Open letter to STAT and Christopher Morales

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Posted By: <b>1880nonsports</b><p>that I didn't get in person - I would have a LOT of trouble sleeping at night. It appears the leap of faith can be over a vast divide. Sometimes I can't identify my own signature other than to say when one isn't mine. Of course I'm old and addled now.... I've been into one of those shops here in Florida - in Delray. When my friend Scott and I walked into the store - Scott saw something he liked - I asked about the authentications. I had found this board just a few months before and had read the threads related to the above people. I was told they were all done by C. Moralas. When I asked about his association with the names of Frangipanni and whomever - I was given an explination of his work and credentials and referred to his website. They had MANY pieces all elaborately framed. The prices on the autos were all quite stiff and so I imagined they COULD be real as there was an appropriate mark-up for having to procure the items if they were real. The problem was the quantity of material on such item specific mediums (albums from the '60s and such) that they had in stock (and presumably all their other outlets as well) as well as the different categories of autographs (rock, presidents, sports, etc.) and all authenticated by a SINGLE PERSON. Wow. Mr. Moralas must be quite good - in fact the best - forensic examiner to ever live. In any event - I was surprised that my friend wanted to pull the trigger and buy whatever auto it was he wanted. I suggested it was imprudent and related a little of what I remembered from the threads and common sense. Maybe the stuff is real. Maybe some of it is. Maybe none of it is. Educated people apply a standard to much of what they do. Sometimes that gets lost in the moment. Stores like this are geared to the casual collector and impulse buyer who in all likelyhood is not an expert in a particular autograph. They have heard a certificate of authenticity is a good idea. They haven't heard that it's pretty much meaningless unless it actually comes from an expert - and as casual buyers they might not know an expert from a con man..........