Cool Auto Book with Ruth, Cobb, Young Question
 

Pretty neat book with a bunch of autos acquired in the 30s from the family. I don't collect autos at all so could use some help. Here are some of the examples.
They appear good except for the Ruth on the multi-signed page. Looks like someone was playing around and just tried to sign his name?

1) Any concern on these?
2) Should they be cut out of the book and sent in for grading?
3) Should they sell the book intact at an auction?
4) Ballpark idea of value?

Really appreciate the help..they are really nice people trying to figure out what to do.

I would cut the Ruth, Cobb, and Young into nice even cuts and submit them for authentication/encapsulation probably with PSA if there are no signatures on the reverses.

Not sure who else in the book would be worth cutting.

The Ruth authenticated and encapsulated is probably worth $7500 or possibly more in a major auction as the "Sincerely" adds value and it is clean.

Young is a nice signature but the stain on the Cy will hurt it. Probably still $1500 or possibly more depending on how the cut comes out.

The Cobb is probably $1500 or so as well.

So, IMO, the 3 would be worth somewhere around $10K as long as they are authenticated and encapsulated.

I would probably also grade all 3 and the grades could make them even better.

Obviously, just one man's opinion.

I think Randy's estimates are high. Regardless I hate seeing autograph books cut up. I have 3 or 4 and I leave them in tact. If you want to sell I'd consign to one of the better auction houses (I've dealt with all of them and don't want to give my opinion in public). It isn't as bad but kind of like when they cut up jerseys and bats and put them on cards. Not enough full autograph books still out there and you will come out with a good price assuming the auction house does it justice. Hopefully it won't be then bough by a flipper who cuts it up but by a collector

It will be cut up by someone at some point. A collector is just not going to pay up for a book of this nature at the level that the 3 cuts will sell for. It sounded like the family who actually owns it wants to maximize on value. That will only happen IMO by cutting the keys out and encapsulating them.

Now if there are many other significant autographs on the pages with multiple signatures like Johnson, Wagner, and others, then it might be a different story. But I assume the 3 pictured single pages are the key ones in the book.

It is a historical book and I understand your hesitancy to see it cut up but if value is what the family is looking for and not nostalgia, then it is necessary.

I've come around on cut autographs. I'm sure glad someone cut this one from an autograph album before I bought it so I could display Ames' signature with his T206 card.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...13498143_c.jpg

At the same time, there is something really special about a perfectly signed index card or album page, which I prefer to enjoyed without a cut. I wouldn't cut my latest HOF addition to make a custom.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cced7aab_c.jpg

I think it comes down to presentation and enjoyment for the viewer. What story does the autograph tell to the beholder?

Would love to see the whole book!


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Don't cut them!
 

Don't cut them, if anything remove them at the seams of the book to keep the page intact. A signed album page holds better value than a cut, plain and simple.

The presentation of the actual autograph is the most important component to value.

The Ruth is at the very top of the album page. It will present much better as a uniform cut rather than having 75% of the area blank below the autograph IMO. Also, the crease through the center of the page will be eliminated.

Maybe since the Cobb is pretty much centered and will have the crease going through it either way, it might be better as a page cut.

The Young due to the tape stain needs to be cut to be as uniform as possible. Again, the crease can be removed with a cut.

Obviously, only my opinion but if I was collecting and wanting to insure future value, I would cut all 3 and encapsulate and grade the autos.

I agree with this. I would keep this Jess Tannehill album page uncut, for example. The autograph including address presents quite beautifully left alone.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...14337dc0_c.jpg

But the George Gibson below could be cut well and retain its value, as the balance of the page is stained and unclean.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...536394d8_c.jpg

Interesting "Babe Ruth" on the fourth picture shown??

It is interesting. The OP wrote it off as not authentic. While I will admit, I cannot remember seeing an authenticated Ruth with that "e" before, the "Bab" and the "Ruth" look plausible to me.

Maybe someone ghost signed for Ruth on the page but i am not so certain that it is not a legitimate example of the "Babe", maybe an early version.

Maybe the Ruth experts on here will chime in.

Looks like it was signed by whoever wrote the name below it.

That’s Hans Lobert signing that

The Ruth is without question no good. Nor is it a rushed signature.