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Author
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Topic: 110586560469: STS-73 crew-signed cover
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nasa_pete
Member Posts: 39
From: Clayfield, queensland, australia
Registered: Oct 2009
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posted 09-15-2010 08:16 AM
   
Just need your opinion on this eBay auction, just to make sure the autographs are real and not autopens or anything like that: eBay auction number 110586560469. Many thanks. |
MrSpace86
Member Posts: 1618
From: Gardner, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 09-15-2010 11:13 AM
They look good to me. There are also a few signatures on there that I am unsure who they belong to. They differ slightly from my crew signed photo but they don't seem to match autopenned items I have seen.Anyone else would like to confirm? |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2610
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 09-16-2010 01:24 AM
They look good to me too.The additional autographs are of the two alternate payload specialists, Glynn Holt and David Matthiesen. Those are hard to get on their own right. |
nasa_pete
Member Posts: 39
From: Clayfield, queensland, australia
Registered: Oct 2009
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posted 09-18-2010 08:39 AM
Thanks for your help there from both of you...I won the auction in the end, STS-73 stuff seems to be a hard area for me to find stuff, so I was pleased to get this one. |
spaceflori
Member Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000
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posted 09-19-2010 01:43 AM
The seller is Sergey Tschichov... one of the most notorious (in my opinion).I don't like the Bowersox (not sure on Rominger either), but that is my own personal opinion. Little to compare but I got him in-person on several items and he has a strong signature - this looks like written by a kid. The others seem to be okay though, most likely... though there is a realistic chance that even the paper is forged.  |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1745
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 09-19-2010 08:33 AM
I was glad to see that Florian commented on the Bowersox, as it concerned me as soon as I saw it. STS-73 crew signed material, especially covers, are scarce and Bowersox has always been somewhat of a reluctant signer. The Thornton, Coleman, Leslie, Sacco and LA are typical and surely good (Rominger?), but in my opinion, the Bowersox is very questionable and that is the key signature. It is possible that the others all signed originally, but someone later added the Bowersox, and possibly the Rominger, to complete this scarce, and then sellable, cover. With this coming from a suspect source, and the Bowersox signature not normal, it does cast doubt on this STS-73 crew signed cover being completely authentic. Sorry to throw cold water on a shuttle crew signed cover that is one of the more difficult to find. |
MrSpace86
Member Posts: 1618
From: Gardner, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 09-19-2010 10:56 AM
I decided to compare the eBay cover to two of in-person Bowersox signatures from an STS-73 crew signed photo and an STS-82 crew signed photo.The Bowersox on the cover looks different but it still seems to match the way some of his letters are formed. The "K" from Ken and the "B" from Bowersox look okay, but then the rest of the signature looks strange. He could have signed it while standing up, in a hurry, or it could have been done by someone else. |
spaceflori
Member Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000
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posted 09-19-2010 11:58 AM
As Juergen confirmed my information regarding the source this cover was originally done by a German collector Heinz Vogl whom I know very well. He used to trade or give away incomplete shuttle signed covers for complete ones (and I can tell that Heinz is a real expert and trustworthy source of signed shuttle covers).Unfortunately I don't have any contact to Heinz anymore so we could ask him whether this cover was one of his originally and if he possibly remembers if it was complete or not when he gave it away. I can also confirm that Heinz Vogl met Bowersox with me at least at the STS-61 press conference where Bowersox signed covers(but differently) - however this was BEFORE STS-73 took place. Like another seller of Russian stuff on eBay this seller is known to many of us here to mix good and bad signatures and to have once replied to an inquiry why he fakes signatures "because I'm a skilled artist!" Additionally he defrauded me about 10-12 years ago for some 40 bucks (at a time where he was selling mostly good stuff). |
Bob M
Member Posts: 1745
From: Atlanta-area, GA USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 09-19-2010 03:36 PM
Ken Bowersox usually signed fairly quickly and not carefully and his autograph does vary, so different styles are common. But concerning the authenticity of his autograph on the STS-73 cover in question, it would be best to compare it with other Bowersox signatures from the time of STS-73, and here I have presented a scan of two Bowersox signatures on STS-73 material. These two STS-73 Bowersox autographs do show a much different style than on the STS-73 crew signed cover in question.And it wasn't unusual for covers to come back only partially signed by crews, especially if an astronaut or two on the crew wasn't fond of signing - such as Bowersox.  |
spaceflori
Member Posts: 1499
From: Germany
Registered: May 2000
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posted 09-19-2010 11:50 PM
Yep, when Bowersox signed for me inperson during STS-61, he even signed "Ken Sox" from time to time. Rushed, strong signature.Absolutely nice guy inperson, I always wondered why he never replied through the mail. |
astrobock
Member Posts: 138
From: WV, USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 07-25-2019 07:00 AM
Looking at this STS-73 crew signed cover currently on eBay (333273813410) and wondering if it's the same this post was originally started with nine years ago? It has signatures of the crew of seven plus the two alternate payload specialists. The signatures look good to me except Bowersox looks weak compared to the example Bob M. posted. Appreciate any opinions about it. Thanks. |
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