Well that was disappointing!
dad2cl3
Posts: 331 ✭✭✭✭
Had a suspicion it was not from the negative but am new to vintage photography so took the plunge anyway.
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dad2cl3
Posts: 331 ✭✭✭✭
Comments
It can be very confusing when you first start collecting photos. I am having to do a lot of research online to determine the differences between the two. I am actually starting to collect the wire photos also. This is a wire photo I recently bought of Joe Louis being measured for his wax figure in a wax museum.
The long black line down the left side of the photo made me very suspicious along with the general fuzziness of the playing field around the legs.
Personal Collection | Willie Woodburn | Legion of Doom
Yes, the original photos are much more high quality and clear. I've had to learn that the hard way. I've also learned that a lot of sellers will claim that a photo is original, when it is really a wire photo, so you have to really do your homework and research before making any purchases. I've had to research the differences on various websites, but I'm starting to learn about them. It can be confusing at first.
Funny you should mention seller's inaccurate claims
. The photo above was accompanied by the certificate below. Lesson learned 
Its still a great photo so I'm pleased to own it but slabbing a wire photo pains me a bit simply due to the price of the slab.
Personal Collection | Willie Woodburn | Legion of Doom
Yes, collecting photos can be very tricky if you don't know what to look for. That certficate is just flat out dishonest. That is unbelievable. I've had to learn the hard way as well, so don't feel bad. You can google the information and there are websites and information to study that will help. That certificate is ridiculous.
It is also important to note, that sometimes the original photos no longer exist and wire photos are the only version of a photo that may still exist. A lot of original photos were lost or destroyed, so wire photos have their place in photo collecting.
With my Joe Louis Wax Museum wire photo, I am glad I bought it because the original photo may not exist any more, and if that's the case, then my wire photo is the earliest version of that photo. In the meantime, I'll keep a look out and if the original pops up, I'll be all over it like Bill Clinton on an intern. The original copy of your photo may not exist anymore, but you can keep an eye out for the original, and if it does pop up, then you can pounce on it.
Yeah I’m gonna grab anything original I can find!
Personal Collection | Willie Woodburn | Legion of Doom
And one more important thing, if the photo has a caption attached to the front of it, then it is ALWAYS a wire photo. No doubt about it. Two examples:
Thanks for the tip!
Personal Collection | Willie Woodburn | Legion of Doom
You're welcome. It is tricky, because there are also wire photos that do not have the caption on the front. I would definitely recommend doing some research online about this stuff because it is definately necessary for photo collecting.
Speaking of Joe Louis... found this in my travels today. Want the auction link?
Personal Collection | Willie Woodburn | Legion of Doom
Ah, the famous 1936 Mitchell's card! I actually picked a copy of that card up about a year ago on Ebay. I have been looking for the photo that card was made from though, but I don't know if it still exists or not. Thank you for the thought.
That’s a nice photo for sure!
Personal Collection | Willie Woodburn | Legion of Doom
Thanks for the info, guys.
Andy
You're welcome. It's very fascinating stuff!