Charles Conlon backstamp question

[Runscott]

Okay, just checked the mounted Alexander sold on RMY. I can almost guarantee (without having it in hand) that the print, mount and cropping are 100% vintage and authentic. However, the handwriting and Conlon signatures are fake. It also has the bad stamp Ben described - Ben assures me it is 100% a fake stamp.

The stamp always had me perplexed, as it made no sense that Conlon would have put ANY stamp on a mounted photo, or that he would even have mounted the photo the ways these were mounted - almost certainly they were glued to a mount by the 'journalist' who did the cropping, just to make work easier. The cropping was beautifully done, and is a great example of such work. The only scenario that I could imagine was that Conlon had sent prints to the news service and when they returned the prints, mounted, Conlon added a stamp so they would be identified if sent out again. Obviously, the real scenario was that some jerk added a fake stamp at a later date, in order to help sell the photo as a Conlon. The same jerk also added fake Conlon signatures to loads of authentic Conlons that only had Conlon's handwriting (no signature), or that had no Conlon info - again, to add value. The fake Conlon signature on the Grove neither adds nor detracts from value - no different than someone writing 'Conlon' on the back to identify the photographer, although this is obviously an attempt at forgery.

That's all I know, and all I have to say about this.

Jim - send it back or keep it, but no sitting on it.

[T206Jim]

Just to be clear, Scott has been responsive and helpful, the very definition of reputable. I will buy from him again.

I'd like to redirect the thread to my original question. Does anyone have any further information about Conlon stamps and the time periods of their use?

Thanks,
Jim

[Runscott]

Jim, very nice of you to say so.

I will check Henry Yee's book and post what I find in the morning...unless someone beats me to it.

[btcarfagno]

Wish I could help regarding the back stamp issue. My only Conlon Type 1 does not have a back stamp.



Tom C

[Runscott]

This one is being returned to me Monday by Jim, which I am actually very happy about. I sold all of my other Conlons in Cleveland and this was always my favorite. Maybe I could get the previous owner to add his 'Conlon' signature?

I am still interested in the similar Conlon Alexander mounted photo, or any others that are in a similar format - I am hoping that there were a few others that the journalist mounted in order to make marking up for publication easier.

I know someone else had a copy of this print - could you please post? The only other image I could find of it was on this site, where it is identified as a 1919 image by Conlon: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...ack_Wheat.jpeg

[T206Jim]

Scott, it is back on its way home. Good luck with your mounted Conlon quest!

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by T206Jim

Scott, it is back on its way home. Good luck with your mounted Conlon quest!

Thanks, Jim. I just picked up a Zack Wheat signature, so the display I envisioned before selling it to you will finally be realized.