Lüdwig Becker NJG 1

[stig1958]

I purchased some time ago this signed wartime photograph of Lüdwig Becker night fighter ace of NJG 1 killed in action on 26 February 1943. The picture shows Becker wearing the Knight’s Cross awarded on 1 July 1942, does anybody know when he actually was presented with the award, possibly September when the picture was actually taken. Is the photograph a press (hence the official stamps on the back of the picture), or a private studio portrait, is it likely Becker would have signed a press photograph?

Dennis

[Jeremy]

Ff

sorry to tell you but the signature is fake factory.
J

[Lionel H.]

Collecting real PRIVATE Portraits makes more sense, IMO. L.

[Jeremy]

Yes I agree, and I have a small private photo signed by Becker. Will scan and post.
J

[stig1958]

Becker

Thanks for your replies, would like to see the scan of your signature J. What do you think of these other signatures of Becker, and what is a factory fake?

Thanks

Dennis

[Eric JB]

......... and what is a factory fake?

Thanks

Dennis

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...510951&page=13

[Jeremy]

ff

Hi Dennis,

For info on the fake factory, do a search for these threads:

Rommel signatures - the fake factory version

Richthofen signed material

Erich Hartmann signed material

Rudel wartime signed

Schnaufer signed material

Help needed with sigs

Wittmann Clipped Signature

Signed Fotos KC Winner "Nachtjagd" (actually this has links to many related fake factory threads post #20)

Dealers to avoid:
Legends Aviation Gallery
Militaria Relics (plenty of fake factory material to familiarise yourself with)

Stade Auction has plenty of factory stuff in latest auction, too.

There is a website which aims to catalogue fake factory material that may help you:

http://wartimeautographs.com/

Re the two Becker's you asked about, left one with art is fake factory. Other is OK IMO.

Attached is definitely a fake factory Becker for your consideration. Compare it to the surname on your signed photo...

Hope this helps.

Will post several other good Becker later.

Jeremy

[stig1958]

Becker NJG 1

Thanks for your informative reply Jeremy, I personally had my doubts about my Becker, I didn’t think a press photo would be signed, but the signature seemed reasonably similar to the few other Becker signatures I had seen, plus I wasn’t sure it was a press photo, rather a studio portrait dedicated to someone. I am keenly interested to learn how to distinguish between fake/real signatures as I am a collector myself and have many Luftwaffe signatures wartime and post-war. I am a realist and probably half of my collection is fake. If they were still around today Galland, Hartmann, Rudel, and showed them a variety of their signatures, they probably wouldn’t recognize them themselves. If you signed 100 signatures over the years, no two would look the same. I looked on the links sent to me, and I have got to say there seems to be more than a little dispute among forum members, some of the traders mentioned have traded for years, I doubt they would agree with many of the remarks made by some people. I hope the forum members forgive me. I indulged myself in a little experiment just to show how complicated recognizing a fake from a real signature is for somebody like me, (who when buying mainly goes on luck rather than judgement). I took two signatures off a particular website removing the water mark, and put them on the forum for scrutiny. The reply was one of the signatures was fake the other genuine, and they came from the same trader! I didn’t want to bring into dispute any forum members or traders reputation, as I sure they are just as experienced as one another. If I was buying off this particular trader it would be 50/50 I would get the genuine article. Does the trader know he is selling one fake one genuine? And who decides which one is fake? You can study all you want and come to a rational conclusion, but I bet there is somebody out there who is going to strongly disagree with your analysis.

My conclusions for what it’s worth, I research as much as I can about a particular signature, then take a chance at the odds of 50/50 I will get it right.

Here is one of my 50/50 panic buys without research (Baumbach)




Dennis

[Jeremy]

Hi Dennis,
Some collectors who have fake factory material don't want to believe... No skin off my nose. You will note that none of them can counter my arguments with any reasonable response. Just hot air and insults. Btw, others here know fake factory when they see it and with their input and my own research since the Marseille saga it became apparent what is fake factory junk. No reason why you shouldn't be the same. It will become clear to you.

The two dealers I mentioned don't know **** from a shovel, so they sell whatever they like as it is in the interest of making money. It's easy to buy fake factory material, but you can wait ages for an authentic Rommel etc. I would have no sympathy for them if they bought your factory stuff off you. There are only a few dealers whose stock is not tainted by fake factory anymore. Supply of authentic material outstrips demand so fake factory brings in the dollars for generic dealers and art dealers.

Email me with scans if you need to.

50/50 is pointless IMO. 95/5 for me or I don't buy. Otherwise how can you enjoy your collection and collecting??

Jeremy

[stig1958]

I have read part of the Marseille exchange of words on the forum, but the more I read the more confusing to a novice like me it become. WW2 type writers! Spacing of fonts! The only rational reply in the whole slanging match was “We all make out(r) own collecting decisions though, don't we” in the end it’s the buyer who pays the price. Sellers only give you the information you want to hear, and buyers want to believe the information given, depending on how desperate they are for the item their buying, especially a Marseille, Rommel signature. You don’t like the odds of 50/50 well they are pretty good odds to a novice collector, to break even isn’t bad. 95/5 is still not 100%! My fake Werner Baumbach I posted is a lesson in “Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread” (I think it’s an interpretation of a biblical saying). Research and other people you trust opinions, is the only defence against unscrupulous factory devils. I joined forums like Axis forum, Wehrmacht Awards, Gentlemen’s Military Interest Club (I really joined because I love the name) all of which give me their collective wisdom to make an informed choice on purchasing WW2 militaria. But that is not to ignore the sellers input as to the provenance of the item. I have posted a Feldmarschall Kesselring signature for the forums opinion. If it’s already on the forum I apologise.

Dennis

[Jeremy]

Hi Dennis
Unless you actually stood and watched someone sign you can never really be 100% sure.

Marseille in 1 line - a post ww2 typewriter was used to type the combat reports sold by Korlin. Easy.

50/50 buying is not necessary for a novice.

Jeremy