Ebay... Ask the Dust nice First up for sale...
- Thread starter Carterofmars
- Start date
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
Thank you sir! I'm fairly sure then that the "signed" copy on e-Bay was a part of the 150, if I read the colophon page correctly. That makes my hunt all the more difficult! And (?) fun! Thanks for the info.
Edit:
Here's the image of the colophon page, someone got a $250 fake signature... Of course, it IS still limited to 150 numbered, so probably worth... well, near that, right?
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Where was the signature? Do you have a scan? It would have had to be on a tipped in page and not on the colophon as the colophon was printed 2 years after Fante died. If the signature is on the title page or colophon then it is a forgery. If the signature is on a tipped in page then it was either forged and then tipped in (not so easy to do). or is a numbered copy that had a real signature.
If you have a scan of the signature, I'd be very interested to see it.
Bill
If you have a scan of the signature, I'd be very interested to see it.
Bill
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
Here's a photo of the signature on the title page, as posted by the seller... It doesn't look like the 2 or 3 Fante sigs I've seen, so I'm glad I kept my distance.
From the auction itself:
Limited to 150 deluxe numbered copies, this is number 30. Although not called for by the limitation, this one is signed by Fante on the title page. I cannot authenticate the signature but it does match other Fante signatures I've seen.
I was at first suspiscious that Fante could have signed the book given he died in 1983 but there was a signed/ltd edition of this book published in 1985 and I believe the book was orginally published in 83. I can only assume the book was released in 85 after his death. If anyone knows please let me know.
At least the guy is willing to refund the money... Shame for the person who won it though...
Edit: Just flipped through the Cooper bio... Looks NOTHING like any of the signatures present in that book. Still a nice book, but it sure ain't signed.
From the auction itself:
Limited to 150 deluxe numbered copies, this is number 30. Although not called for by the limitation, this one is signed by Fante on the title page. I cannot authenticate the signature but it does match other Fante signatures I've seen.
I was at first suspiscious that Fante could have signed the book given he died in 1983 but there was a signed/ltd edition of this book published in 1985 and I believe the book was orginally published in 83. I can only assume the book was released in 85 after his death. If anyone knows please let me know.
At least the guy is willing to refund the money... Shame for the person who won it though...
Edit: Just flipped through the Cooper bio... Looks NOTHING like any of the signatures present in that book. Still a nice book, but it sure ain't signed.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Yes, It is not authentic. Fante could not have signed it two years after he dies and BSP would not have printed the title page two years earlier. Also I have never seen a BSP author sign an edition on the title page. It was always either the colophon or a blank tipped in page (or a cut autograph attached to a page in the case of Gertrude Stein).
Yep, 100% fake, it is.... Someone should contact the buyer.
Bill
Yep, 100% fake, it is.... Someone should contact the buyer.
Bill
Excellent sleuth work. Outstanding. The buyer should be contacted... hopefully he/she used Paypal.
joe
joe
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
Well I sent him a message... We'll see what he says. A shame because Abe has a couple at $200 that are probably in better shape (i.e. NOT ruined with a forged signature...). Still, his $250 isn't THAT bad overall.
$650 signed though. I mean... damn. I wish I had money. Or monies.
$650 signed though. I mean... damn. I wish I had money. Or monies.
planahea
RIP
Bill,
I have several BSP limited editions where the author has inscribed a special signed message to me on the title page, but also signed the colophon page. BSP authors would under certain circumstances sign on both the colphon and the title page, but in the case of the Fante ROAD TO LOS ANGELES the tipped in signed sheets for the lettered edition were made/created years in advance. This is also true of other Fante limited editions as well as other authors from the selected limited edition BSP backlist titles.
Time should always be taken to insure authenticity before making a commitment and regretting if afterward. I know this sounds preachy, but there is no substitute for good old fashioned homework. There are many knowledgeable people in these forums always ready to help others, Take advantage of that wealth of knowledge.
Caveat emptor!
I have several BSP limited editions where the author has inscribed a special signed message to me on the title page, but also signed the colophon page. BSP authors would under certain circumstances sign on both the colphon and the title page, but in the case of the Fante ROAD TO LOS ANGELES the tipped in signed sheets for the lettered edition were made/created years in advance. This is also true of other Fante limited editions as well as other authors from the selected limited edition BSP backlist titles.
Time should always be taken to insure authenticity before making a commitment and regretting if afterward. I know this sounds preachy, but there is no substitute for good old fashioned homework. There are many knowledgeable people in these forums always ready to help others, Take advantage of that wealth of knowledge.
Caveat emptor!
LickTheStar
Sad Flower in the Sand
That's right! Crave eat empty! Wait, what?
Anyhow... I think there's a lot of opportunities for being ripped off on auction sites and various other kinds of "sight unseen" sorts of sales where one doesn't actually have the ability to hold an item in one's hands... But with BSP, it is generally VERY easy to find a forgery (of course excluding variants and the occasional differences).
So preachy? Maybe, but sound advice just the same. I almost posted the auction here with the intention of bidding and then I dug around and figured, based on what was posted in the photos, that the Road to LA was a forgery... Shame too. Ah well.
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