Autograph forgeries on Ebay, be cafeful!!

While searching for a MFSL Quadrophenia on ebay I came across this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3535851966&category=61

I also read from an honest long term Springsteen fan that most of the Bosses autographed items are fakes. Be careful out there!!!

 

Great info. George! Thanks.

 

Autographs are the most forged items on Ebay, by a longshot. That COA is a crock as well.

 

Are Springsteen autographs hard to obtain these days? I've got a whole stack of stuff autographed by Springsteen and/or the E Steet Band. The autographs were personally obtained in 78, 80, 81, and 84. LPs, backstage passes, tour books. Also a Born on the USA T-shirt signed by just about everyone but Bruce. I used to have a lot more of this stuff than I do now, but I gave a lot of it away. I know Springsteen autographs were almost impossible to get during the Born in the USA/wannabe a Hollywood king days, but I was under the impression Bruce became more accessible after that. Why would most of the Springsteen autographs out there be fakes when there are so many real ones running around?

 

Correction on my part.....

The guy I know says that most of the Bosses autogpraphs ON EBAY are fakes or questionable. He lives right near Asbury Park and has been following Bruce for over 30 years.

IMHO, dwmann has gotten rid of all doubt concerning his own autographed items, and got them IN PERSON. When it comes down to it, that's really the only way to make sure that it is authentic. It's also the most fun!

You must have seen some awesome Springsteen shows dwmann! I've never met him, but I did wave to him as his bus drove into the arena at the Spectrum in Philly.

I only have 2 autographs, Paul Westerberg and Wilco. Both obtained in person. I also hope to get Bob Mould to sign some Husker Du albums next month when I see him in Welfleet.

 

I would like to say (in my humble opinion) I'm a bit of an expert on recognizing David Bowie's autograph, having received it in person a number of times from 1972 to present. My experienced guess is that 99% of the ones I see on ebay are fakes, some so bad I can't help but laugh .

 

Geoman076,

Not trying to hijack your thread here, but yes, I've seen some great Springsteen shows. In 75-76, Springsteen and the E Streeters were still basically a bar band, even if the audience was getting a LOT bigger. In 78-81 they were truly amazing. I've always felt Springsteen and the E Streeters in 78 - 81 performed some of the greatest rock shows ever performed by any rock band, anywhere, anytime. I drug a lot of people who didn't care for Springteen's albums AT ALL to some of those shows, and in my experience, what they said was true: There was no way to sit through one of Springsteen's live shows in that era without becoming a fan. I just wish I'd seen more of them, and that more high-quality tapes from that period were available. I've got some cassettes of some of The River shows that are AMAZING, but the sound quality is pretty bad - Springsteen had started coming down on bootleggers during The River tour, and I don't think there are many good soundboards from this period.

(I met Springsteen 4 times in 78-81, and had the opportunity to talk to him for about 10 minutes in 81. He was really a nice, quiet guy. I had a chance to hang out with part of the band for a couple of hours at the band's table in a Houston hotel bar in 84, which is where I got the T-shirt signed, but never even SAW Bruce. By then, he was busy being a real rock star, complete with bodygaurds, and was about as easy to approach as Bob Dylan was. I think Hollywood got the best of him though, and he's back to being a nice, quiet guy again.)

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On the subject of autographs: Why do people BUY autographs, anyway? I can MAYBE understand buying a signed Beatles LP, or a signed Who LP, or a signed Elvis LP. Sort of. But I always thought of an autograph as a way to freeze a moment in time, to have a concrete memory of an event. I look at an autograph I obtained personally and it brings back memories of that time. But why do people want to buy someone ELSE'S memory? I just don't understand the POINT. It's not even a collector's item unless it's been rigidly authenticated. What's up with this?

 

I, too have heard most autographs sold on ebay are fake.

 

Unless you are an autograph expert, you would be foolish to buy an autograph on ebay unless you knew the seller.
Out of all the Beatles autographs that can be seen on ebay on any given week, I only see about 2 a month that I truly believe to be authentic.
The COA's are often forged as well.
Be very careful.

 

The only autographs I have are from the artists that I've met. True, the only way to know they're real is if you were there.

Perfectly reasonable. Why would you pay so much money? Heck, try and get something yourself. It's almost NO money, and you will have NO doubt!


....an that's NOT Pete's signature. That's for damn sure.

 

The sad thing is: there are some good, honest autograph sellers on eBay. Because most of the autographs sold on eBay are fakes, they should really take their legit autographs elsewhere. I have acquired a few eBay autographed items but I have only purchased from sellers whom I know and trust and who could provide a photo, date and location of the signing.

 

Beatles 1st Album signed

Man that album looks like it went to hell and back.....but i'd take it

 

KI$$, and especially Gene Simmons, are notorious for signing nearly everything under the sun. I swear they do it so that the autographed items are worth NOTHING because literally everyone will have something signed by them. There will be no aftermarket like on EBAY because no one would want it.

BOB

 

agreed