Fake Letter / Autograph

[Paleo_joe]

Today I picked this up. It was in a nicely matted frame with room for two documents/pictures. This was in one and the other half was empty. I googled it and believed that I had a Wernher Von Braun note (he is the "father of modern rocket science") worth several hundred bucks.

Strangely, I was googling dude's handwriting to verify it, and found a description of an identical note on a ended auction on ebay. It was an autograph dealer, but the pics were no longer with the auction. And it was from 12/31 of last year.

So I pull mine out of the frame and find it is just a color copy, cut from a larger color copy. Under the loupe, the signature was clearly just part of the copy.

Seriously, it looked good in that frame. And it wasn't a picture, but a note. It is the kind of thing someone could get burned on. Just enough searching and detective work to make me think I'd found treasure. I only paid $5 so cheap lesson, but it would have been a real pain if I had sold it and had it returned.

I will be pulling all "autographed" pictures out of their frames from now on!

 

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[OldSowBreath]

I am amazed that that would be passed along like that "faked", but as you say, its really more of a copy. Does this change your opinion on the Mercury Astronauts' picture? Even if you still believe that one is original, this incident shows the value of getting it authenticated.

 

[Paleo_joe]

Yes I can clearly see the value of authentication. And at $100+ at PSA to authenticate a high end signed item, I can see why ebay buyers don't want to take the chance on an autograph even if they can return the item. Thank you for that link to the astronaut people, I intend to contact them.

I used to do a lot of arrowheads and getting a COA there is like $30, so it's a much better risk for an ebay buyer, but even then sellers are better off having it done before they sell. Unless it is a COA from someone who is known to paper bad points, in which case it lowers the value.

Interestingly, in this collection, it was two items that were really nicely framed for display that were not good. Like pieces that were bought in some memorabilia shop in a mall.

 

[OldSowBreath]

"Interestingly, in this collection, it was two items that were really nicely framed for display that were not good. Like pieces that were bought in some memorabilia shop in a mall."

Excellent point. That's because counterfeiters, fakers and forgers understand human nature and know pretty well that most people accept at face value things bought at a retail store, and are reluctant to take apart any framed item to more closely inspect the item.