posted 09-16-2009 06:05 PM               

Further investigation and looking at the clients of the agency Mr. Cernan deals through reveals who this was apparently signed for (who is with the same agency) and I am fairly convinced now this could in fact be a copy of the book given as a gift to this person which in whatever way has found its way into used stock, or has come via the Cernan E&SC (donated copy or something similar?) due to that sticker.

Unfortunately I can't read the date or the first word of the inscription but it reads:

"To JOE WALSH (happens to be with the same agency as Cernan)
"(Unreadable word, looks like `Follow` or 'From' or something) THE MOON!"
(Signature)
1/13/99

Couple this with the named inscription, to a person at the same agency as Cernan, and even more so. The handwriting is certainly striking and from what I can tell a dead on match for examples I have been able to find, as is the signature. He seems to have very distinct handwriting that I can't imagine being easy to fake either, nor do I see why even a forgery would have been sold off like this was when it could easily have been put on eBay. It just seems the sellers genuinely had no idea it was signed and it has accidentally shown up. The fact of the prerelease date and named signee leave me believing this to be genuine anyway - simply a copy for a friend, which either through donation or mishap ended up with me. The other curio is the sticker I found tucked in about halfway... which led me to wonder if this might even have been a copy *from* there that was stolen or something like that. A very strange case.

Hopefully the scan I have included might be indication to some of you better at evaluating these things than myself. It's been a matter of personal curiosity to me, I have no interest in selling it or whatever if it is genuine either way. Also if anyone can read that "missing" word I'd love to get that, too. As it is signed in what seems to be fairly ordinary black pen it didn't scan brilliantly but is still readable enough. (The date separation lines are much more heavy in the actual book).

I know a lot of you might even discount it simply because of the unusual way it has come about but the way it comes across on paper it looks like what it seems to be and I remain pretty convinced of the authenticity. I myself was the one who found the agency connection and noted the date was the month before publication - to me perhaps one of the best indicators and certainly an odd choice for a forger to try I would have thought.

Any ideas on validation or validity?

(Posted more for the curious than anything else.)

posted 09-16-2009 07:28 PM               

"To Joe Walsh
From the Moon!
Gene Cernan
12/13/99"

posted 09-16-2009 09:17 PM               

I'm happy to say that I got the opportunity to personally thank him for his troubles a while after that. What a great guy!

I do believe you've got yourself a Cernan.

posted 09-17-2009 07:41 AM               

I was fairly convinced of the authenticity given the apparent "Joe Walsh" link (who I just found out was the guitarist for the Eagles), but always figured it was worth questioning... I'm far from knowledgeable on handwriting and signatures but you guys know your stuff that's for sure!

How it got from his ownership to a discount book seller on amazon marketplace will always be of interest to me. I wasn't looking for anything bar a cheap copy of his book... now I'm thiking not a bad find for a total of £8.43 really!