George W. Bush and Laura Bush "Signed" Photograph

[vlade13]

Would appreciate input on whether the signatures on this photograph are pre-printed or actual pen-and-ink. 

[sonomabarn67 · Accepted solution]

Look at the sigs with a loupe and if you see tiny dots, they are printed.

[maxine*j]

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@sonomabarn67 wrote:

Look at the sigs with a loupe and if you see tiny dots, they are printed.

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Yes. 

Also, on slick paper like that, there ought to be obvious variations in the thickness of the ink as it lays on the paper, if the signature is real.  Even on paper that slick, there should be some faint "bleed," too.   

My rule of thumb is that if I can't tell easily that a signature is real, it is not.  It's either printed or auto-signed.

I wonder what Mr. Debol was a "Charter Member" of?  Here's his obit:

https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_patriot/news/local/obituary---ron-j-debol/article_d7b54904-8749-5...

[maxine*j]

Here's another example, described by the seller as auto-pen signedL

https://www.ebay.com/itm/George-Laura-Bush-8-1-2-X-10-1-2-Color-Photo-Print-Auto-Pen-Signature-/1329...

[maxine*j]

I wanted to add this earlier, but had to leave for a bit:

Another thing to do in trying to work out signatures is to find another example (such as the one I linked to) and then compare small points.  In the signture on yours, see the little bit of a line where the r meets the a in Laura?  See the little dot of ink at the end of Bush in the same signature?   If you see the same in both signatures, you know they're printed or auto-pen.

[vlade13]

Really appreciate the instructive comments.

[sonomabarn67]

Thanks, but there was one thing I wanted to add. We live not too far from a wealthy Republican enclave where there are regular estate sales. In almost every sale one can see these photos laid out on the dining room table as "special". I've seen them priced for as much as $100 but they never seem to sell and are still there on the last day.