Posts: 247
From: the netherlands
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 02-23-2009 09:31 AM               

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Item 140302253924 on e-bay is just one example of this seller who seems to be doing well selling many of these items.

To my somewhat autograph trained eye I believe all of them to be fake.

Am I right? Should the bidders be warned? Are they in any way to be reached?

Ruud

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

Posts: 247
From: the netherlands
Registered: Jan 2008

posted 02-23-2009 05:20 PM               

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Sorry about that then. I was 99% convinced.

Autographs are difficult I must say. My somewhat trained without any improvement eye... I'll leave it to real experts from now on.

Ruud

Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 02-23-2009 05:31 PM               

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It never hurts to be cautious, especially if the signatures seem a little off to your eye. And most certainly, it's always best to error on the safe side rather than end up with an item that could possibly be a forgery. So if anything, you were right to exercise caution. Nothing embarassing about that...

The most curious thing about the item are the two Slayton signatures. My guess is that Slayton re-signed it after either Slayton (or the item's owner) realized that the blue signature over the blue water didn't have the greatest contrast.

I personally doubt a forger would lay down two signatures of the same person on the same item, since that would likely decrease the item's value...and would increase the chances of ruining the item with a less-than-perfect signature. Sometimes, the forgers are more careful about where they sign an item than the genuine astronauts are.