This same fake signature has appeared at numerous auctions over the past few years. In some cases, it appears on books and photos published after Houdini's death. However, here it is on what is actually a valuable book that would sell well at auction. But this signature makes it worthless.
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The auction house is Norwood Auctions in Norwood, Pennsylvania. I don't know if they are a legitimate auction house. Roger Dreyer of Houdini Revealed has fought the good fight in trying to get these fakes taken down, but Live Auctioneers seems to do a brisk trade in selling fakes to gullible buyers. Don't be a gullible buyer!
I actually have a suspicion about who is behind these fakes, but I have no proof.
R.I.P. to this once-beautiful copy of Magical Ropes Ties & Escapes.
On my Patreon, I have a "Fraud Pack" that collects images of fakes so people can be aware of them and become familiar with the look of this autopen signature. This is FREE for everyone to download by clicking below.
Here's an eBay seller who is cutting up a Houdini 1920 letter and selling off the letters and numbers individually. A number "2" sold for $125. https://www.ebay.com/itm/406003065536?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=6ukx0vs9tfs&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=XKpMOxRESq-&stype=1&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
ReplyDeleteI've seen that. Horrible to see Houdini history being destroyed for greed. I hope the people buying these understand that what they are buying is worthless. And who knows if it's even real. Very easy to use clippings from a copy.
DeleteYou're right. It could be a photocopy that was cut up.
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