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Beatles SP.....real or not?

Back in the fall of 1992 I placed an advertisement in the music trade magazine GOLDMINE stating that I was in search of a set of Beatles autographs. I hadn't been collecting for too long of a time and certainly didn't know a lot about the Beatles signatures at that time. I received a catalog of Beatles material from a dealer in Conroe, Texas. A signed 8" X 10" photograph was included in the listings. No photograph was included but after contacting the dealer he sent a photocopy of the item. I thought it looked OK and sent him payment of $1200 for the item. Upon receiving the item, I had concerns and immediately returned the photograph requesting a refund. The dealer was uncooperative and we ultimately ended up in a Texas small claims court where the judge ruled in my favor. The dealer never did provide one cent of restitution and, after placing a lien on his property, etc. to no avail, I gave up on ever seeing my money. I view it as an early down payment on my collecting education. The other day while going through my old file cabinet I happened upon a folder containing all of the correspondence from that time. Included in the file was a photograph that I took of the SP which I took before returning it to the dealer. Over the years I have sometimes wondered: (A) If my assessment of the photograph was wrong, and (B) If the photograph ever ended up in someone else's collection. I realize that my photograph of the item is not of great quality but hopefully there is enough of the signatures there to determine an opinion. I still don't like the looks of them but would like to know what others think. And, if you have ever seen this picture at any other time.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on January 21, 2020 at 4:11pm

Who was the dealer?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Zarelli on January 21, 2020 at 4:25pm

Not a name that I recognize. Sorry!

There are a lot of people well versed in Beatles here. I'm sure you'll get an informed opinion soon.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on January 21, 2020 at 4:32pm

I remember him...he was a dealer out of Conroe Texas back in the late 1980's and early 1990's...and sorry to say the autographs are bogus. This particular pic was sent out by the fan club...(it's from 1966)...and it usually had first name only auto pen signatures on this photo.These are not auto pen signatures. Mal Evans maybe?

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Permalink Reply by Martin Peters on January 21, 2020 at 4:36pm

Jim, I am actually glad to hear they are bogus. At least I made the correct determination at the time. It's just unfortunate for me that the guy chose to run his business as he did. I don't know if he is still in business as I haven't had any communication with him since our court date in early 1993.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on January 21, 2020 at 4:52pm

It's a lousy "learning experience".....

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Permalink Reply by Jim Cushman on January 21, 2020 at 4:46pm

Here's the same 1966 Butcher Cover session photo from the fan club with the first name auto pen sigs

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Permalink Reply by Martin Peters on January 21, 2020 at 4:53pm

Yes, I have seen many of those offered over the years.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Peters on January 22, 2020 at 1:55pm

Jim, thank you for posting the fan club photo with the pre-printed signatures. Were those issued only in 8" X 10" or were they also sent out in a smaller size? And, what I was intimating in the original post was if anyone had seen this EXACT photograph, with the signatures, anywhere else. I am curious if this ended up in someone's collection or if anyone had seen it offered over the past 25+ years.