Interesting "coincidence" in autographed photos bought through Proxibid
 

I've recently bought a few autographed photos from three different auction houses on Proxibid (and this is not a Proxibid bash - I've had good luck and bad luck with items bought there, and realize it's a function of the auction house, not the portal). These are all unauthenticated photos of current players and I don't think I spent more than $10 on any figuring I'm not out that much if they prove to be bogus. So, when I got them, I noticed on the back of each there was lettering and numbering that you often see when you print photos online or at a store - I am attaching an example. Although the numbers and names of the player are different in each photo, the name Toni Maynard is on the first line of print on each of the photos (again - these are from three different auction houses). I assume she is the person who printed out all of the photos. Has anyone ever come across this before? Unless Ms. Maynard has a whole lot of athlete contacts in different sports, different leagues, and different colleges, I guess I have to assume that the autographs are all fake. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Let's see one of the photos. My guess is that you will find that they are copies of autographed photos.

Wow - that could be. I'll post one tomorrow.

Even if these photos are copies, there is no way to tell if the autograph is a copy or real via a computer screen.

This.

Unless of course we're lucky or very familiar with the photos and know what original they match to or that they're popular reprints.

A plausible explanation is a forgery ring distributes their product through a number of local auction houses like the ones on proxybid.

The proof of the pudding will be seeing the signatures. If they appear to be the product of a forgery ring, the name on the back of the prints could actually be a valuable piece of information.

Here are scans - Ray Lewis and Marqise Lee. If you guys have tips as to determining if these are copies of signatures or actual signatures (real or forged), please let me know - I tried to tell and have no clue. They look to me like ink on a photo, and I compared it to photos I've had signed in person and couldn't tell. From looking at other sigs on line, the Lee one looks pretty different. Lewis looks good to me, though. Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts about this, please let me know.

Thanks!

Get a Click Eraser.
I bought two autographed photos of Ted Williams from Always At Auction.
This was an experiment because I had doubts about the way these "autographs" were "placed" on the photo.
Click Eraser will erase sharpie ink on glossy photo paper.
It did not erase the ink on the two photos I bought.

Thanks - I'll give it a try.

So in other words, if you can erase them they are real? :D

Really on the picture at least:D

There's one that I don't care too much about, so it will be a good test subject.

I'm a frequent IP Autographer and some places (like Costco and CVS) print your name on the back of photos when ordered, while others just use generic numbers or letters. I'm thinking this could possibly be the case here... (as you stated in your first post)

If the Ray Lewis autograph looks good as long as it is an autograph and not part of the photo. Consistent with every Ray Lewis Auto I have ever gotten.

So, I got the Clic Eraser and tried it on the very end of Denard Robinson's name (his was one of the pictures I really didn't care too much about). It came off so, at least for that one, it's real ink and not copied ink. As basesareempty said, the Ray Lewis does look pretty real. It's hard to imagine that Toni Maynard, whoever that is, has so much access to so many athletes.

This whole dialogue makes me wonder how PSA/DNA and JSA make the initial determination whether a signature on a photo is real ink versus a photocopy. I can't imagine they do what I did by testing it with a Clic Eraser.

If you hold it up in good light, and look at a shallow angle - Sort of if you're looking from one edge and the far edge is the horizon- Most inks from a marker will be thick enough to see them as being on top of the photo rather than everything being flat because the sig is part of the photo.

Or, ball point will show the indents.

Steve B

My loupe does a good job. Nice white LED light.

Has anyone seen these images before? Are they images that may have been downloaded, printed and then taken to be signed? I doubt she has that type of access without having any professional web presence.

The markings on the back looks to support a digital file being printed, i.e. her name, player name/identifier?

These are most likely printed from digital files, either burned to a disc or on a thumb drive. I scan a lot of photos in my collection and burn them to a disc with the name being the subject. I make prints to sell with the autographs. The camera store that prints them imprints the name on the back as it is the file title.

I take offense to this!! If you don't care for it, then please send it to me!! GO BLUE!!!

GO BLUE!

In thanks for all the help I've gotten on this forum, I'd be happy to. I wanted a Montee Ball auto picture for my Badger daughter, so I bought a group of photos in an action lot that included Ball, Marqise Lee, and two Robinson photos. I'll PM you.

Yes that is correct