More fake signatures

[brycem]

Hi everyone,

Go to ebay and search for "Karen Carpenter" There are a heap of auctions on there with various postcards etc autographed supposedly by Karen and Richard. The seller is asking for an average of $100 per autograph. Is anyone else of the opinion that they are all fake? If they are then maybe the seller needs to get reported to the powers that be at ebay before poor unsuspecting people spend money on fake items.....

Bryce

 

[LPJim]

Keep in mind that Ebay is primarily oriented toward helping the seller. That's how they make their dough. It's 'buyer beware' for the rest of us, but we're not helpless. Some good tips for spotting dealers who trade in fakes have accumulated over the years:

1) A dead give-away are the auctions where the high bidder's email is kept private. There's only one reason for that. It's to keep others from warning him he's about to get stuck with a fake. Run - don't walk - from those auctions.

2) Take a look at the feedback. Sometimes you can read the negative comments, and other times there will be a numerical tally - but the comments have been edited out. I like to read the negative comments and evaluate whether they're fair or not.

3) Look closely at the "other items" the particular dealer has for sale and compare them to what you've seen or obtained on your own. A high number of complete Rolling Stones' autograph collections from one source is probably too good to be true. The signatures may be too neat to be real (secretarial or auto-pen).

4) The phrase "hand signed" is used by trafficers in fakes (an indication of guilt), along with fancy multi-colored & cheap looking 'certificates of authenticity.' Legitimate dealers' certificates appear more professional.

5) Some dealers make dumb mistakes. I've seen a "fully signed" copy of the Who's album FACE DANCES offered, including Drummer Keith Moon. Too bad Moon died in 1978 and the album wasn't released until 1981.
Guess you can fool some of the people some of the time, etc.

JB

 

[Rudy]

Good points, Jim! If it smells fishy, it probably IS fishy. The sad thing about eBay is that just about anyone can get into business for themselves, and make a killing before anyone catches on that what they're selling is a sham.

5) Some dealers make dumb mistakes. I've seen a "fully signed" copy of the Who's album FACE DANCES offered, including Drummer Keith Moon. Too bad Moon died in 1978 and the album wasn't released until 1981.

I'm not even a big Who collector, but even *I* know Keith Moon wasn't around for Face Dances! That's one autograph seller I'd say "Goodbye, sister disco" to.

 

[Chris May]

Yeah, the one that really cracked me up was Karen's signature on "An Old Fashioned Christmas"!

 

[Rudy]

Any signed KC solo CDs out there?

 

[Chris May]

Any signed KC solo CDs out there?

As a matter of fact, YES...I'm selling mine for $100.00! Ya interested?