Posted By:
VincentFred,
I certainly do not consider myself an expert. I've been collecting vintage baseball autographs for only 12 years or so. But I do (perhaps foolishly) place a fair amount of faith in the examples represented as authentic, in on-line auction catalogs (past & current) and autograph price listings of reputable dealers/auction houses. I have on several occassions used these examples as exemplars for making my own "best guess" on the possible authenticity of an item. Foolproof, it certainly is not. Foolhardy, perhaps. But when timing and scarcity are factors, sometimes you're compelled to take a calculated risk.
Perhaps this would be a useful exercise to do with your Gerhig-signed ball. If you choose to do so, make sure to match medium and period as best as possible. The signature on a baseball will differ from a signature on a flat, and signatures can vary over time. I personally emphasize the number of character similarities in comparison to the number of non-conforming. I'm looking for far more matches than misses. More misses than matches, I'd be as concerned as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
One passing thought on your ball. If it has been noted as being traced over, or having an enhanced signature, that might explain the irregularities in some of the characters (G). Even with an outline to trace over, the tracing hand will undoubtingly stray. So the underlying signature may be good, but the trace over failed to do the original signature (or you) any favors.
Best of luck to you.