A Doors Mystery - A Fully-Signed Light My Fire German Picture Sleeve

This signed picture sleeve will be offered in the next Gotta Have Rock and Roll auction.

I don’t see an issue with the signatures. However, the problem is the provenance. It’s a German picture sleeve, and in the letter of provenance the original recipient provides a very specific and detailed account of getting it signed on 9/14/68 in Germany.

The confusing part is that the photo on the front of the sleeve was taken on 9/18/68 in Copenhagen. So, obviously the picture sleeve didn’t exist on the date he claims it was signed.

It was released after the Doors returned to the US. As far as I know, they didn’t return to Europe as a group until they played the Isle of Wight Festival in August of 1970.

Tags: Fire, German, Light, My, Picture, Sleeve

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on July 28, 2025 at 10:30am

Thank you BallroomDays67 for the clarification that eases my mind towards the auction house.  I was dumfounded why any reputable house would withdraw a LOA.  So, you do not believe they ever saw the LOA?  One hopes not, and I would think not because they have a fine reputation.   I suppose the origin of the LOA will remain a mystery.  

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 28, 2025 at 11:36am

Agreed. Perhaps Gotta Have It took it on consignment without seeing the LOA.

Permalink Reply by BallroomDays67 on July 28, 2025 at 11:48am

+1. Yes, there’s a good chance that they never saw the LOP.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 28, 2025 at 12:05pm

I'm sure these are all in the same hand. Besides pen pressure being identical and some overall characteristics, the J's of Jim and John are essentially identical.

Here they are, side-by-side and overlayed. I enlarged Jim's J to the same size as John's:

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on July 28, 2025 at 1:22pm

+100!

Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on July 28, 2025 at 1:28pm

That would go a long way to explain that bizarre LOA also.

Permalink Reply by BallroomDays67 on July 28, 2025 at 4:13pm

That would be very scary. The Morrison looks so good. What also gets me is the “more” portion of John’s signature. I wouldn’t expect a forger to nail that unusually formed portion of his signature that way.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 28, 2025 at 8:46pm

Do the Js look like they were signed by the same person to you, Ballroom?

Here's a comparo done with the better images.

Side-by-side:

Jim's J overlaying John's. Opacity of Jim's reduced:

Permalink Reply by BallroomDays67 on July 28, 2025 at 9:37pm

I’m not entirely sure. They do indeed look very similar in the comparison, but still somehow look like their respective “J”s to me. 

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on July 28, 2025 at 6:17pm

I just noticed the images Gotta Have It posted are from a great scan. They're clearer than the one in the OP. Doesn't change my opinion but it makes inspecting them easier:

Permalink Reply by Bruce Juice on August 9, 2025 at 8:15am

Sold for almost 64 grand after fees. Gotta be a record for a Doors or Morrison signed LP/45. 

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on August 9, 2025 at 8:23am

So, despite the missing wax, the buyer of this sleeve got a "record" anyway? Hmm. 

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