Ruth auto on Ebay - Opinions??

[Westsiders]

Here's a Ruth auto on ebay that looks pretty good to my untrained eye...though the story sounds a bit fishy. I submitted a request to PSA for a "quick opinion"...still waiting to hear back.

Any thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/121077937301...torefresh=true

[Westsiders]

Disregard...just got my response from PSA (fastest turn around time I've had with them). Came back as "likely not geniune". I'll keep searching...

[Runscott]

That finally explains all the Babe Ruth forgeries available - the forgers were simply competing in an autograph contest.

[JimStinson]

The story is very plausible , "Waterman's" was a contest for kids the company used the contest to promote their pens , I think the winners got a free pen or something.

For many youngsters back then it was their first introduction to autograph collecting. I've bought quite a few of those books over the years and while they may have occasionally had a secretarial autograph or two for the most part they are almost always good.
_______________________
jim@stinsonsports.com
E-Mail or pm me to subscribe to my Vintage Baseball Sale Autograph e-mail updates

[JimStinson]

I don't know who the seller is but I looked at the other autographs from the "Waterman's" book that he has listed including Calvin Coolidge, Orville Wright, George Eastman, Will Rogers etc. and they are all spot on , So the story seems to add up fine. Curious to me how the "likely not genuine" was rendered so casually if that was indeed the case.

Also in the 1930's and toward the end of his career Babe Ruth would pre-sign blank cards , like business cards but blank. And send them through the mail or even hand them out in person. The date of the Waterman's letter 1932 fits this time frame perfectly and the e-bay offered Ruth looks like one of those. Have attached a scan here for comparison of a genuine Ruth from the same era.
_______________________
jim@stinsonsports.com

[Michael B]

Thank you for giving this answer Jim. I was going to write a long reply when I returned home and you saved me the trouble. I am also familiar with the Waterman's books and have seen quite a few for sale over the years. The best ones were crammed with additional letters and photos. I also looked at all of the others and was comfortable with the Alfred E. Smith and Calvin Coolidge.

[Westsiders]

With my layman's eye, this auto looks great. I was actually very suprised that it came back with a "likely not genuine"....not to mention how fast the opinion was rendered. Thought I may have been missing something obviously wrong with the auto.

As much as I like it, just don't know if I have the balls to go against the quick opinion.