Quote:
Originally Posted by Deertick
Herman, Thanks for responding. It is a rare opportunity for insight into an authentication.
I think we all agree, that on any purchase of such magnitude greater diligence is required. Rick, should have at least called you, googled you, (asked a guy on the street, for god's sake) rather than just saying "I never heard of this guy."
I have a question for you on your authentication of this item. how much did the story of who, why, and how this was signed weigh on your decision? I ask this in reference to the erasure, and as importantly, the Shoeless inscription.
Under what circumstances do you feel someone would feel the need to clarify a plainly obvious signature, especially on a book referencing that individual? As far as the erasure, are there other examples of such behavior? This would have had to have been witnessed, noted, and related to someone in order for it to be considered with great weight, would it not? From whom did you receive these bits of info?
I ask these as common sense (to me) issues that I would have asked the authenticator if I were in the position to purchase such a rare artifact.
Jim Marinari
PS. The intelligence or lack therof of forgers can be easily debated in another thread. I have seen a Gehrig signed in sharpie.
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Jim, I listen to the stories but it doesn't carry any weight if I do not think the signature is authentic. If I think it may be real, the story might help. It would tell me where and when it was signed. I don't remember the story behind the book signing - it was 18 1/2 years ago. Here's an interesting experience I had about 6 or 7 years ago. I was working for an auction house as a writer and was given a Marilyn Monroe Productions check signed in New York in February 1954 (I forget the exact date) to catalogue. The signature looked good and it had passed certification that day by one of the major authenticators who was there that day certifying items in the auction. I'm pretty good at remembering dates. I knew that Marilyn Monroe had married Joe DiMaggio in January 1954. It didn't take long for me to discover that on the date of that check, Marilyn Monroe was in Japan on her honeymoon. Well, maybe she signed a bunch of checks before they left for Japan? Impossible, since Marilyn Monroe Productions was formed on January 1, 1955 (some books say December 31, 1954). My guess is that someone got some blank checks from her estate or her lawyer's estate, and forged Monroe's signature. There was even a light "bank" stamping on verso. It no longer mattered that the signature looked good. The date was the forger's downfall. I'm bringing this up for two reasons. 1. A lot of things go into authenticating, not just familiarity with a signature or handwriting, and 2. just because a major authenticating company passes or fails to pass certification, doesn't mean they're right. My advice is to buy from a reputable autograph dealer who stands by the authenticity of what he/she is selling. If there is ever any problem, the dealer will refund your money. If you buy from a dealer who has a third party COA, that dealer must still refund your money if there is a problem with authenticity. Third Party Authenticators do not issue refunds when their opinion proves to be wrong. Hope I've been helpful. --- Herman
hdarvick@yahoo.com