The Perils of Provenance
Autograph collecting (philography) is one of the most dangerous fields for the novice because a fake can look identical to the real thing. The golden rule is that Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is only as good as the person who signed it.
Value depends on three factors: Rarity, Demand, and Content. A simple signature is the baseline, but a handwritten letter (ALS – Autograph Letter Signed) is the gold standard. For example, a typed letter signed by Churchill is valuable, but a handwritten letter by him is a museum piece.
Collector’s Tip: Beware the “AutoPen”—a machine used by politicians and celebrities since the 1950s to mechanically sign thousands of letters. AutoPen signatures have shaky starts and stops and absolutely uniform pressure throughout the ink line.
A real signature has flow, with lighter and heavier strokes. Also, look out for “secretarial” signatures, where a PA signed for the star. Vintage Hollywood stars often had secretaries sign their fan mail; learning the specific “tells” of a secretary’s hand is part of the hobby.
