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Posted By: Rhys

Autograph forgers dont understand the context they are working with. Around the turn of the century, and up until the 1920's, people did not sign premium items very much, if at all. There were not stacks of Joe McGinnity photos for sale at the stadium, and signing baseball cards was a much much later trend, the only exception being Exhibit cards from the 1920's because they were so big, and pretty cheap to get. Signed photographs being popular among collectors is a much more recent trend, and most signed photos from this vintage were given to family members or close friends, and were usually only "signed" the same way we would sign A Christmas card. SIgngle signed baseballs are a similar phenomenon. Signed balls from the 1910 era basically do not exist, and some of the ones I have seen with PSA/DNA authentication are some of the most blatant forgeries out there.

Assume that most items from this era are not real, unless overwhelming evidence suggests otherwise and you will be safe.

It is interesting to note though that I just read an article about Mike King Kelly from the 1880's in which it mentions that he is always being swarmed with children seeking his autograph. So there are rare signatures out there and people did collect these guys signatures, but most of the single signed bals, photos, and signed gum cards from pre 1918 or so are fake.

Needless to say, this McGinnity is not even close. Look in the Halper caalogues if you want to see a real one.

Rhys