Mastro - Psa/dna

[sammy]

Breaking News: August 8, 2008 Steve Grad, John Reznikoff & Zack Rullo
The Mistakes Just Keep Coming


Www.autographalert.com openly requested an interview with each of these three persons who claim they can authenticate autographs. The challenge includes a representative from www.autographalert.com asking each of these gents about a dozen questions. The interview should not take more that 20-25 minutes.

Many of our readers are concerned about the people at PSADNA who claim to be autograph experts. Questions about their actual backgrounds in autographs, their autograph education and several other questions need to be answered. Many collectors now somewhat educated no longer believe in self promoting full page advertisements. Collectors now want to hear from the “authenticators” themselves.

We want to take this opportunity to thank those dealers who have contacted us regarding not giving refunds based on the guess of any 3rd party autograph authenticator. All dealers have to do is refer your customer to the stories on www.autographalert.com

Here is one more reason to understand why 3rd party authenticators are incompetent. Read the following. Again we can refer to the current Mastro Auctions. Lot number 2071, Andrew Johnson Military appointment. That short description alone sends up a red flag to anyone who has even limited experience handling signed presidential items. Who doesn’t know most of these documents are not hand signed by President Johnson? It appears only Steve Grad, John Reznikoff and Zack Rullo at PSADNA don’t know!

The following is a condensed version of Mastro’s catalog description of this lot. “...offered is an 1866 military commission certificate, signed by President Andrew Johnson....Johnson’s black fountain pen signature is a full name example....and rates an “8" in strength......LOA from Steve Grad & Zack Rullo and John Reznikoff/PSADNA.”

Andrew Johnson Stamped Signature being sold as Genuine
Once again, www.autographalert.com would like to hear from the boys at PSADNA how this got passed them? The only possible excuse, even for these gents is that none of them saw the document. But we would like to hear that from them.

Yet, there is a COA from PSADNA from these three passing this item as genuine.

Let’s take this one more embarrassing step forward. Worse, is that not one of these three can tell a signature signed by a pen using ink verses a signature placed on a document by a stamp. THE SIGNATURE ON THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS A VERY COMMON STAMPED SIGNATURE.

Now, if someone can’t tell a real ink signature from a stamped signature, why should any collector submit their autograph for authentication? Why should ANY dealer make a refund based on one of their guesses? Why are these people authenticating autographs?

Steve Grad, John Reznikoff, Zack Rullo, send us an email and let’s set up an interview!

[Eric]

sammy
can you let us know who wrote that? I assume you took that info from another website.

[sammy]

Eric,

The info requested is at the beginning:

www.autographalert.com

[trsent]

Eric,

The info requested is at the beginning:

www.autographalert.com

I forget if it was on Gavel Chat a few months ago, but that web site is a witch hunt where the owners and posters on it are just out to bash autograph authenticators. They have no balls - They do not sign their posts. They try to hide their web site's ownership as they are a hidden bash board.

Scroll down the latest news and they are whining that R&R Auctions and PSA/DNA confused Danny Kaye and Danny Thomas - Who cares? Like this was an intentional error - They are looking for trouble in the wrong places. They do not back up their claims with any proof and they just call out items and errors (and a suicide by an auction house employee) but do not sign their articles except with an AOL email address on their home page.

Here, I found the Gavel Chat article about this web site:

Thursday, June 05, 2008
Hard-hitting autograph website lacks credibilty
Posted by Chris

I recently stumbled upon a website called autographalert.com, and I must say, it really touches on some hard-hitting issues in the autograph world. The one problem I have with it, however, is that (from what I could see) there was no author's name on who wrote these articles and many of the stories use anonymous and/or one-sided sources in the stories.

For those of you who have been longtime readers of Gavel Chat, you'll know that we are big on credibility and standing behind what we write.

I did a website lookup to see who autographalert.com was registered under (considering I searched their entire site twice and couldn't even find a contact name, just a generic email address) and this was the info that I turned up:

Registrant:
Autograph Alert

PO Box 297167
Pembroke Pines, Florida 33029
United States

Registered through: Broadband National, LLC
Domain Name: AUTOGRAPHALERT.COM
Created on: 16-Mar-05
Expires on: 16-Mar-09
Last Updated on: 16-Mar-08

Administrative Contact:
Mike Frost, Steve Koschal steve@paasaa.com
Autograph Alert
PO Box 297167
Pembroke Pines, Florida 33029
United States
(561) 582-4439



Now, from what I remember, Frost and Koschal are considered autograph authenticators. I also really think there is some interesting reading on their site, but I have little respect for any entity that writes nearly all negative articles, with many anonymous and/or one-sided sources. Also, I can't respect or seriously acknowledge a story that doesn't include a byline...

Makes no sense to me. If all this information is so important to the hobby, and they stand behind it, why on earth wouldn't they want credit for their findings?

[bigtruck260]

I agree that the site has a negative overtone - and is a witch hunt in many ways. I've been reading it for years.

However, there is some information containted within those pages that is very interesting, and eye opening. I find that the stuff about PSA authenticating lots being sold by employees enlightening.

You have to take sites like that with a grain of salt. If you look past some of the bashing, you can find some truly informative and eye-opening truths - which they often back up with photos of the items that they are describing.

My point of contention is that there is never any rebuttal from the guys they are calling out.

it is mainly a site that supports the major professional autograph dealers society - forgot what the name of it is. I'm actually suprised that they are not sites like autographalert for questionable game-used and other memorabilia - are there?

[David]

The site is so negative and sarcastic in tone that it hurts their own cause. Most non-collectors off the street would assume from the relentless sarcastic tone that the site has an ax to grind and the information is not objective.

[mvandor]

The site is so negative and sarcastic in tone that it hurts their own cause. Most non-collectors off the street would assume from the relentless sarcastic tone that the site has an ax to grind and the information is not objective.

I quit paying attention to that site long ago, their agenda is to run the third party authenticators out of business. They are anything but even handed and objective.

[David]

Another term form giving one sided information to support your narrow cause is propaganda. Propaganda doesn't mean that each bit of information given is incorrect-- in fact the information in and of itself can be true--, but that the overall information is selected, edited and distorted to prove and only prove a predetermined point.

[trsent]

Back to this topic. I have been doing some research, asking some questions and I have found out more about this topic we have been discussing.

First off, there is no lot 2071 in the current Mastro Auction. There is an Andrew Johnson autograph in lot 1153 which appears genuine, and not the one pictured on the Autograph Alert web site. I do not understand how they post a picture and a lot number but not a link to the listing they have an issue with. Makes for a pretty vague argument on their behalf.

I have been told that Mike Frost and Steve Koschal have had an agenda against PSA/DNA for years. I asked someone at PSA/DNA about this web site, and they told me they have never been contacted by Autograph Alert about their concerns and claims on their web site. I know this web site often mentions that they contacted PSA/DNA about their concerns, but PSA/DNA says they have no record of any such mature contact.

Finally, in asking around, I have been told that Mike Frost has had issues with his unlimited supply of Mickey Mantle autographs dating back to around twenty years ago that maybe his issue with PSA/DNA is due to the fact that PSA/DNA does not believe his autographs to be genuine.

Finally, if Mike Frost or Steve Koschal wish to contact me about my concerns, my email address is joel@alpert.net and I would love to hear their side of the story.

[trsent]

I forgot to include links yesterday that were easily found when doing research. First off, the email address for the domain registration Chris Nerat found is an email address found at: paasaa.com

This is a pretty funny web site, as it is a 3rd party autograph authenticator that I have never heard of. When you click their link to their other web site: http://www.paasautographs.com/ you find another PAAS web site.

Then, if you click on their eBay link, they have nothing for sale, but their feedback is funny: http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...=p3911.c0.m198

Their eBay user id is: pro-authentication

So, what is shown here is that this 3rd party authentication company, which this week is taking a shot at James Spense Authentication for offering a $5.00 certification special, making it look such as if business is bad, is operated by the same people who have the Autograph Alert web site.

It wouldn't be as big of a concern, but they have a web site attacking PSA/DNA and JSA but they do not attribute their articles to anyone. The only contact information on the web site is a generic AOL email address.

So, until these guys grow up and admit there is competition to their service, which may not be doing well since they were selling "BABE RUTH AUTOGRAPH AUTHENTICATION SERVICES / P.A.A.S." on eBay for $29.00 their service may never make it.

So easy, run an honest business that doesn't try to succeed by tearing holes, often unproven, in their competition and maybe your company will one day succeed.