This is a really amazing item that I thought you guys would like to see. 1884 Autograph album filled with Baseball Autographs. Only one problem though; aside from the fact they appear to be signed in ballpoint pen and several by the same hand, several of these players are well documented to have been completely illiterate yet they somehow have signed nice scripted (20th century looking) signatures. Although one example of Pete Brownings signature can be viewed, it is speculated that it was signed by someone else, and Fred Dunlap was absolutely illiterate and could neither read nor even write his name.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CIRCA-1880s-AMERICAN-BASEBALL-AUTOGRAPHS_W0QQitemZ330247222669QQihZ014QQcategoryZ53QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I saw this auction and figured it had to be a fraud.

The oddest part is that the seller is from, of all places, England! There is a Juice Latham in this book. The only Juice known to Limeys should be Newton.

So somebody went to the trouble of fabricating all those signatures? That's a monumental fraud.

I'd only consider it monumental if there were skill or artistry involved!

You're right, 19th century autographs should have oxidized and turned brown by now. Still seems like a strange and lengthy assortment or autos to try to fabricate?.?.?

Rob M.