How to Authenticate a Unique Item-the Limits of Scientific Testing

[Archive]

Posted By: davidcycleback

Notes on the subject:

1) 99.875 percent of fakes are obviously fakes, either to experts or general collecting population. They look wrong or were made with a modern printing process. For the average T206 computer fake on eBay, if you put the fake in with 20 real cards and gave it to a 15 year old who doesn't like baseball, she could pick out the computer print because it looks different than the others. I've seen unique items in auction that I knew were fake just looking at them-- often because there was something inconsistent. Ala an '1860s cabinet' that had mount style that didn't appear into the 1890s.

Most forgers aren't trying to fool Bill Mastro or seasoned collectors. They're trying to make a quick buck from a newbie. They're trying to sell a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth to someone who doesn't collect baseball cards, not a Goudey specialist.

2) Old cards were made with period printing methods which are obsolete today. The printing methods are identified by looking with microscope. For cards like the T206s or Allen & Ginters, they used rare inks that can be identified under a microscope. For known sets, like the T206s, a counterfeiter can only use modern printing methods, as only the modern printing methods could reproduce well the T206 image. In other words, if a counterfeiter used the original printing methods, the image would look horrible and no one would think the card was real. It's kind of like saying, "Let's forge a Rembrandt panting." Well, first you have to find someone who can paint as well as Rembrandt. If you hire Barney Fife to paint because he's willing, you'll have a painting but no one's going to mistake it or a Rembrandt. The best way to reproduce a T206 image is a computer printer, but an expert will identify it as a modern computer print whether or not Ty Cob looks nice.

3) If a card is from a known real set, you can compare the card in question in comparison to known real cards from the set. This is highly effective. Also, with popular sets like Goudeys and Old Judges, there will be many avid collectors and historians who have studied the set and will be able to offer good opinions about authenticity.

4) Provenance and general expert opinion is important. If a card or bat or ball has been known to have been around a while (20, 30, 50 years?), that doesn't prove its real but shows it's not a recent concoction. If Rob Lifson and Bill Mastro say the card appears genuine, it probably is. If an expert thinks there's something wrong with the card or issue, he'll probably voice his opinion. If a set is mentioned in a 1950 magazine article, that indicates the set isn't a modern concoction. On the other hand, if a T206 Joe Jackson pops up in the hobby Monday, a lot of people are going to wonder as the card has not been known to exist. If you own a Just So Cy Young, you at least know the set has been considered a genuine set for many years.

5) For some items, there are naked eye observable qualities that in and of themselves prove age. For example, with some types of photos and photo cards there are effects in the image caused by the chemicals in the paper and the effects can only appear after many years-- meaning the photo or card with the effect has to be many years old.

If someone showed me a newly discovered rookie year Ty Cobb or Greta Garbo high school photo that neither I or anyone else had seen before, I could assure them the photo was original and point out why. Part of points would include general characteristics and part would be physical qualities that appear only on photos that are many years old.

6) There are unique items were you can't be sure that it's genuine. But you also should be picking and chosing what you buy. If you are unsure about the history or identity, you can chose to not buy. I know about nothing about authenticating Ming vases, but that doesn't matter as I don't plan on buying one.

If a collectors says, "I have doubts about the age" or "How can any tell if something like this is real?," he can simply not bid on the item. If you want to buy a Hank Aaron autograph, and a lot of Aaron photos are forged but balls with Steiner/Aaron hologram because Steiner only does in person signings with people under contract, you're going to put your Aaron autograph allowance on the Steiner ball and not the photo from 0 feedback selleryou have worries about.

7) When I 'forensically' examine an item, I do scientific tests, but also include my general knowledge and common sense. I offer my opinion, which doesn't mean either "It's 100 percent authentic" or "It's 100 percent fake." In cases, if it's a computer reprint or such, I can say for sure it's modern, as they didn't have laser printers during the Civil War. In cases, I can say for sure it's genuine. In other cases I can give a substantive if not complete opinion-- "There's no question it's old, but I can't tell you what exact year" or "The photo is original, but I'm not an expert on Russian history and can't guarantee the guy in the image is Trotsky"

Someone once asked me, "Is this an original photo of my Aunt?," and I said, "I have no clue. I don't know what your aunt looks like."

8) If you're going to be worried about criminal genius forgers, don't worry about cards from known genuine sets like Goudeys or Old Judges or T206s. Worry about brand new unique item where there is no record or indication of the item existing before last Tuesday, or where people have long had strong suspicions about the entire set ... Duly note that I'm talking about making of an entire never heard of before card, in particular from never cataloged set, not acid induced variations on an T206 Magee or Slow Joe Doyle.

9) Expert collectors make their mistakes when they are working outside their areas of expertise-- whether in identification, authenticity or valuation. Joe Blow may be the most knowledgeable T206 person in the world, but will make a bonehead move buying a Shirley Temple doll. If someone came to me with a 1870s silver trophy bat and asked to authenticate it, I'd say "You've come to the wrong person."

One reason to deal with sellers you know and trust is that, even you aren't knowledgeable about the particular item, you know the seller is generally knowledgeable. If you buy the item from a total stranger, you have no one trust, not even yourself.