Arnold Schwarzenegger

[sigbob]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/54 ... 63704.jpg/

Would you say this one's legit? To me, it isn't as it was brought for me years ago and this is when I was first into collection and a bit naive, but I've learned a few things since then, thank goodness.

Regards

Rob

[Hitman73]

Sorry it says the photo has been removed?. Please post the photo so we can take a look at it!!!.

[sigbob]

Sorry about that here's the link:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/57 ... 63704.jpg/

Cheers

Rob

[Hitman73]

Sorry Rob that clearly is a fake, if you bought that get a refund ASAP!!!!.

Here are a few of mine that are Real>







Gov. PRE-PRINT

[sigbob]

Hiya

Thanks mate - much appreciated. I had my suspicions to be honest - it was one of the first autographs I had bought for me before I became a serious collector.

I've been stung badly by the odd fake here and there - there was a shop in our town that sold autographs and they were shockingly bad - they had one of Madonna which was just plain awful.

I actually bought from there before I realized my error and never did again after that. I only buy from AFTAL or UACC based dealers and even then its no guarantee of authenticity.

Regards

Rob

[Hitman73]

No problem and we all at some point have been burned and it does SUCK!. Always ask or do your homework before buying and yes i have seen bad graphs from legit authenticators before as well!.

If that is a professional glossy or matte you can at least try the dry erase trick to get that fake graph off the photo and sell the photo. If it is a home print it will only take off the ink from the photo.

[sigbob]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. Yes its a s**t when we get burnt like we do - I got burnt mainly in my early collecting days.

Even now using the so called "genuine" dealers I've been burnt - spent quite a considerable amount on them as well. Ones like Jim Carrey, Michael Jackson (that was particularly hard to take), Harry Potter cast, Harrison Ford and like the above, Schwarzenegger.

I also bought a JK Rowling from a supposed AFTAL dealer which is at best really, rather dubious as well.

However, I am going to try and exonerate those from my collection and focus on the ones I know are real. As you say it happens and many others have spent many times more on prized memorabilia than I ever will. Its all part of the craft of collecting.

I only buy from dealers who I consider to be genuine dealers. Even some of the AFTAL dealers are dodgy. It doesn't happen too often where you get dodgy AFTAL dealers but you can tell just by looking at the sites that something's amiss sadly.

However as I said I'm pleased to have my authentics as some I know to be very much so, such as Paul McCartney (personal favourite), Leslie Nielsen (obtained at autographica where authenticity is virtually not questionable).

I've learnt the tips of the trade a bit better now and am better adept at collecting which is a good thing. It might cost a little to replenish the junk with the genuine but that's all a part of the trade and the genuine autographs price wise will outweigh the fakes so in essence, if I have lost something, it isn't much.

Anyways, enough of my ramble - sorry I just enjoy the hobby. Thanks for the feedback. I shall look into what to do with the autograph as I was suspicious about it and as I had it bought for me, makes real little difference to my own finances anyways but the chances of a refund after so long are next to none so I might just sell the photo and hope for a partial return on the original investment.

Not too disappointed to be honest because even collectors and dealers allow a few fakes to slip through their collections.

Regards

Rob