Vintage Universal Horror Autograph Question: Please help!

[ozzfan84]

I know some of the people here collect vintage Universal Horror autos. I have a question about this one:

I bought this thinking it was hand signed by Carl Laemmle. If you read the print on the sheet, it looks like it would have to have been hand signed.

However, I notice the ink is a lot darker than any of my other autographs from this time. Also, it is really difficult for me to find any stroke marks in the autograph. I know it varies from light to dark in some areas, but I'm talking about where the loops cross.

My question is, is it possible that this is a stamped signature? Could they have even made stamps with such thin lines back then?

Please tell me what you think, or please point me in the right direction. Thanks!

 

[ozzfan84]

I took some better pics.

I think I could see some stroke marks and lines where the ink crossed. Can anyone else confirm this? Please, freaks, what do your OCD eyes see?

 

[creecher]

Looks authentic enough. Most of the cross overs occur with the heavier downstroke obliterating the previous stroke outright. The lighter ones do appear to have the overlapping stroke marks quite visible. Great photography.

 

[ozzfan84]

Thank you for your opinion.

I guess I might have just lucked out and got a really nice looking signature.

Would it have been possible for a stamp of that time to make such think marks--especially on the loop near the top of the L, without smudging? Most auto stamps I've seen are very thin.

Also, the language of the document makes it look pretty certain that it must have had to have been signed by hand.

What about the fact that the ink quality is so much better than that of the rest of the handwriting on the sheet? My guess is that the president of Universal would have a nice pen and ink?? I dunno. I'm much less skeptical after blowing up the pics. I'm pretty certain I see defined stroke marks when it is enlarged.

 

[Anton Phibes]

There are a lot of Horror autograph collectors at the UMA (Universl Monster Army) website. they might be able to help you. Look up Lugosi fan. he's an expert on all of this. he has everyone. seriously.

 

[ozzfan84]

Ahh! I truly appreciate the heads up! Thank you!

 

[The Monster]

There are a lot of Horror autograph collectors at the UMA (Universl Monster Army) website. they might be able to help you. Look up Lugosi fan. he's an expert on all of this. he has everyone. seriously.

Oh how I wish I had something that was hand signed by King Karloff himself.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Oh how I wish I had something that was hand signed by King Karloff himself.

What's the holdup? Boris sigs aren't that hard to come by.

If you can afford SS Universal busts, you can surely afford a Karloff sig.

 

[ozzfan84]

I have two Karloff sigs. One is a cut signature. The other is this:

 

[creecher]

I have two Karloff sigs. One is a cut signature.

I expect you'll be getting a PM, but not from me. Can you guess who?

 

[ozzfan84]

LOL!

Creecher, I tried on the other forum, and a person is suggesting that the Laemmle sig was not stamped, but printed like the text on the rest of the contract.

I have trouble believing that because the ink is clearly a different color in person, and the ink on the signature stands up above the paper where it is heavy.

What are your thoughts on that? Was there some kind of machine in 1921 that could print a signature like that? I'm almost positive a rubber stamp couldn't make such thin lines.

Furthermore, is my mind causing me to see things that aren't there, or are those lines very clearly crossing each other?

 

[MadCow]

That looks legit to me... Nice sig Ozz!!!

 

[ozzfan84]

By the way, here is my Lugosi auto:

I'll take some pics of my Chaney Jr. 8x10 when I get a chance.

 

[MadCow]

I have two Karloff sigs. One is a cut signature. The other is this:

Wow, that is amazing! Congrats, jealousy isn't a strong enough word... What does something like a cut sig of Karloff go for? I'd eventually like to get him, Lugosi and Vincent Price...

 

[creecher]

Creecher, ....What are your thoughts?

I'm no expert ozzfan. My experience was only as a bank employee, of 11 years, and what was taught to me to look for when verifying a signature, in the days when we had to check every signature on every cheque over a certain limit, aside from regular withdrawals from passbooks. You may not know what a passbook is.

As far as the document itself, there are many printing procedures that are no longer in use today. Replication uses much different, yet not necessarily better, reproduction processes. This I deduce from art prints, of the same art work, being more valuable due to the old technique that was used to recapture the original. I would think a rubber stamp would show signs of some compression. From appearances, which can be quite different in person, it looks authentic, as far as this inexperienced person can tell.

 

[The Monster]

I have two Karloff sigs. One is a cut signature. The other is this:

I'll take that thank you.

 

[creecher]

I'll take that thank you.

PM bypass.

 

[ozzfan84]

I'll take that thank you.

Best I can do is point you in the right direction.

For that one, I bought it from a pretty good auction house. I paid an additional amount for full PSA authentication, but the total price was just short of $400 (incredibly low for a signed photo, as far as I'm concerned).

Pass on one PF, and you can get one of your own!

 

[Anton Phibes]

This thread is quickly going to turn into a who's got what and lets see it thread....

 

[Anton Phibes]

Best I can do is point you in the right direction.

For that one, I bought it from a pretty good auction house. I paid an additional amount for full PSA authentication, but the total price was just short of $400 (incredibly low for a signed photo, as far as I'm concerned).

Pass on one PF, and you can get one of your own!

That's what's so funny about collecting. People instantly assume that because something is old, that there is no chance they can score one, yet they spend more than said item would actually cost on something that's new. For instance, I paid $500 for a 5x7 signed by Karloff from R&R Ent....that's about the same price as Sideshow's 1:1 bust. I would rather have the autograph,lol!