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Author
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Topic: Advice on signed Mercury 7 group photo
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ea757grrl
Member Posts: 758
From: South Carolina
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 07-28-2021 08:05 PM
   
A very dear friend gave me this photo of the Mercury 7, which has been in her family since the time the photo was new. She didn't know if the signatures were real or not.  I suspected this contained pre-prints, autopens, rubber-stamp signatures and/or secretarials, but couldn't find any matching signature examples online. I have seen other examples of this photo, but the signatures looked different. My close-up examinations of the signatures are also inconclusive. My (untrained) eye can't figure out just what would be a conclusive tell. I've looked for impressions from pen nibs, etc., but that too is inconclusive, since there's a very slight texture to the photo paper's finish. This photo has only the signatures.  Shepard and Schirra appear to be in black ink and have faded badly. Glenn is in bold black ink. Grissom appears to be in blue ball-point. Carpenter's signature looks like black fountain pen ink that has smudged. Slayton is a little shaky and has a smudge in the "a". Cooper's signature has been damaged by a tear to the surface. If any of you need to see higher-resolution images, I'll be happy to oblige. Since the value to me is in that it belonged to my friend's family, it's no big deal to me if the signatures aren't the real thing. I just got too curious about it, that's all. Thanks for your help, y'all. |
hbw60
Member Posts: 209
From:
Registered: Aug 2018
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posted 07-28-2021 10:47 PM
They're not autopens. And all of the signatures use their very early styles. Schirra has signed as "Walter," Grissom has signed as "Virgil," Carpenter has signed as "M Scott," Slayton has signed as "Donald," Glenn has signed as "John A Glenn Jr," and Cooper has signed as "Leroy." It didn't take long for them to start using shorter names or nicknames. Generally, secretarial signatures were more broadly used later, as the astronauts got more famous after their missions. These early styles seem far more likely to be genuine.To me, these all look authentic. I'm not an expert, but I'm familiar enough with them that nothing stands out as being obviously fake. I think you have a very rare, very valuable item here! Steve Zarelli is the world's biggest expert on space autograph authentication. I recommend sending it in for his opinion. That's the best way to be sure. And if it passes authentication, a Zarelli COA will increase the value of this item substantially. |
Ken Havekotte
Member Posts: 3276
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 07-29-2021 04:40 AM
This is one of the first all original Group 7 signed photos that NASA provided if requested from 1959-61, before Shepard flew. One format had contained printed signatures in the last year or so of that time period, but this one, in my opinion is certainly authentic. It does appear though that the full autographs of Shepard and Schirra are very much faded, which would effect the overall value of the Mercury-era piece. |
ea757grrl
Member Posts: 758
From: South Carolina
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 07-29-2021 05:34 AM
Thank you both very kindly! I had thought about getting Steve Zarelli to offer an opinion, and on the strength of what you have wrote above, I'll very likely do that. Thanks again! | |
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