Options
When were autopens first used?
metalmike
Posts: 2,152 ✭✭
I have a tsl from J Edgar Hoover. It is from the late 1940's written to a congressman concerning a person wanting to join the FBI. I cannot tell if if it is autopen or not
USN 1977-1987 * ALL cards are commons unless auto'd. Buying Britneycards. NWO for life.
0
Comments
Raw: Tony Gonzalez (low #'d cards, and especially 1/1's) and Steve Young.
Mark
--------------------------------------------
NFL HOF RC SET
Stephen Beck's Autograph Page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is the autograph real?
Authentication of autographs is one of the most complex problems in this hobby. It also makes autograph collecting challenging and fun.
The only sure way to know if an autograph is authentic is to see a celebrity sign in front of you. Otherwise you must sort out the many fakes that will certainly be mailed to you or, worse, offered to you for sale. If you are just beginning to collect autographs you probably cannot tell if an autograph is authentic.
There are several ways that fakes are commonly produced. The first is the Autopen, a machine that can sign a name for a celebrity. Another way is for a secretary to sign for a celebrity. Also, the celebrity may use a rubber stamp or may send printed signatures that look real.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Autopen
The Autopen is a machine which signs an autograph in the celebrity's handwriting. It was developed in the early part of this century but only became popular in the late 1940's.
The process of creating an autopen signature is as follows--a celebrity signs his name once on a sheet of paper, and a pattern or template is created for the machine at the Autopen company. When the template is installed, the Autopen machine is then able to recreate the autograph. The item to be "autographed" is inserted under the arm, the motor is turned on, and the pen moves according to the matrix design. The signature that is produced is identical to the celebrity’s own signature, but it now can be produced at a rate of hundreds per hour by a secretary. Since the resulting signature is in the handwriting of the celebrity and is drawn with an actual pen, the only sure way to tell if a signature is an Autopen is to compare it to a known sample of the pattern.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are several tips that may enable one to suspect that a signature is an Autopen. Look for these signs:
a shaky signature, which indicates movement while the machine is in operation
a light signature, especially one that does not have variation in pressure as seen by an indentation in the paper when viewed in the proper light
abrupt pen stops
a “drawn” look to the signature
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember however that the only way to tell for sure that a signature is an Autopen is to compare with a sample known to be an Autopen. Don't be fooled by minor variations between the pattern and your signature, since these variations may be produced by moving the paper while the machine is moving.. If any part of the signature matches precisely, it is an Autopen signature.
How do you obtain Autopen patterns? One good way is to join the UACC; which keeps members informed of new Autopen patterns through the Pen and Quill There are also several books on the market which contain Autopen patterns. The UACC sells its Autopen Study (order one from their web site.) It is a very useful guide, particularly for presidents and astronauts, but not really for entertainers. Another guide is "Seeing Double", by Marvin Blatt and Norman Schwab, published by La-La Ltd (PO Box 2060; North Babylon, NY 11703).
Other mechanical devices have been used that are similar to the Autopen. Thomas Jefferson invented a machine called the polygraph, which was a pen attached to a framework onto which other pens were attached, enabling the user to sign many documents at once. Harry Truman used a later incarnation of this machine to sign checks in the 1930's. In the 1970's there was another machine in use called the "SignaSigner" which enabled full pages of text to be mass-produced, but fortunately the company that made it went quickly out of business. Jimmy Carter reportedly was a user of the SignaSigner.
The Autopen Machine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Secretarial signatures
Another deception is the secretarial signature, in which a secretary for the person forges his name. These are sometimes the most difficult to spot, since the secretary is sometimes very good at duplication of the celebrity’s handwriting. Again, references and periodicals will help you determine what is real and what is fake. To help determine if a signature is real or a forgery, obtain a known sample of the signature from in-person examples in these sources. Compare the two carefully. A good tip to remember is to turn the signatures upside-down when examining them—this will eliminate certain biases formed when one’s mind perceives the letters of the name instead of its form. Secretarial signatures are often more carefully drawn and are more compact than the authentic signature.
Many inexperienced collectors make the mistake that an autograph must be real if a letter comes with it that says the celebrity signed the item being sent. Sometimes this is simply a trick some secretaries use to make their forgeries seem real. For example, secretarial signatures sent from Lyndon Johnson’s office often came with an accompanying letter that said “The President was very happy to sign the enclosed photo. It comes with his best wishes.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stamped and Printed Signatures
Be careful as well of printed and stamped signatures. Printed signatures can be very tricky. One trick is to tilt the photo into a light source; ink signatures will usually glow purple, or at least a color different than that of the rest of the photo. Stamped signatures have a “drawn” look, and will have inconsistent ink distribution.
A trick sometimes employed these days is to send printed signatures with secretarial inscriptions. Be very careful in examining your autographs for this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Forgeries
Detection of a forgery is similar to detection of a secretarial signature. Forgers are often very good at their craft and it may be difficult to detect the work of a professional. That is why it is very important to know the dealer from whom you purchase your material.
Sometimes forgers give themselves away. For example, John Lennon always signed his name as if it were spelled “Lennen." Forgers are often unwary of this simple fact and will spell his name “Lennon.” Almost all items with “Lennon” are a forgeries. It is a good idea to stay up-to-date with publications like the Pen and Quill, which publishes the work of known forgers.
Be sure to note anachronisms. Did the celebrity die before the ballpoint pen was invented? Was that brand of stationery invented during that president's term in office? A little research can be useful.
Experience is the only key to authenticating autographs. Until you gain enough experience to authenticate signatures (which takes years of careful research) you must assume that all autographs in your collection are capable of being fakes. Such is the harsh reality of autograph collecting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Expect about 30-60% of responses through the mail to be fakes, depending upon which celebrities you choose to collect. Entertainment figures are notorious about sending fakes, as with sports figures.
These are examples of people who have sent fakes in the past. It is by no means a complete list. (This also does not imply that all autographs sent by that person are fakes.)
Examples of celebrities who have sent secretarial signatures in the past:
Frank Sinatra
Kim Novak
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Al Pacino
Robert DeNiro
Bob Hope
Barbra Streisand
Robert Redford
Paul Newman
Jimmy Carter
John F. Kennedy
Kevin Costner (suspected)
Leonard Nimoy
Examples of celebrities who have sent Autopen signatures in the past:
Billy Graham
Wayne Gretsky
Presidents (since Eisenhower)
Jack Nicklaus
most astronauts
Billy Joel
most U.S. politicians
Jimmy Stewart (after his stroke)
Cindy Crawford
Norman Schwartzkopf
Michael Crighton
Supreme Court justices
Nolan Ryan
Examples of celebrities who have sent stamped signatures in the past:
Gene Autry
Cindy Crawford
MacCauley Culkin
Mother Teresa
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Back to Index
This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 1997-1999 by Stephen Beck.
Steve
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Sort of answered it with the TJ note.
from wiki
Thomas Jefferson invented a machine he dubbed the 'polygraph' (no relation) which was a pen attached to a jury-rigged get up attached to other pens, sort of a fancy colonial version of those autosigner toys you could make with Tinker Toys as a kid, that allowed him to sign multiple documents at once — meaning even your John Hanxxxx autograph could theoretically be a dupe.
He was born in 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia.
He was president between 1801 and 1809.
He died on July 4, 1826.
It appears he "invented" the thing during his presidency.
BUT, I seem to recall some French machines from before 1800.
AND, I recall something about
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (pronunciation (help·info)), April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was an Italian[dubious – discuss] polymath; a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer.
I will look deeper.
<< <i>My next ? is would a letter from the head of the FBI to a congressman be autopenned? I have all of the letters concerning this vet wanting to join the FBI that were fowardered from the congressman. Mike >>
Mike
Have ya got a scan of the letter?
Doesn't sound right Mike - if the guy had a letter typed, one would think - since they have to proof-read the final draft, they would sign it at the same time?
It only takes another second to sign what ya just read?
This is just a guess?
mike