66 replies to this topic

[Paul Taylor]

This one could possibly be 1967 - although the auctioneers haved read it as 1962.

The signatures aren't identical but the relationship between the lines of text is remarkably similar. Perhaps Jim was signing a batch of books in 1967. One being the current ebay auction and another has had a page cut from it for the 2015 auction?

 

My copy of 'The Ford Book of Competition Motoring' is unsigned - perhaps it's quite rare.

 

Could be 67. 1st July 1967 was practice day for the French GP at Le Mans. 

[ensign14]

I think everyone's missing the obvious here.

 

Is the Henry Taylor signature genuine?

[helioseism2]

My copy of 'The Ford Book of Competition Motoring' is unsigned - perhaps it's quite rare.

The 1935 book "Wall Smacker" by Pete De Paolo is far more common signed by the author than unsigned!

[MCS]

The usual reason for someone to write something backwards is being left handed. Was Jim left handed?

I can't see any evidence that he was left-handed, but fair point.  My wife is left-handed and understand where you are coming from.

[B Squared]

The 1935 book "Wall Smacker" by Pete De Paolo is far more common signed by the author than unsigned!

Pete and Sally DePaolo were family friends that even had Thanksgiving dinner at our original family home in 1971. It was part of his friendly nature; being so easy to approach is a good reason for the personalization of so many of his books. My copy has his midwest address information from the Dearborn Inn. When he'd fly in to town on business, Dad would pick him up in our 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II - he seemed to like that. My family has great memories of this wonderful couple. By the way, I'm glad he signed my copy of Wall Smacker.

Edited by B Squared, 18 September 2022 - 11:44.

[Glengavel]

The 1935 book "Wall Smacker" by Pete De Paolo is far more common signed by the author than unsigned!

 

I was at a Jim Clark film night in Duns many years ago and Graham Gauld was signing copies of his book. The organiser was urging us to buy the book and get it signed to increase its worth. Graham looked up and quipped "it's the unsigned copies that are worth more". 

Edited by Glengavel, 18 September 2022 - 11:53.

[RCH]

I can't see any evidence that he was left-handed, but fair point.  My wife is left-handed and understand where you are coming from.

I'm left handed myself, never been tempted to write things backwards but I was at college with a lefthander who would sometimes write a whole line backwards, particularly if he was in a hurry.

[RA Historian]

I was at a Jim Clark film night in Duns many years ago and Graham Gauld was signing copies of his book. The organiser was urging us to buy the book and get it signed to increase its worth. Graham looked up and quipped "it's the unsigned copies that are worth more". 

That is familiar! At a Road America signing session for one of my books a purchases asked how much. I replied, "$89.50 with my autograph. $99.50 without!"

[D-Type]

I'm not a handwriting expert (graphologist?) but the handwriting and signature do look very similar to other examples I can find on the web:

 

https://i.ebayimg.co...Q1J/s-l1600.png

 

https://thumbs.worth...a081f6e267e.jpg

 

https://www.autograp...6/large/5-1.jpg

 

On the other hand I wonder what this is...Seems to have been signed with the same date

 

https://www.ukauctio...st&imagesOnly=N

I'm no graphologist either, but the 'B' of Best has been formed completely differently in each case..

[FastReader]

I see that some mug ended up buying the book for £425.76.

[ensign14]

TBF Henry Taylor autographs are pretty rare.

[mistakenplane]

I find it interesting that anyone can 'verify' it is legitimate or fake from an eBay post. AFAIK that seller is a sister account of The Signature Store at Brooklands, so I would generally trust them.

[FastReader]

I find it interesting that anyone can 'verify' it is legitimate or fake from an eBay post. AFAIK that seller is a sister account of The Signature Store at Brooklands, so I would generally trust them.

If you have read the thread as a whole then you should have seen that most of the doubt is raised not in the authenticating of the signature itself, but in the dating of the signature.

 

I'm interested in your suggestion that the seller is a sister account of The Signature Store. If true, that would make me wary of buying from The Signature Store, not the other way around. However, I see no reason to believe that they are linked.

[LittleChris]

If you have read the thread as a whole then you should have seen that most of the doubt is raised not in the authenticating of the signature itself, but in the dating of the signature.

 

I'm interested in your suggestion that the seller is a sister account of The Signature Store. If true, that would make me wary of buying from The Signature Store, not the other way around. However, I see no reason to believe that they are linked.

 

Andrew Francis is / was  a director of both companies.

 

THE SIGNATURE STORE LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk)

 

RACING LEGENDS LTD people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk)

Edited by LittleChris, 24 September 2022 - 12:02.

[FastReader]

Ah, so there is a link. Thank you for that LittleChris. It certainly affects my opinion of The Signature Store.

Edited by FastReader, 24 September 2022 - 14:00.

[mistakenplane]

Ah, so there is a link. Thank you for that LittleChris. It certainly affects my opinion of The Signature Store.

Indeed, I have purchased items from both in the past as I know they do sit down signings with drivers, so it would be a shame if the items I have bought turn out to be fakes. While none were bank-breaking, it would be nice if they were what they purport to be!

[Doug Nye]

Surely raising this matter with The Signature Store would be the decent thing to do?

 

DCN