Need to find someone in who can verify signatures?

[TomG]

Hi, I'm looking for someone who can verify signatures as genuine on objects. I have a comic book - Four Color # 223 Donald Duck by Carl Barks (story written and artwork). There is his signature on first page inside - bottom edge, but I'm not able to confirm if it is for real or not?

 

I need a professional who can check and provide a document form to show this signature is genuine. I'm near Vancouver and wonder if a local collector know anyone around this city?

 

Here is the book:

 

 

 

The signature on first page:

 

 

 

Any more details - please PM me, thank you.

 

 

I have a good friend who previously worked with Carl over the years. I'll show him the images and PM you his opinion. Carl used to receive a fair amount of autograph requests.

[TheSurgeon]

Mr. Zipper- thank you for your posts. So interesting. Of the autographs you evaluate, about what percentage do you believe are forgeries? Do you find more forgeries in certain areas, for example astronauts vs baseball?

 

Cgc slabs will state if someone wrote a name on a comic- "'Bill Gaines' written in pen on first page" on the slab. I have a few that seem legit to me when I opened the cases. Does cgc have any expertise authenticating these before indicating the signature on the slab? If I wrote "Stan Lee" on the inside front cover, would they indicate that in the notes on the book?

[kav]

Here's an extremely bad forgery for ya:

 

 

[comeaux]

Wow ! Very cool space memorabilia photos on your website Steve ! Space memorabilia is extremely fascinating.

 

Is that signed “Buzz Aldrin” and “Apollo 1” photo yours ?

 

The wife and I brought our son to NASA a few weeks ago and met astronaut Jerry Ross who flew on 7 shuttle missions. We took a few photos, bought his book and got signed stuff from him. What a really nice guy. I got bit by the space bug !

 

[TomG]

Mr. Zipper- thank you for your posts. So interesting. Of the autographs you evaluate, about what percentage do you believe are forgeries? Do you find more forgeries in certain areas, for example astronauts vs baseball?

 

Cgc slabs will state if someone wrote a name on a comic- "'Bill Gaines' written in pen on first page" on the slab. I have a few that seem legit to me when I opened the cases. Does cgc have any expertise authenticating these before indicating the signature on the slab? If I wrote "Stan Lee" on the inside front cover, would they indicate that in the notes on the book? [/quote

 

CGC only authenticates books they witness with the Signature Series program. Have there been vintage sigs that are authentic sure. I've seen a few over the years including Bob Kane, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, etc. When they note on the label "Bill Gaines' written in pen on first page" they are just stating that a name is written on the first page. I personally can't answer your question regarding if you wrote in a book. I'd ask CGC directly that question as I don't want to hazard a guess on that.

[TomG]

Here is a fun non-comic related autographed my great-great Uncle received from Teddy Roosevelt who he personally knew.

 

[kav]

that's legit IMO

[Mr. Zipper]

Wow ! Very cool space memorabilia photos on your website Steve ! Space memorabilia is extremely fascinating.

 

Is that signed “Buzz Aldrin” and “Apollo 1” photo yours ?

 

The wife and I brought our son to NASA a few weeks ago and met astronaut Jerry Ross who flew on 7 shuttle missions. We took a few photos, bought his book and got signed stuff from him. What a really nice guy. I got bit by the space bug !

 

Hi

 

I assume you are referring to the photos in the gallery on my web site. The Buzz Aldrin signed photo is from my collection. The Apollo 1 crew photo is not mine, but I had the privilege to review it a few weeks ago, so I had my wife snap a photo. They are quite rare. An $8000 signed photo.

 

Astronaut collecting is great. The 12 men who walked on the moon is about the most exclusive club there is. I've met 7 of the 12 men who walked on the moon. I've never met Jerry Ross, but I have heard he is a super nice guy and his book is supposed to be good as well.

 

[kav]

This is the best book I've read on the subject-really puts things in perspective of 3 men in basically a tin can making a voyage that could easily go awry....

[topofthetotem]

These boards are great!

 

More experts then pawnstars.

[kav]

Yep-never had an unanswered question....the brain power here is stunning

[Mr. Zipper]

Mr. Zipper- thank you for your posts. So interesting. Of the autographs you evaluate, about what percentage do you believe are forgeries? Do you find more forgeries in certain areas, for example astronauts vs baseball?

 

It's hard to nail down percentages overall. It varies with value and desirability.

 

Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, probably has the highest overall percentage of fakes I see. Probably 75% fake in my opinion.

 

Lots of Neil Armstrong fakes, probably the highest number if fakes by volume. But he also signed a lot, so there are a lot of real ones out there... So that makes the overall percentage of fakes a bit lower.

 

Bill Anders, Ed white and Gus Grissom are commonly forged.

 

That said, space is relatively clean compared to sports and entertainment. Those areas are swamped in fakes. In my estimation, there are more Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams fakes than real... And those guys signed a lot in their lifetimes. Typically the hot players like Jeter, trout, Pujols, Cabrera, etc. are a high percentage of fakes.

 

I wouldn't touch modern entertainment with a ten foot pole. The signatures are scribbles and not possible to authenticate with any significant level of certainty in my opinion. I think 90%+ of the multi-signed cast posters you see on eBay are fakes.

 

Autograph collecting is a great hobby and you can do it with minimal risk if you do your homework, use common sense and network with experienced collectors. Unlike a comic with undisclosed restoration that is worth LESS, a fake autograph is worth nothing.

 

[Fan Boy]

Hi, I'm looking for someone who can verify signatures as genuine on objects. I have a comic book - Four Color # 223 Donald Duck by Carl Barks (story written and artwork). There is his signature on first page inside - bottom edge, but I'm not able to confirm if it is for real or not?

 

Try PMing Mr. Zipper here on the boards and ask for advise. Autograph authentication expert, very honest.

 

Steve Zarelli's Page

Testimonials

 

Thanks, Dav!

 

As some of you know, I am Steve Zarelli, a long time boardie who also has been collecting autographs for many years with a specialty is space and aviation. Several years ago I started my astronaut autograph authentication service, Zarelli Space Authentication.

 

I authenticate astronaut, cosmonaut and aviation autographs for reputable auction houses such as RR Auction as well as leading third-party authenticators James Spence (JSA), Sportscard Guaranty Authentic (SGC) and PSA.

 

While space and aviation are my professional specialties, I collect autographs in other areas including sports, entertainment and comics.

 

So, in regard to the Barks signed comic...

 

I reviewed a number of verified exemplars -- lithographs signed under license, handwritten letters with solid provenance, etc. In my opinion, the signed comic is consistent with verified exemplars. Formation is spot on and it is signed fluidly with no signs of weakness or hesitation (or "too much thinking" as we say). Note that most of the lithographs feature later in life signatures, and I suspect the comic was signed earlier.

 

Given the signature is spot on and the personalization, I think there is a very low likelihood this is a malicious forgery. That only leaves two options -- it is authentic or a secretary signed it. Again, because the signature is highly consistent with authentic exemplars, I would also think it is probably not a secretarial signature.

 

Long story short: strong likelihood it is authentic.

 

Historically, comic creators have not been the target of skilled forgers. There are bottom feeders that will fake anything including $5 signatures, but their work is typically immediately obvious upon cursory exam.

 

I would exercise caution with Stan Lee... I have seen Stan Lee fakes explode in the past two years, including one forger who is quite deceptive. But he produces cookie cutter fakes and once you see his "look," you can pick them out easily. Jerry Siegel is another one I would be careful with... his slowly executed old age signatures would be easily to replicate.

 

Always happy to help if anyone needs help with autographs... just shoot me a PM.

 

Steve Zarelli

 

 

Thank you Mr.Zarelli for your help with my request. So it is with good knowing this signature is real. I do not know how many comics Barks had signed over the years while he was living. But given that he had gone passed away in 2000 at good old 99 age - the signatures from years past is now infinite, as in limited number.

 

I've read the posts up to now and is a good reading. Space travel is also my interest for long time as I can remember (my first view on TV was the last Apollo mission on moon).

 

So, my comic here in question is suspected to had been signed much earlier? Now I want to know when was it done? I may have to go back to the dealer whom I brought 3 comics as a group. He might give me a contact to the person he got them from... maybe he could give me more background info on these comics?

 

Anyway, again - thanks to all who give lot of good posts on the question of signatures. That might help to others like me here.

 

Once I have gotten enough documents with this comic - my next step is to submit for CGC.

[Fan Boy]

 

I have a good friend who previously worked with Carl over the years. I'll show him the images and PM you his opinion. Carl used to receive a fair amount of autograph requests.

 

Thanks, I look forward for your PM.

[kav]

Just remember CGC will just put on label 'name written on first page' - unsure if they will downgrade it as graffiti but I think that's the policy. I don't think they'll say what name is written so when you go to sell it if ever that could be an issue...

[dupont2005]

Just remember CGC will just put on label 'name written on first page' - unsure if they will downgrade it as graffiti but I think that's the policy. I don't think they'll say what name is written so when you go to sell it if ever that could be an issue...

That's probably the case, which is why instead of just leaving it as a defaced comic he could combine it with some sort of expert opinion on what that name written on first page actually is. Some people would never trust anything but a CGC witness yellow label slab, which is pretty much unique to comics. Fake sigs is common in collectibles, but in other hobbies there are people out there who will give their expert opinion on a signatures authenticity.

 

Banks do it, courts do it, if nobody could prove within reasonable doubt that a signature was legitimate I don't think I'd be signing so much stuff at work all the time. I'd probably be leaving a thumb print or something.

 

Not to mention, comics were getting autographed decades before CGC existed. Imagine someone with authentic Eisner sigs on old Spirit comics, and it was slabbed as defaced with scribble on the inside cover because nobody witnessed it? These Barks comics are right up there with Eisner too, so if they can be authenticated by anybody with reasonable authority in the field would help.

[kav]

Yup

I've often thought a thumbprint alongside a sig would be an excellent idea and an online database of thumprints

[General Zod]

 

Good tip for forging signatures:

 

Turn the sig upside down and copy it then. Tricks your mind into tracing an image and not a signature. Better chance of fluid movement, etc.

 

Thank you! Now I'm off to deposit my check of $5 million from a Mr. Don John Trump for "favors". (thumbs u