Question about an Williams item on Hunt Auction

[isaac2004]

I have heard from multiple sources that John Henry Williams practiced signing his dad's name over and over, so he could sell them under the family company after Ted passed. I saw this item and thought "Why would Williams sign the same paper 4 times?" Does anyone know more on the backstory of all this?

http://huntauctions.com/phone/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=104&lot_num=423

Thanks

[cubsfan-budman]

I saw that item too...I assumed it was practice.

[isaac2004]

I saw that item too...I assumed it was practice.

Practice for who though? Maybe a "warmup" before an autograph session, but still seems odd.

[mcgwirecom]

Signers do that sometimes. I know there is a Killebrew collector on this forum who owns a paper signed multiple times by Harmon. Sometimes it is to make sure the pens are good, in Teds case I saw him when he was pretty old and he could barely see stuff. They would put it in front of him and place the pen where he should start. He may have truly been practicing so he didn't give the first guy a crappy signature. When players get old their autographs can really go down hill. Hank Aaron is an example. I'm not sure I would let him sign something I own now.

I never trusted John Henry, but there is legit reasons for practicing an autograph.

[GrayGhost]

What's interesting about it is that they all look a bit different.

[ss]

And not one of them looks like a signature worth purchasing.

[baseball tourist]

I once owned a paper table cloth overlay from Wayne Gretzky's restaurant that was signed by Wayne approx 80 times (also had his Dad Walter's sits and many doodles). Wayne was visiting his restaurant, sitting at table and people we're filing over to see him all night. Wayne had a sharpie in his hand and rather absent-mindedly signed his name over and over again between conversations and providing autos.

The thing was approx 3 feet by 3 feet and was signed from all angles and sides - as the guys moved around the table throughout the night. I wish I had a picture of it, because knowing the collector who bought it, it will never see an auction etc until his passing.

[scmavl]

Signers do that sometimes. I know there is a Killebrew collector on this forum who owns a paper signed multiple times by Harmon. Sometimes it is to make sure the pens are good, in Teds case I saw him when he was pretty old and he could barely see stuff. They would put it in front of him and place the pen where he should start. He may have truly been practicing so he didn't give the first guy a crappy signature. When players get old their autographs can really go down hill. Hank Aaron is an example. I'm not sure I would let him sign something I own now.

I never trusted John Henry, but there is legit reasons for practicing an autograph.

Here is the Killebrew that Randall was referring to. Harmon used three different pens on two different types of paper to see which he liked best. It's well known how particular he was about a nice signature. I have documentation from his agent that Harmon did this in his presence.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/santaclausmachine/IMG_1053-1.jpg

[isaac2004]

Here is the Killebrew that Randall was referring to. Harmon used three different pens on two different types of paper to see which he liked best. It's well known how particular he was about a nice signature. I have documentation from his agent that Harmon did this in his presence.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v258/santaclausmachine/IMG_1053-1.jpg

Man his signature is pretty

[ss]

The difference to me is that those Killebrew's all look very nice.

[packs]

Those Killebrew sigs all look the same to me. But the Williams sigs all look different, especially when you look at the dotted I placement in Williams. It's never in the same spot.

[mcgwirecom]

Thanks for posting it Jarrod. I was making no assumptions on whether the Williams were real, only answering the queston as to why someone would practice their signature.

[mighty bombjack]

I'm not sure what to make of "Includes letter of provenance from Claudia Williams"

[Runscott]

I'm not sure what to make of "Includes letter of provenance from Claudia Williams"

It's just his daughter saying that it came from Ted's estate.

[mighty bombjack]

It's just his daughter saying that it came from Ted's estate.

OK, I was wondering if the letter said it is from his estate, or does she herself claim that these were signed by her father.