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Redd Foxx Signature Study

This is a thread created to evaluate Redd Foxx's signature.

HOWEVER,

It has come to my attention that Redd Foxx may have authorized his secretaries to sign his checks. If so, this makes even checks (which are usually the safest bet) doubtful.

Here are some checks and other Redd Foxx signatures to judge on.

The checks have a consistent signature, but if they are indeed secretarial that would greatly affect how we view his signature; JSA passed one as mentioned above.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Lougheed on December 5, 2012 at 10:16am

Hi again, Scott. There are two examples in the original post of straight-line signatures on pieces of paper (they say "Thanks, Redd Foxx). Does anyone know when these were signed? Do you think it is likely that the same hand (Redd's or otherwise) signed these signatures as well as the 1985 checks?

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 5, 2012 at 10:43am

Hi Peter. I would like to know when those were signed too. I am in hopes someone might have an index card with a date on the back that was common practice years ago to put when it was obtained. If you look at the checks with that signature there appears to be a little line for the "x" this appears to be missing from the cards. So not sure what that means. If you take a look at the link to the check I have you will see it is different and has a hand made fox above the signature. The other two 1979 checks have a red stamped fox. I am not ready to give up on the 1985 checks being in Redd's hand just yet. I think there is enough similarity to warrant just a change of signature style. I can see why JSA would pass a check that was signed without much thought. If Redd allowed someone to sign checks in his style it would be very unusual. I only own the 1979 check so do not have a later example to really study good. The "Redd" in the examples look similar to me.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Lougheed on December 5, 2012 at 11:20am

Doesn't it seem odd that only 1979 and 1985 Foxx checks are available for study? Whether he signed his own checks or not, he must have issued checks before 1979, from 1980 to 1984, and 1986 until his death in 1991 at the age of 68, don't you think? I agree that it would be ideal to track a timeline of his signatures, otherwise we have to make assumptions to fill in the blanks.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 5, 2012 at 11:30am

Well I suspect the checks were sold and perhaps two dealers are releasing them as they are in a stack or something. Hard to tell but other checks I have collected seem to be that way you get the same years lots of times. The cards are interesting because they seem a bit different in having no "x" at all just a line. If I am tired and signing a bunch of checks I notice my first name is usually ok but i get lax at the last name. I wish someone who works at JSA or PSA would give some insight on their criteria for authenticating Redd Foxx signatures. The signed contract 1976 obviously is safe since it is notarized and that signature is similar to the 1979 ones. If we could find another contract signed around 1986 that would be perfect. There just seems less material on him than I thought there would be. I bought the 1979 check on Ebay because of this discussion I never really intended to collect Sanford and Son originally lol.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Lougheed on December 5, 2012 at 11:41am

It would be great to ask the folks at JSA and PSA how they were comfortable certifying at least two variations of Foxx' signature. I see the "x" you are talking about, and I see that all of the 1985 checks have identical signature forms, including the "x" in the last name. It is possible that, sometime in 1985, Foxx signed a bunch of checks at the same time, or even pre-signed some. He was going through some tough economic times in the 1980's, so he may have been paying his expenses/moneys owed, in groups of checks, as money was available to pay them out.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 5, 2012 at 12:38pm

It is not impossible that he signed checks perhaps once every two weeks or something like that. Of course checks signed at same time would tend to look more the same. If you look at the two 1979 checks that Brick posted they have the day put in later in ink. This indicates to me they were not signed exactly on that day. At least they were not typed out that day or why not include the day. There is a website with artwork signed by Foxx but very poor quality viewing on it at least with my computer. Of course artwork signatures do vary a lot from regular signatures.

Permalink Reply by Mike P on December 5, 2012 at 3:59pm

Sorry, i forgot to mention that the index cards are questionable with regard to authenticity. also, in my opinion i think redd signed his own checks when the show ended but like pete said, he hit financial problems in the 80s as he was a bit of a spender.

I cant fathom that his signature would change that much in a couple of years. The way he forms the f in foxx is almost completely different if not already. Also, take a look the r. Those "squiggles" are irregular- sometimes there are three of tjem, sometimes four. Whoever signed these checks dated 1985 did so very haphazardly.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 5, 2012 at 4:30pm

What I cannot understand is why there are not more examples around. The 1985 signatures are different there is no doubt about that. I just wish we had more exemplars. I have seen at least one other index card that did not have the cross mark on the x.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Lougheed on December 5, 2012 at 8:14pm

Hi, Mike.

Do you know when this index card was signed?

Thanks,

Pete

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Permalink Reply by Peter Lougheed on December 5, 2012 at 9:24pm

The "MULX" note is interesting, but even more intriguing is that it is identified as "in-person". If that is accurate, then it adds some credibility to this form not being secretarial, but rather in Foxx' own hand.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Paul on December 6, 2012 at 5:40am

Thank you Mike really appreciate it any examples of his signature we can get the better. The card you have appears to me to be more consistent with the 1985 checks than the other index cards shown here. I suspect MULX might stand for something a university perhaps? Back when I first started collecting in the mid-70s it was common to put on the back of index cards where and when obtained. I hope we can locate a few with dates. Do you have any thoughts on the two different styles? I am right in the middle of the fence on this because I see valid arguments on both sides. It is a drastic change in style from 1979 (at least) until 1985 (at least) so can see why ones would lean toward it being a different person signing it.