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Buying uncertified autographs: help wanted

Dear all,

I've been offered a signed photo which I'm as sure as can be is authentic. The autograph was obtained in person but it has not been certified by a trustworthy third party. What should I do, aside from asking the seller for detailed information about the provenance of the item?

The reason I'm asking is also that I can imagine selling the item again in five years or so - something that would be a lot easier to do if the item has a trusted certification.

Thank you for any feedback!

Davy

Tags: authentication, uncertified

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Permalink Reply by Dan Morris on July 16, 2020 at 1:22am

I'd post a photo of the item here so members can give their opinions to put your mind at ease. Having authentication already will make resale easier

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Permalink Reply by Davy C. on July 16, 2020 at 1:37am

The person offering me the photo is in fact one of the members of this forum ;-) My question pertains not so much to its authenticity as to the information I should get about its origins before considering to buy it.

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Permalink Reply by Joe W. on July 16, 2020 at 3:43am

Here is my opinion. Make sure the seller understands you intend to submit the signature to a TPA. And he/she agrees to accept a return if it fails. Knowing the origin of a signature is helpful information but it still comes down to the autograph itself. If it does not pass scrutiny then you should take a pass as well.