1960 Fleer Set

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Another thing to always consider:

Flat calligraphy nib practically always = Coach's Corner-caliber forgery.

Go back and look at your dyed-in-the-wool authentic vintage fountain pen pieces. Heck, you can do it from memory. How many of them were signed using such an implement? My guess is none.

This type of fountain pen simply was not in popular use back then. For fun, let's pick a name from the fountain pen era who signed everything put in front of him. Say, Charlie Gehringer. OK, now how many examples have you encountered that were signed with a flathead calligraphy nib? For me, it has to be zero, and the number of fountain pen signatures I've handled, studied or examined has to total hundreds of thousands.

Those types of pens were always the cheapest and most readily available to find in the 80's and 90's at stationery shops. Usually in a calligraphy kit. As a rule of thumb, forgers are cheap. These pens were cheap. 1 + 1 = 2.

[theshleps]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Another thing to always consider:

Flat calligraphy nib practically always = Coach's Corner-caliber forgery.

Go back and look at your dyed-in-the-wool authentic vintage fountain pen pieces. Heck, you can do it from memory. How many of them were signed using such an implement? My guess is none.

This type of fountain pen simply was not in popular use back then. For fun, let's pick a name from the fountain pen era who signed everything put in front of him. Say, Charlie Gehringer. OK, now how many examples have you encountered that were signed with a flathead calligraphy nib? For me, it has to be zero, and the number of fountain pen signatures I've handled, studied or examined has to total hundreds of thousands.

Those types of pens were always the cheapest and most readily available to find in the 80's and 90's at stationery shops. Usually in a calligraphy kit. As a rule of thumb, forgers are cheap. These pens were cheap. 1 + 1 = 2.

Thanks Billy- I appreciate your expertise. The PSA slabbed Baker I look at as being a felt tip pen (maybe I am wrong). Those were introduced in 1955 according to google. I remember writing to guys in the late 1960s and I do believe some signed with that type pen. My memory could be faulty. Maybe others could chime in

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

While I don't have it in hand like you do, I did access clearer pics from the auction listing. Again, just based on the photos, I'll stick with flat-tip calligraphy fountain pen.

Sharpies were introduced in 1964. Yes, there were some sort of felt tips that pre-dated the Sharpie, but you practically never see anything signed with them. I know I've seen a couple, but that's literally it. Can't even recall who signed, but want to say they were Hollywood autographs. I assuredly would have retained scans, though, due to those pieces being a very interesting piece of this puzzle we all love.

We are getting a bit off course here, but there has been a lot of collector discussion as to when the blue Sharpie was introduced (or any non-black). There were various coloured felt tip markers going back to the early 60's. I've seen a Branch Rickey (D. 1965) in blue felt tip. If it wasn't actual Sharpie brand, it mirrored the results. I was knocked off my feel when I saw it, just because it's one of those things you didn't expect to exist, yet there it was.

[tlake22]

The PSADNA slab is black felt tip. I have 20/60 site and I can even tell that.

[tlake22]

And from my view, I don't think any of the 3 are legit.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I checked the eBay photos again on a great monitor as oppsed to my phone. If two people (one of whom has it in his possession) say felt tip, then I have reason to reassess.

Honestly, without it in hand, I'm not committing to writing implement. The J. (whose formation is extremely atypical) has that watered-down appearance which is more in tune with fountain pen ink of some sort.

Regardless of any of this, I can't stand the autograph itself. It's ridicuously slow and deliberate, among other things. It has the sluggish appearance of somebody who is looking at a genuine exemplar while simulatneously attempting to duplicate the signature. When Baker was healthy, there was no slowness. The signature was executed with pure confidence, the same as anyone who signed their name countless times. And if it was indeed signed with some type of felt tip, that's even more occasion for me to have my guard up. As noted, Baker had a narrow window where he could have signed this while still healthy. The farther back you go in the 1960's, the less likely a felt tip would have been used.

[theshleps]

I have this too which seems like a prestroke 1961. Bill Corcoran OKed it in front of me. I forget if he asked keatings opinion too as he did for some of the tougher ones
1961 Fleer #6 Baker.JPG

[tlake22]

That one's good