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Authenticity is Everything
DEAR JOHN...a study of John Belushi's autograph and a personal search!
John Belushi shone bright and burned out in only 33 short years on this Earth. He is rightly considered an American comedy icon and so his autographs are highly sought after items. The trouble is that the man who lived a wild and fast life also had a wildly signing style. Now I’m only an amateur collector, and I’ve tried doing my research, and although there are characteristics to his signature, he can be very tricky to give a definitive on. Obviously taking into consideration the changes in signing over his years of fame, quick signings, documents and checks, he’s still a tricky one.
The following is my tale to discover if I have a genuine Belushi or not.
First of all, let’s have a look at some (what I would consider to be) 99.9% genuine Belushi signings.
Firstly some signed documents:
Here is a very confident and quite complex signature; an all in one movement for ‘John’ continuing into an ‘A’ for his middle name ‘Adam’ (which appears in earlier examples of his signings and official documents) Then his surname is another all in one movement, this time rounded with lots of swirls. The ‘B’ starts with the straight line downwards, then twists back up to the top veering left and then he continues into the two front loops of the ‘B’ and then back again and into the ‘e’ and a nice loop for the ‘L’ a tight swirl for the ‘u’ and ‘s’, another loop for the ‘h and then finishes with the dot of the ‘I’ that floats out to the right hand side of the signature.
Another contract signed faster, The ‘J’ a bit more pointed in this example, still with the ‘A’ for Adam, and the Belushi is stretched and less flourished, probably to fit into this document. Still that dot over the ‘I’ out to the right. And both names written in single, deliberate movements.
Next up is a nice example of a check from 1972. A little looser, back to the more rounded style, still with the middle ‘A’ but the ‘Belushi’ is leaning to the right a little. There is a break after the ‘s’, which seldom occurs and the dot once more.
This group signing from SNL cast in 1977 features a much simpler signing style, he’s dropped the ‘A’ and this time there’s less of a lean to the left on the ‘J’ of John and the trademark ‘I’ dot still floating off the very end.(in the middle of the document)
This check from the same year and the lean to the left is back and that dot over the ‘I’ as a little dash to the right.
This dot/ dash I believe is an important trait in spotting a genuine Belushi (isn’t it the same with Stan Laurel, where a genuine one always has a dot after the signature? Something that forgers often missed.)
Then there’s this hastily signed membership card, yet there’s that ’A’ and of course the dot again!
Another card:
Now a couple of more informal versions of his signing styles. A signed receipt with a much simpler ‘John’ but it still has a twist in the ‘o’:
And this in-person from a respected document specialist, this time with the John above the Belushi and with a flamboyant swirl underneath.
So there you have it, lots of variation, but a few stand out features;
A lean to the left
Both ‘John’ and ‘Belushi’ written in one movement.
The bottom of the ‘B’ twisting back and sweeping into the rounded ‘e’
The twisting ‘s’
And that tell tale ‘dot’ over the ‘I’ at the end.
Now onto the obvious fakes to compare to:
This site ‘Memorabilia Autographs’ are hawking a large number of these forgeries, from 200 to 400 dollars. This is the most common forgery of his signature out there.
This one on Ebay is currently passing this one off. Not a bad attempt to copy his movement, but not right
This pick guard is pretty shameless:
Now onto my own purchase, I bought this on Ebay back in 2005. And I am under no allusions that it could be a fake, but it has always bugged me, as just when I write it off, I see something that makes me think it could be genuine.
Firstly it seems like a very elaborate fake, now, I’m not stupid enough to think that forgers won’t go to great lengths to cheat us collectors, but still. Why fake these three names in particular; Bill Murray, John Belushi and Gilda Radner (whom the autograph hunter wasn't sure who it was, hence the question mark after her name). Surely Dan Aykroyd would serve you better to forge alongside Belushi? More bucks for sure.
And the confidence in which the Belushi signature is executed has always made me wonder, a forger could certainly have gone for a simpler version of his signature and there is no hesitation at all in the line, it has that lean to the left and has that all important dot over the ‘I’.
I sent the item to John Hickey at Heritage Auctions, who was very helpful and ran it by Steve Grad at PSA/DNA at no extra cost and I was simply told ‘all no good.’ Now I have the utmost respect for their work, but it continued to bug me and nine years later it still does! Particularly as PSA Autograph facts have this one posted as a genuine example.
Here are two studies I’ve done on my own autograph. One shows all three SNL cast comparisons.
And finally another look alongside two genuine and similar in style Belushi’s.
So, there you have it, what do you guys think? Am I chasing a dream and need to save up and buy another, or could I have a genuine Belushi in my collection? I’d love to know what you think? And no need to spare my feelings, I’m still getting over that Jackie Gleason secretarial I have hanging on my wall!!
And at the very least, anyone looking to buy a Belushi have a little resource here on site.
Tags: Belushi, Bill, Gilda, John, Live, Murray, Night, Radner, SNL, Saturday
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Micko on
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A nice story does not make it real. Here's a 'signed napkin' that popped up on Ebay sold by camoissexy for $299.99- Buy it Now. 5 watchers as I write. But this is NOT real at all!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JOHN-BELUSHI-Autographed-Cocktail-Napkin-Ci...
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screen-capture-5.jpg, 63 KB
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Okay here's an interesting one that popped up on Ebay this week.
Price $4999
A 7x5 personally signed photo. I would hazard as real, but I don't know. They're not giving too much detail and the usual typos and vaugeness. An interesting one...hmmm.
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Another week another Belushi forgery
Ebay seller gimmetheworks is attempting to sell this forgery for $750 claiming it has been authenticated by 'Selective resources incorporated' - not too selective it seems.
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And here's another Belushi this week from Ebay seller garagepixie entitled:
Signed JOHN BELUSHI 4x6 folder page includes COA & purchase history UACC member
Price : $845
I do not believe this is a genuine Belushi, far to neat and tidy and the inscription style does not match any other inscriptions that I've seen before. The description also is yet again a random, vague attempt to seem genuine using UACC without any back up or member number, 'Certificate of Authenticity from initial issuer', catalog auction by Gallery of History Las Vegas etc. - just random nonsense. And the same seller has plenty of other suspect items.
Description:
Item includes a Signed, inscribed and personalize (approx.) 4x6 folder page signed by JOHN BELUSHI. Item has folder page perforations along left edge and minor page toning, see image. Item includes a Certificate of Authenticity from initial issuer and a Letter of Acquisition which provides certification and purchase history of signature card obtained through a catalog auction held by Gallery of History, Las Vegas, NV, multi-year UACC member. Interested parties may request an electronic copy of documentation. Item is offered with $5.00 FedEx shipping with tracking and in a box to lower 48 states. Buyer must provide a street address, no PO boxes. Seller accepts Paypal, payment required within 48 hours of purchase, no echecks. If this item is of interest, check seller's other auctions for similar items.
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Permalink Reply by Bam Miller on
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Detective BelushiBhoy strikes again!! this supposed UACC certified Belushi above me is a fake, i thought it looked familiar to a certain PSA/DNA certified one sold a few years back! the seller has been notified and I will be more than happy to post the copies of the alledged COA and letter she sent me. Todd Axelrod, UACC RD071 is NOT even listed in the directory! case closed ;)
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Permalink Reply by BallroomDays67 on
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Has this one been posted yet? Authenticated by PSA/DNA.
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No Ballroom, I hadn't see that one before. Honestly I would have found that one impossible to call as the 'B' is strange. However the overall flow looks good.And the 'John' is good. Just shows the wild variations of his signing.
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