Since 1989, Nelson Deedle has worked as an entertainment and music memorabilia autograph expert. With a personal collection of more than 100,000 pieces, Nelson Deedle is renowned for his work authenticating difficult autographs and other obscure items. He offers a few things to watch out for before purchasing any autograph.
Perhaps the easiest way to detect a forgery is if the autograph is made with or on material that did not exist during the time period. For example, if a very old signature written with a mixture of hard cake, water, and egg yolk is written on any paper other than vellum, it is likely fake.
Potential buyers should also check for signs that the autograph was signed by a robot. Unnaturally smooth lines or a signature that starts and stops with a dot, rather than being made by a pen in a continuous motion, are tell-tale signs.
Another indication that the autograph was not signed by a human hand is if the signature lies smoothly on the paper or card. A smooth signature, one that does not leave an indentation as a pen or pencil would, is often a sure sign that it was printed on by a computer or other device.
Perhaps the easiest way to detect a forgery is if the autograph is made with or on material that did not exist during the time period. For example, if a very old signature written with a mixture of hard cake, water, and egg yolk is written on any paper other than vellum, it is likely fake.
Potential buyers should also check for signs that the autograph was signed by a robot. Unnaturally smooth lines or a signature that starts and stops with a dot, rather than being made by a pen in a continuous motion, are tell-tale signs.
Another indication that the autograph was not signed by a human hand is if the signature lies smoothly on the paper or card. A smooth signature, one that does not leave an indentation as a pen or pencil would, is often a sure sign that it was printed on by a computer or other device.