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Beatles-Signed Abbey Road Albums: What's Real? What's Fake?

Sometimes you just have enough. Brian Waring, a collector from Colorado, was one such fellow. He tried to sell a Beatles-signed Abbey Road and a Stones-signed Sticky Fingers album on eBay, but his listings were kicked-off because they thought they were forgeries. He was sure eBay was wrong—he paid tens of thousands of dollars for them from American Royal Arts, who claimed to be the world's largest seller of signed rock and roll. James Spence Authentication was at a local show, so he asked them to authenticate the albums to prove to eBay they were genuine.

When Brian came back to pick up his albums with JSA COAs, JSA sat him down and gave him the bad news—they were sure neither one was real.

Brian was shocked. ARA was a big, respectable-looking company, and the albums came with authentication papers from Christopher Morales, a court-approved forensic document examiner. But soon he realized JSA was right, so he contacted ARA, sure they would honor their guarantee of authenticity.

All he got was the runaround. So Brian told his story on Autograph Magazine Live! a few weeks ago, to warn other collectors, and, he hoped, get ARA president Jerry Gladstone's attention.

Brian got more than the attention of Gladstone and other collectors. He got a call from the FBI. And it wasn't until he started blogging about it that Gladstone seemed to take honoring ARA's guarantee seriously.

Brian took his blog posts down yesterday, because a refund from ARA seems to be forthcoming. He feels like he's done his part. I agree. Autograph is investigating the FBI's communications in the industry further and will report on them soon. But this is a great opportunity to talk about Beatles-signed Abbey Road albums, and a bit about signed Beatles albums in general.

Abbey Road is one of the favorite Beatles albums of all time. And like all Beatles albums besides Please Please Me and With the Beatles, complete band-signed albums are extremely rare: Only two known examples are recognized as genuine by Beatles autograph experts.

Lizzie Bravo got one of them signed. An "Apple Scruff"—one of the storied girls who were the ultimate Beatles fans—Lizzie was a 15 year old Brazilian teenager who moved to London with her family in 1967 and spent every free moment in front of Abbey Road Studios and more to be as close as she could to the boys she loved. "They Came in Through the Bathroom Window" was inspired by one of the Apple Scruffs, who entered Paul's house through an open window to see him.

But Lizzie was invited into Abbie Road Studios at least once. The Beatles needed girl back-up singers while recording "Across the Universe" in 1967. Paul didn't want to wait for professionals, so he went to the Scruffs waiting outside and asked if anyone could sing. Lizzie said yes...and the rest is history.

Cathy Sarver got the other one signed. Cathy was an American girl who hightailed it to London to meet the Beatles once out of high school. Both got them signed only by hanging out, relentlessly, outside Abbey Road Studios. Well, usually outside.

Abbey Road was released in September 1969, but the photos I have of Lizzie and Cathy are earlier.

Two 1967 photos of Lizzie with John Lennon:

Here's Cathy with each of the Beatles in 1968:

Lizzie and Cathy were in England when Abbey Road came out, so they bought the English release of the album. The English version had a slick, lacquered cover that you had to dig into to sign, so the autographs on both of them are rougher than they would be on American release albums, which had cheaper, lightly coated covers.

I don't have Lizzie's entire album, only the signatures:

John Lennon and Paul McCartney's autographs

George Harrison's autograph

Ringo Starr's autograph

Here's Cathy Sarver's Abbey Road album, signed by the entire band:

The stain in the lower left corner by George Harrison's autograph is from Cathy's cat peeing on it.

The Abbey Road albums above are the only ones called genuine by Beatles autograph experts.

But like all Beatles albums, that doesn't stop people from selling Abbey Road albums they claim are signed by the Beatles—experts be damned. Some of the most common ones that are not considered genuine are the ones known as Southern California forgeries, because that's where they appear to originate from. Most are fairly easy for experts to identify by the characteristics of the signatures. And the signature characteristics generally don't change much or at all with the age of the albums, whereas Beatles autographs changed significantly over time. Of course, an album can be signed years later than its release, or one autograph at a time over a decade or more. But when signed albums come out through the same sources, sold by the same dealers, with similar autographs, whether they're 1963 or 1970 releases, you have to ask...what the heck is going on?

One of the more common and easiest to detect characteristics of the ones called Southern California forgeries can be found in John Lennon's autograph. John Lennon didn't start drawing his smiling face caricature until about 1971, but many of the Southern California examples have it, often with the inscription "With love" or "With love from." But if you're not a pro, don't try to authenticate Beatles or any expensive autographs yourself. It's worth the money to have them checked out by a respected music authenticator.

This is the Abbey Road album that Brian Waring bought from American Royal Arts, stereotypical of what's considered to be a Southern California forgery:

These are the seven very similar Abbey Road albums that we know American Royal Arts offered from 2006 to 2009, all with the classic characteristics of what are thought to be Southern California forgeries. There likely are others we haven't seen:

We've identified the person who purchased this forged Abbey Road album from American Royal Arts. He's currently trying to get a refund on about $80,000 or more in what he has found to be fake memorabilia from ARA. Not just autographs, but posters as well.

The one right above was featured in an ad that American Royal Arts ran in Newsday in 2008, with the headlines:

HISTORIC BEATLES COLLECTION RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC!
Over 40 Years to Assemble—Can be Yours Today!

Here's a close-up of the Abbey Road album featured:

American Royal Arts customers who ask are generally told that ARA's classic rock autographs come from "record industry insiders who wish to remain confidential." If I sold ARA these autographs, I would, too.

But Gladstone fails to tell collectors what he told me two years ago. I confronted him with an image of a Beatles-signed Help lobby card from Forever Legends' Web site that was on page one of his catalog a few months later. He called me to explain that he couldn't get enough autographs from his "industry insiders," so he had to buy from dealers, too. Unfortunately, the three main dealers he bought classic rock autographs from are known as notorious sellers of forgeries:

Forever Legends www.foreverlegends.com: Owned by Maria Brockway
Heroes and Legends www.heroesandlegends.net: Owned by Myron Ross, who we kicked out as an advertiser in Autograph magazine and was later expelled from the UACC Registered Dealer program for selling forgeries.
Autograph Central www.autographcentral.net: Owned by Bryan Slaven, who was also expelled from the UACC for selling forgeries. We kicked them out of the magazine when we realized they were a problem, but unfortunately we didn't know until later that Slavin was booted from the UACC years before.

Gladstone told me over a year later in a three-way phone call last summer with another dealer that he had stopped buying from Forever Legends because he realized I was right—their autographs couldn't be trusted. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that ARA informed and issued refunds to their customers who bought the music and vintage Hollywood autographs that Gladstone bought from Forever Legends. At least the owner of the "Beatles-signed" Help lobby card hadn't been last I heard.

I'd be surprised if any of ARA's autographs came from so-called industry insiders. ARA sold Beatles albums for about $12,000 to $25,000, virtually all US releases that I know of. There are only about a dozen band-signed US label Beatles albums known, and they'd be easy to sell for $80,000 to $100,000 or more. As would many of the 20 or so UK release band-signed Beatles albums from Hard Day's Night on. (Please Please Me and With the Beatles are more common. There are perhaps 50-75 of the former known, and 15-20 of the latter). This doesn't mean that's all the signed Beatles albums that exist. These are all that are known that Beatles experts believe are genuine. While it rarely happens, every now and then a new band-signed Beatles album is discovered, and that's likely to continue well into the future.

It makes you wonder:

Why would people sell their autographed albums for such cheap prices to ARA or their suppliers, when with a few calls or emails they could find out what they're worth?
Why would the dealers Gladstone admitted he bought from sell them so cheap if they thought they were genuine? They know the market.
If Gladstone really thought the albums he offered were genuine, why would he sell them for cents on the dollar and pay expensive overhead, sales and marketing costs when he could put them in auction or sell them to dealers for many times more?
And why would he tell people he bought from record industry insiders and only admit to me that he bought from dealers once we called him on it? Why didn't he tell the truth?

If you've bought signed albums from American Royal Arts, or any dealer operating similarly, these are questions I would ask.

They're not alone. Here's a signed Abbey Road album on the Web site of Rock Star Gallery, with the same signing characteristics of all the ones that ARA has:

And here's a "Beatles-signed" Please Please Me album from Rock Star Gallery, which came out in 1963, with the same signature characteristics. It was only a UK release, so I don't know why the signatures look so good, since it came with a lacquered cover like UK Abbey Road albums. Perhaps the cover was treated so the ink would stick better or it's the pens they used:

But these aren't the only two dealers with similar autographs. Here's a White Album currently listed at Rockin Gems for only $4,995. I found more that looked similar on other sites, but they were too small to tell for sure:

There's only one known genuine White Album. It's worth over $100,000 and this isn't it.

Where there's smoke there's fire. Whether you're looking to buy a signed Beatles album or bought one; whether it's an Abbey Road or any other Beatles album; unless you know for a fact the album is genuine, please learn from this and take heed. Make sure what you're considering buying is genuine. Make sure what you own is too. That's what experts are for.

If you'd like input, advice, or you know you've been stung, email me and I'll be happy to help. And no, I don't have any signed Beatles albums for sale. I don't even sell rock and roll.

Update: We just found another Beatles-signed Abbey Road album from ARA with the same characteristics, but no Lennon caricature. That's nine total with Brian's. Here it is:

Comment by Alexander Mehl on July 23, 2010 at 7:22am: Hi,
wrote several weeks ago to MPL to introduce what happens on this signed guitar market and they confirmed to inform McCartney to look at the stuff people give him to sign. Photos with corresponding items enclosed to MPL and they know the problems. Hope it works!
Just saw at eBay this "PAUL MCCARTNEY SIGNED BEATLES HOFNER BASS GUITAR W/ LOA" auction no. 350375507317 and PSA/DNA (who?) confirmed as "signed guitar"!
Oooops..! Such a COA is wrong and worthless.
That's a signed foreign (similar to Hofner!) plastic board again which was cut and mounted and part of the genuine autograph missing because the plastic board didn't fit completely.
Fans, collectors and buyers will be cheated with such items. It's simply b*******. The value of this incomplete autograph is approx. $ 200 or less.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 26, 2010 at 12:18am: Rik,

Someone in Europe told eBay the McCartney autograph on the Hofner bass you're talking about was bad, and eBay pulled it. I don't know who it was, but Alexander said it wasn't him--which is nice to know, it's obviously genuine.

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 26, 2010 at 12:35am: Alexander, Thorsten: Hofner doesn't even make pick guards for any of their basses but the ones made in Germany. They're outsourced to manufacturers other than the ones who make the guitars. Hofner doesn't care what pick guard is used. They even have a service for $100 where you can send them any sheet of plastic and they will cut it into the shape of a pick guard for you for mounting on German and Asian versions of the bass. So for the most part, there is no "offical" Hofner pick guard necessary to make a Hofner bass complete.

It's also generally not the responsibility of an autograph authenticator to authenticate or attribute the memorabilia it's signed on, beyond what he needs to do to help determine the authenticity of the autograph.

I'm going to bed now--catch up with you in the AM.

Comment by Thorsten Knublauch on July 26, 2010 at 12:45am: Hi - no idea but I believe Hofner cares the pickguards they use on the basses they sell - if someone needs a replacement I am sure they don`t care what you fix on the bass.
I only know that I wasn`t able to get an original pickguard for my Epiphone Casino because there is no distribution. They only sell the one fixed on the guitar but no replacement.
I haven`t tried to get a Hofner pickguard but I do remember that I saw them on Ebay.de sold as original.
In my opinion guitar signed on the body is worth more than a pickguard. I know that most of the hunters get Fender like pickguards signed because they work for many cheap guitars.
I still do wonder how the hunters get Paul to sign plastic...

thorsten

Comment by Alexander Mehl on July 26, 2010 at 8:12am: Steve,
there are points which aren't correct described in your comments:
"Someone in Europe told eBay the McCartney autograph on the Hofner bass you're talking about was bad, and eBay pulled it."
My information is that the wrong information to eBay came from US and not Europe and there are other reasons to cancel the auctions - not the autographs! Who says Europe? Europe is big! Gives eBay such an information?

"Hofner doesn't even make pick guards for any of their basses but the ones made in Germany. They're outsourced to manufacturers other than the ones who make the guitars. Hofner doesn't care what pick guard is used. They even have a service for $100 where you can send them any sheet of plastic and they will cut it into the shape of a pick guard for you for mounting on German and Asian versions of the bass. So for the most part, there is no "offical" Hofner pick guard necessary to make a Hofner bass complete."

That's absolutely rubbish Hofner wrote today and it would be interesting who claims such fairytales.
Alexander

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 26, 2010 at 11:37am: Alexander,

The German made Hofners are primarily the ones where the officialness of the pick guard makes a difference. They are, or were, often made from materials exclusive to Hofner. We were told by Mike Smith of Hofner USA on Friday that the basses Hofner has made in Asia come with pick guards produced by a Korean company and not with materials exclusive to Hofner. There may be some exceptions, such as special editions, but this is generally the case.

Smith told us on Friday that they will make customer provided plastic into a pick guards a cost of $100. I verified that on the phone today, but that person didn't know the price. He also said that it's more affordable to have it cut by a luthier not with Hofner, or simply buy a pick guard.

I'll stand by my statement that the primary party involved in having that piece pulled came from Europe. I could tell you the country but I won't. But the most important thing I want to get across is that an autograph authenticator is only authenticating the autograph unless they clearly make a statement regarding the authenticity of the instrument itself on the COA, in which case they'd list the model number, if any, and other necessary details.

Regarding the Hofner style bass you have pictured below, eBay #350375507317: You didn't mention that the photo in the PSA/DNA COA clearly shows the pick guard mounted on a different guitar.

I can't see the edge of the pick guard close enough to tell if McCartney simply went off the edge as he signed it, or if the plastic was made into a pick guard afterwards. It's easy to tell from a high res photo if you have one, but it's not unusual at for an artist to go off the edge when they sign a pick guard.

But your idea of the value of many items you've mentioned seem to be based on your preferences and prejudices and far off from their real value.

Last for now, your questioning of who at PSA/DNA authenticated the item. PSA/DNA is an organization, like the main ones that certify gemstones, GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and the EGL (European Gemological Laboratory). The COA is provided by the organization and represents the organization's official opinion. The market acceptance and value of an org's COA/LOA is based on their overall reliability, not on which expert or experts looked at the item. The organization's reputation lives and dies on the market acceptance of their authentication over a period of time--not which expert looked at which item.

Really enjoying this conversation. I think it's valuable.

Steve

Comment by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 26, 2010 at 12:10pm: Rik,
I'll drop a note to Roger Epperson and see if he wants to pitch in. He's well versed on the subject.

Comment by roger epperson on July 26, 2010 at 12:47pm: Usually what happens is a collector makes a sign out of plastic saying "Paul I love you, I travelled from Florida" in dry erase marker. They leave a spot for him to sign that would be in the perfect place for a pickguard to cut out. Once signed they erase the other writing then cut the guard. Alexander are you going to email MPL and tell them this too? Quit sweating the small trivial stuff. Sounds like you are a bit jealous.

Comment by Alexander Mehl on July 26, 2010 at 1:45pm: Roger,

sure, the way to get an autograph on a rectangular or quadratic plastic material to cut and mount on any guitar was described and photos added to MPL. Do you need a copy and the response of MPL?
I thought we're discussing about signed guitars or signed foreign plastic stuff and not my personal opinion. There's really no understanding to write "small trivial stuff"! Why should I be jealous? Having not a signed plastic pickguard with an inclompete sig? No, Roger!
Had enough personal contacts....!

Comment by Alexander Mehl on July 26, 2010 at 2:56pm: Steve,
regarding the statement of Mike Smith of Hofner USA here's the translation of Hofner Germany writings:
We use only for our bass guitars this kind of pickguards in general! (Photo shows a perlmutt pickguard like the pickguard to see on the photo at eBay #350375507317!).
The seller of the mentioned "signed" guitar wrote on July 22nd, 2010 in his email: "It was a raw piece of pickguard material paul signed then I had it cut into the pickguard cause Paul no longer signs guitars."
In this case it's not a signed guitar! Maybe that Roger Epperson authenticates as signed guitar but this is his own opinion and wrong! As I wrote before the PSA/DNA LOA is wrong too.
Furthermore Hofner wrote:
We have three lines to produce the bass guitar:
The simple one in Indonesia.
The CT-Bass will be pre-produced in China and completed in Germany.
The H500/1 and others are handmade in Germany.
All - I repeat all - will be endcontrolled and checked and prepared for delivery here in Germany.
In this case the statement of Mike Smith is not correct! Ask him!
PSA/DNA: The question (who?) meant, which expert at this organisation is responsible for such an authentication! Reading the LOA "....that we have examined in our hobby and professional career." Oooops! Hobby!!??
I want to know i.e. for any recourse purposes who issued the LOA, the lady of the accounts dept. or the gatekeeper who authenticates Beatles sigs for hobby! That's not serious!

Steve, you wrote: "I'll stand by my statement that the primary party involved in having that piece pulled came from Europe. I could tell you the country but I won't."
It would be very interesting and please write to ruppersoul@aol.com
Confidential in every case.

Only mentioned the value of such an inclompete signature with $ 200 and distinguish between prices of dealers and normal sellers at different internet auction houses. Saw in the past that such sigs sold for $ 150. Genuine by the way.

Alexander