Authenticity is Everything
Billie Holiday Autograph
I purchased this 78 vinyl record purportedly signed by Billie Holiday from an RACC trusted seller. I recently submitted the item to JSA for authentication, and unfortunately it did not pass.
I originally submitted it in person at a show here in CA a few weeks ago, and I was disappointed by how carelessly the item was handled during intake. When I received it back, there were fingerprints all over it. I contacted JSA immediately to report the condition, and they did expedite the review process.
Yesterday I received their letter confirming that the autograph did not pass authentication. I’m extremely disappointed and unsure what my next step should be, or if anyone here might be able to offer advice.
Prior to purchasing the item, I did my research and examined the signature characteristics—such as the looping of “Billie” and the shape of the “H” in “Holiday.” However, upon further inspection, the signature appears to have been written in ballpoint pen. Additionally, the Blue Ace label is known to be a bootleg label, and this particular pressing seems to have been released slightly before the time of her passing.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Wolfson
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I was incorrect. Roger emailed earlier saying Blue Ace years were well before her passing.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo
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Again the "da" is lying down compressed to the right compared the the "o" in Eva's example.
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Here are two mock-ups to illustrate what I am seeing:
OP:
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Roger said mine looks authentic based on quick review. Submitting for loa
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Permalink Reply by a pug called eva
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Interesting. There's hope yet. I'm still skeptical, especially given the price, but I guess Roger's opinion would carry as much weight as JSA's.
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+1 as expected, and well put.
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Gently but there. Adjust the signing angle of the book page and it is quite close in angles:
OP
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Trouble uploading - solved.
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Here is the one you said was passed by Epperson:
RR
Book:
OP
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I just went through the the three pages of closed Holiday at RR - there are none with a pen lift on the "y" and perhaps 2 out of about 48 show a different "o" and "da" - the rest are as shown.
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That's very interesting Eric. I didn't even notice the "y" pen lifting point.
The busy background in the OP item makes the autograph extremely hard to see and your clean-up job on it helps a lot. Hopefully Roger will see your work here or has some way of doing a similar thing himself.
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