Reporting live from the Hunts Ted Williams auction

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Runscott

No, I don't like the 'W'. There might be other things wrong with it as well, but that one letter was pretty obvious.

If anyone can show other examples of his signature with a 'W' like that, please do. Then the next step would be to question whether or not those are authentic. Perhaps they were all (if there are more than one) done during Ted's 'creative signature' phase, or maybe they were done by a secretary or someone else signing for Ted.

I am extremely cautious when purchasing something like an autograph - I look at LOTS of examples first, and if there is anything whatsoever about the item that says 'run', I leave it alone and wait for the right one.

Thanks. If we have to move this to another thread so be it but I would like additional feedback. The TPA in question provided a COA and then removed it and gave a no-opinion not a rejection. From my experience that's unique...to say the least. I have purchased the photo regardless but information is appreciated.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

Thanks. If we have to move this to another thread so be it but I would like additional feedback. The TPA in question provided a COA and then removed it and gave a no-opinion not a rejection. From my experience that's unique...to say the least. I have purchased the photo regardless but information is appreciated.

Since the auction's over now, I doubt anyone really minds. Since I last posted, 'someone' has shown me another example with a 'W' that looks like yours. Could be that's the way he signed during that period.

Bottom line - if you gather what info you can, and you are happy with the situation, then that's all that counts.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Since the auction's over now, I doubt anyone really minds. Since I last posted, 'someone' has shown me another example with a 'W' that looks like yours. Could be that's the way he signed during that period.

Bottom line - if you gather what info you can, and you are happy with the situation, then that's all that counts.

I guess if one looks hard enough information is available.

Check out eBay item # 120855205215

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1939-40-RED-...#ht_3485wt_922


We're getting warmer...

[Splinte1941]

http://www.lelands.com/Auction/Aucti...e-Signed-Photo

I'm at the end of this journey. Thanks to Dave for the bargain on Lot # 37. It's taken me 5 minutes to find exemplars others say didnt exist.

[Tedw9]

I got there just before the break, which gave me time to walk around and take pics.

I was able to land lot 682, a bat thought to be used by Ted as a hitting instructor. I was happy with the price, I think it ending near the end of the auction helped my cause and my wallet.

[perezfan]

Yep... the later lots always seem to be a better bargain. I have been to Hunt Live Auctions, in which less than a dozen people remain in the room when things are closing down (last hundred lots or so).

Congrats!

[thekingofclout]

.

[travrosty]

i wonder if jsa will reverse his decision now?

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by travrosty

i wonder if jsa will reverse his decision now?

Travis, don't bet any money on it. I'll let you know what PSA says for the hell of it.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by thekingofclout

Here's one more for you Jake. This stellar c. 1940 Williams GPC belongs to fellow board member Ben (foreveryoung).

Attachment 62486

Wow. Thanks King. The reason for the No-Opinion is that JSA had never encountered that style before. If thats true, it's pretty embarassing in light of what's been provided here, but I don't buy that excuse. The "W" doesn't really match but there's plenty of smoke there.

Is Ben taking offers on that? LOL

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

http://www.lelands.com/Auction/Aucti...e-Signed-Photo

I'm at the end of this journey. Thanks to Dave for the bargain on Lot # 37. It's taken me 5 minutes to find exemplars others say didnt exist.

No one said they didn't exist. If you are happy with the examples that you found, and with the signature you bought, then that's all that counts.

I'm overly-cautious when I buy autographed items, and the 'good' examples I found did not match up. But as I stated previously (I think, twice), the thing that bothered me was that no one had any information to give you, despite all the experts on this forum. I finally spoke up with some detail, you found examples, the experts came out of the closet. It's all good.

[Splinte1941]

Originally Posted by Runscott

No one said they didn't exist. If you are happy with the examples that you found, and with the signature you bought, then that's all that counts.

I'm overly-cautious when I buy autographed items, and the 'good' examples I found did not match up. But as I stated previously (I think, twice), the thing that bothered me was that no one had any information to give you, despite all the experts on this forum. I finally spoke up with some detail, you found examples, the experts came out of the closet. It's all good.

If you don't think the Leyland's example is close to the one I bought then we'll agree to disagree, but then that's the major problem with this entire business, isn't it? I appreciate your candor and you did force the "experts" to come out of the closet. It is very curious that no one stepped up to offer an opinion here other than yourself. I will probably submit this to JSA as well and see what happens.

[travrosty]

it's just two guys opinion, grad and spence, they don't know any more than you, me or the guys who showed the examples here.

the problem is that if someone like me, richard, or another knowledgable collector on this forum took our time, we could find and catalogue the exemplars shown here and figure it out. but it would take a few hours, jsa and psa don't have a few hours for each autograph they precert.

that is why they have a few minutes to give it thumbs up, thumbs down, or no opinion, which they rarely give a no opinion. that's why their opinion has to be taken with a big grain of salt. they don't have the time to do a thorough investigation.

If it took 7 days of researching for them to figure out that the photo was indeed signed by williams in a vintage form of his signature, then that is something they won't do, because 7 days of salary to them isn't worth it.

but the truth doesn't have a time limit. you can do your own searching, take as much time as you like, and figure it out yourself. and your opinion on the final outcome of whether it is real or not is just as valid, and actually even more valid than the 10 minutes they spent to give an opinion that is under the gun vis-a-vis a time limit.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Splinte1941

If you don't think the Leyland's example is close to the one I bought then we'll agree to disagree, but then that's the major problem with this entire business, isn't it? I appreciate your candor and you did force the "experts" to come out of the closet. It is very curious that no one stepped up to offer an opinion here other than yourself. I will probably submit this to JSA as well and see what happens.

??? I didn't say anything about the Leyland's example. I'm glad that some good examples have been found that are almost certainly legitimate, that show the pointy-bottomed 'W'.

If you and I had spoken before you bought this photo, I would have said, "The 'W' looks weird - it's pointy-bottomed, and that's not how Williams normally signed. If you really want this photo, go dig around and find examples with pointy-bottomed 'W's, and let's compare them very carefully and decide what the odds are that they are legit."