Thoughts on this Cobb auto?

[Shorttmail66]

I recently picked up a huge vintage collection containing stuff from the 1880s through 1973. Tons of cards, vintage pins, oddball inserts, exhibits, etc. The was a scrapbook filled with old newspaper articles and pictures from the 1930s through the 1950s. It also contained a bunch of old postcards, mostly of old stadiums and a few players and a few old programs. I was about finished with the this particular book when I noticed an old Christmas postcard. As I looked more closely I noticed an autograph at the bottom....Ty Cobb. Now I immediately thought there is no way this is for real but then I noticed a COA from Authentic Autographs Unlimited signed by Drew Max. The COA, and the postcard, are affixed with a serial number. I see that the postcard is postmarked from December 1919 also.

So, what next? What does anybody know about Authentic Autographs Unlimited and Drew Max? Any input is appreciated.

Thanks.
Tim

[tazdmb]

I can't tell if real or not without a closer picture, but the COA is worthless. Drew Max is one of the scums of the hobby who never saw an autograph he didn't like. Even if the signature is real, and I don't know if it is, people will run away based on the COA alone.

[Bigdaddy]

I'm no Cobb expert, but the many things on this postcard point to not authentic. In my line of work, we refer to this process as 'sensor fusion' - taking pieces of information from various sensors or sources and putting them together to come to a conclusion.

The first being, as the above responder pointed out, the Drew Max cert. The second is that the PC is postmarked from Brooklyn with no other apparent tie to Cobb. The third is that all the writing on the back (address, message) has been obscured, further eliminating any potential tie to Cobb. The Cobb signature seems to be out of place on this item.

So I can't say definitely, but clues are pointing to 'not genuine'.

Just some thoughts, and I realize that's not a concrete answer you are looking for.

[thetruthisoutthere]

Below are links to some of my threads on Drew Max.

I have yet to see an authentic autograph with a COA from Drew Max AAU.



https://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/forged-autographs-bergen-county-nj-prosecutors-baseball-auction?id=3524372%3ABlogPost%3A552528&page=1#comments


https://live.autographmagazine.com/profiles/blogs/drew-max-forensic-document-examiner-aau-fdr-letter-to-clergy-pawn


https://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/ebay-seller-kooluof-babe-ruth-autographed-baseball-forgery-coa-dr


https://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/mickey-mantle-roger-maris-autographed-photo-forgery-ebay-seller-m

[Mr. Zipper]

...The first being, as the above responder pointed out, the Drew Max cert. The second is that the PC is postmarked from Brooklyn with no other apparent tie to Cobb. The third is that all the writing on the back (address, message) has been obscured, further eliminating any potential tie to Cobb. The Cobb signature seems to be out of place on this item.

The signature is a bad fake.

A good and astute comment about the Christmas greeting card. This is what I like to refer to as an “item of opportunity.” Meaning that a forger used it because it is something that *could* have been signed by the person in question, and something that was likely obtained inexpensively at a flea market. Same thing when you see fake signatures on dollar bills, old books not related to the signer, etc. Because of the date of the item, the person *could* have signed it.

[RichardSimon]

Christmas cards with autographs belong in the same category as GPC's with no postmark.
:(:(

[Mr. Zipper]

Christmas cards with autographs belong in the same category as GPC's with no postmark.
:(:(

So true. Holiday cards with fake autographs probably outnumber those with authentic signatures 50 to 1.

[Shorttmail66]

Thanks to each of you for the input. I definitely had reservations when I first saw it and I had any of the same thoughts that were presented here. I don't collect autos or memorabilia and know very little about the authentication of such big-name old timers such as Cobb. I appreciate the input on Drew Max and the links on his past practices.

Happy New Year to all....
Tim

[Stampsfan]

Wasn't he, or someone from AAU, the autograph authentication expert on "Pawn Stars" a few years back?

[JollyElm]

Yup, ole Mr. Magnifying Glass himself.