Author
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Topic: Authenticity of Apollo 11 crew autographs
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hihoscuba New Member Posts: 5 From: Ireland Registered: Jul 2014
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posted 07-29-2014 08:09 AM
I bought the framed autographed photo in the USA a few years ago and have now been told its not authentic. I would like to get a few more opinions before I try for a refund.
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stsmithva Member Posts: 1933 From: Fairfax, VA, USA Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 07-29-2014 08:37 AM
In my opinion, it is not authentic. |
Steve Zarelli Member Posts: 731 From: Upstate New York, USA Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 07-29-2014 08:52 AM
Yes, regretfully a dreadful fake in my opinion. Given the elaborate presentation, it looks like the typical offering from tourist trap type "memorabilia galleries"... usually accompanied by a COA from one of the usual "forensic examiners."------------------ Zarelli Space Authentication |
JasonIUP Member Posts: 282 From: PA Registered: Apr 2004
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posted 07-29-2014 08:52 AM
Were Aldrin and Collins that light when you bought it? |
Bob M Member Posts: 1745 From: Atlanta-area, GA USA Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 07-29-2014 08:52 AM
Don't waste any more time in asking for your money back. Could we ask how much it cost? |
hihoscuba New Member Posts: 5 From: Ireland Registered: Jul 2014
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posted 07-29-2014 01:56 PM
No Aldrin and Collins were not that light when we bought it. I have to say I am very surprised and disappointed that since we bought it in a "brick and mortar" shop that it is a fake. It seems to contradict best practice or legal practice for that matter. |
hihoscuba New Member Posts: 5 From: Ireland Registered: Jul 2014
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posted 07-29-2014 02:00 PM
Does anyone know of anybody that has gotten their money back from these "memorabilia galleries"? |
Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-29-2014 02:10 PM
quote: Originally posted by hihoscuba: ...since we bought it in a "brick and mortar" shop
Forgeries were being sold offline for years (decades) before the internet existed... |
Ken Havekotte Member Posts: 2914 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 07-29-2014 03:51 PM
Yes, many years ago, there were some high-end items like this (von Braun letter, Apollo crew signed photos, etc.) that were being sold in a fancy autograph memorabilia shop with outlets of theirs in other major cities as well.All of the space items in the store were nicely matted and framed, and believe it or not, each came with the company's lifetime guarantee COA as being absolutely authentic! One of their customers had called me months later after he had purchased about $17K worth of space memorabilia autograph lots. He wanted my opinion on his purchases, and as it turned out, his von Braun letter along with most of his Apollo astronaut crew-signed photos were classic autopens! At his request, I wrote a letter to the company informing them of their sold autopens in question, and provided them for their own examination with autopen patterns of those represented. The collector called me a few weeks later, and somewhat to my surprise, informed me that he had gotten a full refund from all of his AP-purchased space items, once they had been returned to the seller. |
hihoscuba New Member Posts: 5 From: Ireland Registered: Jul 2014
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posted 08-13-2014 06:18 AM
By any chance do you know what the steps were that the collector took to get to the point of returning the items? What I'm wondering is if it's worth my while pursuing this taking into account that two of the autographs have faded. On a point of note: we kept the framed piece in a semi darkened room with no sunlight and still two of the autographs faded!Does anybody think we will get our money back? |