for 60 years, a lady called Freida Hull who was a core fan club member. Marilyn wrote on many photos to her. Some were just signatures on the run. Just as a favour to her core personally known fans.

There are others that haven't come onto the market in that long too. Here is a fine collection here, which includes a secretarial. This is what her signed photos really look like.

http://www.thekuflikcollection.com/marilyn-monroe

All the best. I feel for you.