Addie Joss auto?

[michael3322]

A scrapbook surfaced last November that included a photo of the Joss family, including young Norman and his sister Ruth.

See the photo.

[michael3322]

I just exchanged emails with Lew Lipset. He very kindly gave me permission to post on Net 54, the higher resolution scans of the postcard, as well as the COA from Kevin Keating who certifies the handwriting as Joss'.

[drc]

I'm no Joss autograph expert, but will note that people sign and note family photos and pictures in different ways and know that many families wish relatives would have specifically named 'the obvious' of who's who in a photo as no one knows who are those people in the photo in the family album anymore. What may be obvious today may not be in 50 years. So, if anything, Joss noting which one he is for posterity was a prudent move, and many would do the same.

I have an elderly aunt who labels all photos-- which often is essential for the family in identifying who's who. In a class photo of my grandmother that already had all the classmates' names printed at the bottom, my aunt circled my grandmother's head and wrote in her name. Obviously redundant information, but that's they way my aunt did things. My dad liked her labeling but tried to convince her to write these things on the backs of the photos, not the front images!

[canjond]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but Keating hasn't said Joss identified himeself on the postcard... instead Joss' handwriting is the address (addressing the card to his son). So, the "partial" signature is the fact that he and his son share the same last name; i.e., there is an authentic "Joss" signature. I don't think Kevin has indiciated who may have added the identification.

[canjond]

I just saw Todd said the same thing above...

[michael3322]

Does anyone know if PSA or JSA has ever authenticated a Joss signature?

[Rob D.]

It appears that the speculation posted in this thread has had quite an effect. The postcard is at only $11,000-plus with a couple of hours to go.

[MiracleBraves1914]

Hi guys, I'm new to the site and joined it after reading this thread. I apologize for the length of this post, I just wanted to give proper back story to the picture I'm about to share. I'd imagine I'm one of the younger folks registered here (27), but I've been actively collecting pre-WWI baseball memorabilia since I was around 13, when someone in my small North Carolina hometown found a beautiful Joss t206 card in an old book and my mom managed to get it for me for my birthday. Joss became the main focus of my early collecting and, over the years, I feel like I've amassed a fairly decent Joss collection, between cards, premiums and newspaper clippings (many of which I've never seen elsewhere).
Naturally, as my interest grew, I began to investigate, like many of you, whether or not an autograph of his actually existed. In late 2006 or early 2007, I was fortunate enough to get to participate in an estate sale of a prominent Texas card and memorabilia dealer. Among his personal items, under glass in a nailed-shut old box, was the piece of paper you see in the picture.
The estate had not taken steps to authenticate it (as many auctions will simply look online for a comparable item for price considerations and, as we know, internet searches for "Addie Joss autograph" are rather fruitless), but as the story went, this was the old man's pride and joy and he swore up and down it was Joss's signature. Being that I also had nothing to compare it to, I bought it at a very, very reasonable price on good faith and a hunch.
Over the past few years, I've searched often for any comparison (I can't really afford the PSA system and I would be very uncomfortable putting this in the mail), and until the Old Judge auction listed the postcard a few months ago, I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get to put more than a "maybe" on this signature.
Earlier in the summer, I downloaded the high quality images of the Norman Joss postcard and waited with baited breath to finally have something to compare handwriting to. I fully expected to be disappointed. However, after looking once, shaking my head and looking again, I saw similarities in the handwriting I never would have dreamed possible. I think I may have found one of baseball's Holy Grails. Inscribed on a roughly 2x4 corner of what appears to be an old shopping list is "Addie Joss, Cleveland '11" in pen.
I'm really interested to see what you guys think about it. Most of my "baseball friends" have never even heard of him. I'm not trying to sell it, at all, but after reading this thread and seeing so many people looking for something that I'm fairly sure I've finally found, I couldn't not share the joy. Can't wait to see what you guys think!

[gnaz01]

WOW!!!!!!!!!! If this is a real Addie sig, you just won the lottery my friend!! It sure bears a VERY strong resemblance to the postcard he wrote to his son!! Good luck!!