Help with Mantle Lithograph
 

I bought this Mantle Lithograph #701/750 a while back at a sale. The glass was broken and there is water damage. I got it cheap and was happy with it. It has been in my closet because I haven't taken the time to get a new glass. What I would like to know is did these come with a Mantle facsimale signature? I just noticed a while back that it had a very light Mantle signature. Thanks for any help! D.

I believe that is a genuine albiet faded signature. I am pretty familiar with the Robert Stephen Simon lithos and they did not have facsimile signatures.

I can't comment knowledgeably on the authenticity of the signature, but a lot of art prints like this were signed in pencil, which of course is lighter than pen. Away from the sports world, it's traditional for fine art prints to be signed by the artist in pencil, in part because ink can bleed. Picasso signed his in crayon.

Thanks for the info Phil & DRC. I guess I will buy a new glass for it now. Not bad for a $5.00 item. :eek: