New charges of sports memorabilia and art fraud

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I have said this on the memorabilia side and people have called me crazy, but I have absolutely no doubt that after some # of months of practice I could sign a Babe Ruth ball that would pass in the hobby. The guy's name is 8 freakin' letters. There a few tell tale flourishes, but we are not talking counterfeiting one of the great Mormom Church historical documents. Which of course was done, repeatedly.

Who's authenticating these autographs? In many cases, a guy who allegedly authenticated a facsimile Churchill signature and at a deposition did not know if Ruth signed with his left or right hand. Count me a skeptic.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Who's authenticating these autographs? In many cases, a guy who allegedly authenticated a facsimile Churchill signature and at a deposition did not know if Ruth signed with his left or right hand. Count me a skeptic.

What is the typical practice for authenticating a signed baseball? Is it simply someone looking and comparing the handwriting to a known example, or is there more to it than that?

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

What is the typical practice for authenticating a signed baseball? Is it simply someone looking and comparing the handwriting to a known example, or is there more to it than that?

I’d like to know too. Is there a way to date the ink?

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by Carter08

I’d like to know too. Is there a way to date the ink?

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure is simply a visual examination against known exemplars. No carbon 14 testing or any high falutin' science like that.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure is simply a visual examination against known exemplars. No carbon 14 testing or any high falutin' science like that.

I'm sure that all the opinion sellers exert the minimum amount of effort that gets them paid

[chalupacollects]

Originally Posted by Carter08

I’d like to know too. Is there a way to date the ink?

Yes you can as different chemicals were used back when vs today, How it can be done without damaging a piece I don't know.

May be one of those high faluting dating machines used to date artifacts...

[hawaiian bam bam]

I’m glad I started focusing on collecting topps factory certified autos instead of signed cards authenticated by PSA, JSA etc. (I still have some in my collection) but for the most part I try to go with the topps factory certified autos first. I know those can be faked too but I think the topps factory certified autos have more of a Chance of being authentic be TPA slabbed autos

[HexsHeroes]

Originally Posted by hawaiian bam bam

I’m glad I started focusing on collecting topps factory certified autos instead of signed cards authenticated by PSA, JSA etc. (I still have some in my collection) but for the most part I try to go with the topps factory certified autos first. I know those can be faked too but I think the topps factory certified autos have more of a Chance of being authentic be TPA slabbed autos

But Al, just curious, isn't Topps using the same autograph market sources for the autographs they use in their certified autograph cards as collectors such as myself ? Not sure how that protects Topps (and therefore you) any more than buying either with or without TPA LOA from the marketplace. Or am I missing something in how Topps sources authentic autographs ?

[HexsHeroes]

.

It's certainly no guarantee that a bad autograph (intentional forgery, secretarial, mistaken identity, etc.) does not slip through, but something veteran autograph dealer Kevin Keating shared in a SCD article several decades ago struck home to a young collector (me). Identify who the "good guys" are in the vintage autograph market and concentrate your purchases from them. Good guys meaning integrity, expertise, knowledge, and willingness to stand behind the items they sell. Unfortunately, many of those "good guys" have retired or moved on to other parts of the autograph business. Certainly more difficult identifying who the good guys are now. And perhaps far fewer of them.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Who's authenticating these autographs? In many cases, a guy who allegedly authenticated a facsimile Churchill signature and at a deposition did not know if Ruth signed with his left or right hand. Count me a skeptic.

Honestly while I tend to trust a JSA certification, even they get it wrong at times. I'd be more trusting of the opinion of some of the experienced autograph collectors here, or a couple that I know on Facebook.

[MattyC]

There are going to be fraudulent pieces in all sectors of all hobbies where money circulates. One has to get deeply educated, cultivate a circle of really knowledgable fellow hobbyists who can offer helpful opinions on targeted pieces, and always seek quality provenance where it can be found.

Doctored cards remain a huge issue, for those who care beyond the sticker, and it is largely on the collector/hobbyist to perform his due diligence in parsing the good stuff from the bad.

I for one remain comfortable with bats, cards, signed stuff, all of it— if I’ve done all my homework and feel comfortable. Homework mitigates fear and though some fear can be helpful and an impetus for doing homework, fear can also paralyze a collector when that need not be the case.