Vintage Sugar Ray Robinson Piece... Value??? if any???

[daves_resale_shop]

Friend of mine who owns an antique shop today call me this morning to let me know he took in a massive vintage autogaph collection over the weekend... I was pretty pumped especially considering I had a great weekend in Philly...

To my disappointment the lot was filled with political, entertainment and literary signatures...

I did pick this one up on impulse even though i know very little about boxing (wikipedia has since helped me)

The Photo is of a very young Sugar Ray Robinson , has a stamp impression in the lower left corner that states "Woodards Studio New York Chicago"

The photo is signed "Best wishes sincerely Ray Robinson"

Any input on date, value or authenticity would be greatly appreciated

[JimStinson]

Need a time frame on the S.R. Robinson as he rarely signed when active, signed briefly after retirement, and then used proxy. The photo itself has value. Maybe MORE than the autograph ......I am VERY interested in what literary signatures are there as I collect authors too. Let me know
__________________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

[JimStinson]

also if helpful Sugar Ray's real name was WALKER SMITH. So has an outside change of being a very, very early Ray, I've never seen this variation
___________________________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

[daves_resale_shop]

found this link: when doing a search under "Woodard's" and found this one
http://www.fighttoys.com/Robinson%20Woodard%20photo.htm

Pretty similar, but the one I have is more elegant...

[toybulldog]

His signature was very capricious early on and did change quite a bit from the late 30's up until the late 40's/early 50's when it started to take on its consistent/recognizable form. Here's a similar item to yours that was undoubtedly signed in the same hand.

http://www.fighttoys.com/Robinson,Ray%20(best%20wishes%20vintage)b.JPG

A while ago I thought these could be an outside possibilty of his mid 40's signature but lately not so much. In fact I think I know who actually signed these if I can find where I stored the information. I can elaborate on Wednesday when I have some free time.

Mark O.

[toybulldog]

Here's some authentic early Robinson's from 44-47

http://www.fighttoys.com/Robinson,Ray%201944%201d%20SR.jpg

http://www.fighttoys.com/Robinson,Ray%201944%203%20SR.jpg

http://www.fighttoys.com/Robinson%20check%201947-1-7a%20SD.jpg

And an authentic late 30's (believe it or not):

http://www.fighttoys.com/Robinson,Ray%20vintage%201a%20SR.JPG