Author
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Topic: Russian space memorabilia dealer Maxim Martynov
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Dirk Member Posts: 933 From: Belgium Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 05-27-2014 02:49 PM
Does any one know Russian space memorabilia seller Maxim Martynov or can give some feedback about his items? |
hinkler Member Posts: 573 From: Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 05-27-2014 03:36 PM
He has some amazing items and also has some very questionable items. Seems to have no trouble locating extremely rare items such as Soyuz 11 signatures. |
SpaceCadet1983 Member Posts: 227 From: United States Registered: May 2012
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posted 05-27-2014 03:46 PM
Yes, Dirk, I've known Martynov for a number of years. He's picked up a number of Soviet/Russian Space medals, pins, and books for me over the years. He seems to have access to memorabilia that few have, and although he's had some questionable items, I've never had any problems in my dealings with him. |
Bob M Member Posts: 1745 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 05-27-2014 04:04 PM
His long record with Soviet cosmonaut autograph material is quite controversial and many would recommend that collectors avoid his cosmonaut autograph material, including Soviet space officials. |
cosmos-walter Member Posts: 691 From: Salzburg, Austria Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 05-27-2014 05:59 PM
By far most of the signatures offered by Maxim Martynov are fakes. In earlier days he asked more for better faked signatures compared with not so good fakes. From time to time he also offered a very desirable item. However, you have to be very experienced to recognize it. There were already threads about Maxuta on collectSPACE (see here and here). |
Steve Zarelli Member Posts: 731 From: Upstate New York, USA Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 06-05-2014 10:47 AM
In my opinion, items that source from this seller continue to surface: |
datkatz Member Posts: 176 From: New York, NY Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 06-05-2014 12:42 PM
Thanks, Steve.
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spaceflori Member Posts: 1499 From: Germany Registered: May 2000
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posted 06-07-2014 07:55 AM
quote: Originally posted by Steve Zarelli: Looks like a 5th generation photo. Was this even available in Gagarin's lifetime?
The Nicolayev and Popovitch signatures on many of these items are so special — they must have used a different style just to sign for him. Not going detailed into Gagarin, but I can say for sure that none of the several hundreds of Popovitch/Nicolaev signatures from dozens of sources I have handled over the the past two decades match his style. |
Bob M Member Posts: 1745 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 06-08-2014 10:54 AM
Many of us who have followed this seller's long and lucrative career selling Soviet cosmonaut signatures are very familiar with his questionable merchandise. Many, including at least three professional cosmonaut autograph authenticators and authorities, have long been dismayed at the never ending parade of questionable autograph material coming from this source.He was one of the first, over ten years ago, to sell very controversial Soyuz 11 crew signed material (photos, covers, postcards) and has continued with a steady stream of Yuri Gagarin signatures and of every early cosmonaut - much of it multi-signed. He has continued with material signed by Sergei Korolev ("The Chief Designer"), who's name wasn't known in the West until after his death in 1966, and signatures and letters by K. Tsiolkovsky and among others, Stalin, Khruschev, etc. The volume of his signature material seen over the years is overwhelming, along with the large number of venues where it has also appeared, such as eBay, Superior, Regency-Superior, Aurora, etc, and as a consequence, has spread throughout the hobby. With some experience and study, comparing his signatures of Gagarin, Belyayev, Komarov, Nikolayev, etc., with known genuine examples will quickly indicate the variation and differences between his material and what is considered authentic and standard. By flooding the hobby for so long with so many Gagarin signatures, in particular, they have become almost plentiful and easy to find and affordable. So the result is that about anyone can afford an autograph, and as many as they want, of the first man in space, that should, logically, be scarce and fairly expensive. |
Steve Zarelli Member Posts: 731 From: Upstate New York, USA Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 06-08-2014 02:12 PM
Spot on, Bob.If we could wave a magic wand and make all the bad Gagarins disappear, the sudden scarcity of authentic Gagarins would be breathtaking... And it would rightly be a $1,500+ signature. |
spaceflori Member Posts: 1499 From: Germany Registered: May 2000
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posted 06-09-2014 07:47 AM
It's not a scarce signature in itself (lots of documentaries report that Gagarin spend the rest of his life signing autographs and doing public appearances), but certainly it would lift his price into a more appropriate (Armstrong) category.Luckily - in my opinion - these questionable Gagarin autographs have certain traits revealing them easily to the experienced eye. |