Certifcate of Authenticity

theartofmovieposters

So I just received a couple of newish one sheets I have had my eye on for a while.

I open the tube and taped to the package was Certificate of Authenticity for each poster.

When did this become a thing for movie posters????

I feel sorry for dealers if this is what they now have to resort to, to make buyers happy!

David

I won't give as I tell them (as all know) it's not worth the paper it's written on... etc etc - although to be fair I rarely get asked.

Matt

Have you still got the certificates? Can we see a pic of one if you do?

theartofmovieposters

Yes. Just scanned em in...give me two secs...

theartofmovieposters

I can only imagine he has had to resort to this because of the countless people who have requested one.

As David pointed out, not really sure why people care...I could certify anything I want, doesn't make it so.

Matt

Cool thanks. Have you or anyone come across any more?

theartofmovieposters

Not me.  I never ask, and as I said was surprised to find these in the tube!

On the flip side I've been asked a few times, always said no.  

Never been asked Matt?

Matt

Yes, once. He wanted to write something up and for me to sign it. I said, so you sell the poster and the next person copies the poster and sells it with the certificate......then my name is mud!

He understood.

Bruce

I always refuse. They are a joke.

Pancho

Bruce said:

I always refuse. They are a joke.

Intriguing...

I know that you have written a lot about fakes over the years; I would have thought that you'd support some form of proof of authenticity? Isn't EMP's 'buyer warranty' essentially an unwritten COA for each item you sell?

I can't ever see poster faking running rampant, but if I was buying an expensive and rare title - especially something newer like a Pulp Fiction Lucky Strike - then I'd want to know that I had some form of a guarantee on it's originality and / or provenance.

But, as witnessed in autograph authentication, unless you saw it signed, you can never be 100% certain of an item's origin.

theartofmovieposters

Matt's comment above is valid.

It's all fine and dandy if everyone involved is honest...but it just takes one fecker.

Bruce

The problem with Certificates of Authenticity is there is no way to prove which poster they go to. And who is behind the person who wrote it.

I have seen a zillion Certificates of Authenticity from shady companies. Who is "certifying" the "certifiers"?

Matt

Maybe you could branch out and do cert's yourself Bruce.

I'm sure you're keen.

Bruce

I'll get right on that. I don't have very much to do!

Rick

A guy on eBay selling a reprint poster as an original with a fake elvis signature had a certificate of authenticity, which was just as fake as the poser and signature.