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Author
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Topic: Authenticity and value of signed "We Seven"
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Andy McCulley
Member Posts: 245
From: Lansdale, PA
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 01-24-2010 06:30 PM
   
I found a signed copy of "We Seven" and would like to get an opinion on the signatures and the value... |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 01-24-2010 07:23 PM
I wonder which Seven signed it, because I don't think it was any of the Mercury Seven... |
ColinBurgess
Member Posts: 2031
From: Sydney, Australia
Registered: Sep 2003
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posted 01-24-2010 09:00 PM
Call me a litle contradictory if you wish, but at first glance all the signatures and their individual characteristics looked fine to me. It's very hard to get so many signatures so correct in one place using different writing mediums and styles. But as always I'm prepared to be proved wrong ...Colin |
Andy McCulley
Member Posts: 245
From: Lansdale, PA
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 01-24-2010 10:04 PM
I have been involved in this hobby for a while but am by no stretch of the imagination an expert. I questioned a couple of the signatures myself. I am requesting whatever provenance the owner has. The book is in very good condition. Obviously it's a lot of money so I would like to be as certain as I can before I make an offer to the owner. Your help and opinions are and will be greatly appreciated. |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 01-24-2010 10:20 PM
Every signature has varying degrees of atypical characteristics, in my opinion. The Shepard looks downright awful...and not in a rushed-but-still-authentic sort of way. Whereas the Grissom signature doesn't look too awful at first glance...but the smaller details are still troubling (based on what I can see at this resolution).In my opinion, there is no signature here I would be entirely comfortable saying is likely authentic. Given the choice, I would personally invest in a different item. |
SpaceSteve
Member Posts: 428
From: San Antonio TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 01-24-2010 10:29 PM
All of those signatures are troubling to me, even the Glenn. I do not recall ever seeing a "J. H. Glenn" where the right stroke of the H is also the beginning stroke of the G.Also, on the Schirra, the "Wally" is all wrong. I've never seen a genuine Schirra where the a and first l in Wally were connected. Additionally, his l's were not looped. On the Shepard, the beginning of the A in Alan is too far to the right of the vertical stroke, and it begins too low. The S in Shepard is also too curved at the bottom. Personally, I'd stay away from this one. Steve |
AstroAutos
Member Posts: 803
From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 01-25-2010 10:48 AM
The only signatures that look ok to me are the Slayton and Cooper (and even they are only borderline authentic if not excellent forgeries.)The Shepard, Glenn, Schirra and Carpenter are all bad and I haven't seen enough examples of Grissom's signature to pass judgment on it.. I'd give this item a skip personally. |
kosmo
Member Posts: 388
From:
Registered: Sep 2001
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posted 01-25-2010 12:44 PM
The big thing for me with the Glenn, is that with this early style signature didn't he usually put "Jr.". The right stroke on the H connecting to the G looks fine to me. Shepard's and Schirra's just look wrong for some reason. Coopers alright, the others ? |
gliderpilotuk
Member Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 01-25-2010 03:38 PM
quote:
Originally posted by AstroAutos:
The Shepard, Glenn, Schirra and Carpenter are all bad
Yes, I agree on those four.The Cooper and Slayton need closer examination, as does the Grissom (of which I'm not convinced). Of course it's harder to forge the full "Virgil I Grissom" that is seen on the majority of signed editions  Not one of the signatures is a typical example and that gives me grave concerns. Paul |
Andy McCulley
Member Posts: 245
From: Lansdale, PA
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 01-28-2010 10:57 AM
I really shouldn't have been looking at such an expensive addition to my collection in the 1st place. But things always have a way of working themselves out.Your comments confirmed my thoughts about some of the signatures. And I have decided to let someone else chase that one down. I would like to thank those who took the time to give me their opinions - they were very helpful. Regards to all,
Andy |
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