posted 07-25-2016 06:25 AM               

It's one of those "me thinks thou doth protest too much" things. They repeatedly say that it's real, but never even go near how they got it.

I also can't help but notice the lack of personalization on the photo (a strong majority of authentic Glenns are personalized). That's not to say that authentic uninscribed Glenn signatures don't exist — they do, either due to his not dedicating the piece or someone erasing his dedication — but it is a red flag.

And, due to that red flag, combined with the seller's in your face attitude about its authenticity without providing any actual details about it, I personally wouldn't buy it.

Again, that's not to say it's not real, as I can't speak to that, but, from my perspective, there are plenty of genuine Glenn signatures out there from sellers that don't ring alarm bells like that listing does.

posted 07-25-2016 09:52 AM               

I'm not anywhere near qualified to say if it's authentic or not, but that is a characteristic that I haven't seen before on a genuine Glenn signature (and given how prolific of a signer he was, I've seen quite a few). In fact, in a lot of cases, he seemed to opt to end the "n" abruptly (with little to no tail) than give it room to hit the "G".

As I said earlier, the seller's attitude alone is enough for me to pass on this one if I were shopping for it. There's just too much uncertainty there. In my experience, those who know their piece is genuine let the piece and the provenance speak for itself and don't repeat "this is real" several times in all caps.

The lack of inscription and that flow between the "G" and the "n" aren't deal breakers in and of themselves, but, when they're combined with that eBay description, too many red flags are raised about the piece for me to consider it a viable purchase by my personal standards.

posted 07-25-2016 11:15 AM               

The image is too small and dark to be definitive, but I don't see anything that immediately rules it out.

posted 07-25-2016 01:22 PM               

The image is not great, but from what can be seen, nothing atypical strikes me.

A few considerations:

• Given the signature placement, there is a strong possibility a dedication was removed in my opinion.

• Always be wary of copies/printed signatures... often they come framed under glass.

posted 07-26-2016 03:26 AM               

I wouldn't read too much into the price of a Glenn signed photo. Until the past couple of years, anyone who wanted a John Glenn autograph (or two) need only pay postage and wait. In a lot of cases, his office would even supply the photo and return postage if you sounded genuine. They even went so far as to return any money that was sent for his time or to help cover postage.

It really hasn't been long enough since he signed regularly for demand to catch up to that supply, so real ones should be priced fairly low.

I don't know the extent of your knowledge on this topic, but Steve [whom I actually mentioned in my last post] is a professional space/aviation autograph authenticator and a trusted one at that. If he doesn't see the signature itself as atypical, that carries more weight than my comments about that flow between the "G" and the "n".

If you do decide to take the plunge on this piece, send it to Steve after you buy it so he can give it that closer examination. His rates are quite reasonable, and if he says it's real, you need not worry about it any further. If he says it's not, eBay does have procedures in place to get you your money back.

posted 07-27-2016 06:12 AM               

That said, if you do truly like this piece, I really don't want you to not get it on my account. I tend to be fairly outspoken when it comes to how I think sellers should act and what types of sellers I'm willing to buy from. I've been wrong before in both the good way and the bad and I've taken my share of risks (ended up with a great deal on a Shepard signed "Moonshot" from a random seller on Amazon — heck, I still brag about that one — which wouldn't have happened if I didn't take a risk).

Steve seems cautiously optimistic about the piece and if it turns out real, you win and all doubt would be erased. If it doesn't, you lose a bit of cash but eBay/PayPal should reimburse you for the purchase and shipping cost (although that's a gamble in itself).

Personally, as I've said, I'd move on and look for another piece that's less hassle and less questionable. But that's just me. I don't know your collecting goals or what you're looking for specifically and I can't speak for you. If this is a piece you really want for the image, signature placement, whatever, then it may be worth it to take the risk and bite the bullet.

It's ultimately your call, and, while I like to think my advice carries some weight with the experience behind it, I don't want to scare you out of something that could be a good move any more than I want to talk you into a bad one.

As you build your collection, you'll most likely get lucky, and also get ripped off a time or two. That's why sites like this one are so invaluable.