Autograph Authentication – Vic Damone

Confidence Grade: B (Likely Authentic)

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Overview

This is a high-resolution image of an inscribed and signed black-and-white portrait of the singer and entertainer Vic Damone. The inscription reads:
“To Rearde, this photo was taken a long time ago. Best Wishes, Vic Damone” with the name appearing prominently at the bottom.

The signature and inscription both exhibit fluidity, natural line rhythm, and signs of manual pen pressure variation. There are no signs suggestive of autopen, mechanical reproduction, photocopy artifacts, or digital manipulation. This, combined with minor visual irregularities typical of genuine handwriting, supports the likelihood that this autograph is hand-rendered.

Candidate Identity (Investigative)

• Vic Damone – High Confidence
• Strong visual congruence with known authentic signatures: tall, compact “V”, wide arc flourish under “c”, followed by a distinctly looped “D” and extended leg. Rhythm of inscription matches Vic Damone’s informal presentation style.
• No alternate identities considered.

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Forensic Ink and Substrate Evaluation

• Ink Saturation & Flow:
• The ink appears to be from a felt-tip pen (likely black), as evidenced by dark, moderately feathered ink diffusion into the photo’s surface. This matches historically appropriate instruments from mid-to-late 20th century signing periods.
• Tapering at the stroke starts and ends indicates live pressure application, inconsistent with Autopen or print signatures.
• Surface/Substrate Interaction:
• Image is printed on a semi-gloss photo paper substrate, consistent with commercial headshots of the mid-century era.
• No sign of dot matrix, toner residue, or pixel haloes that would indicate laser or inkjet reproduction.
• No evidence of smudging or ink transfer.

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Individual Signature Analysis

• Analysis of Inscription:
• Handwritten inscription displays varied letter slant, pressure inconsistencies, and freehand shaping. Words such as “Rearde,” “taken,” and “ago” show a natural rise/fall in pressure and curvature typical of unconstrained writing.
• Signature includes a pronounced flourish under “Damone” with loop-back – a stylistic marker corroborated in known Vic Damone exemplars.
• Letter spacing is inconsistent but rhythmically coherent – unlikely to be copied or mechanically generated.
• The “Best Wishes” segment is smoothly integrated and shows no template pattern repetitions.

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Collective Signature Analysis

Taken as a whole, the inscription and autograph composition show characteristics of a genuine hand-penned message. Unlike autopen or printed facsimiles that often separate the inscription distinctly from the signature (in composition and style), this example shows continuity in ink pressure, ink quality, and writing hand.

No pixel-for-pixel duplication patterns present. Minor idiosyncratic inconsistencies (e.g., slightly broken ink flow near “photo”) are suggestive of free motion.

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Red Flags

None observed in this evaluation. Nevertheless, the following points are noted with caution:

• Photograph Era Discrepancy:
  The signer jokes about the photo being “a long time ago”, suggesting this may have been a later-life signing over an earlier portrait. This is not inherently problematic but raises the necessity of confirming the pen type used aligns with that later period.

• Market Context:
  Although not a high-fraud target, Vic Damone’s image and signature are circulated in niche collector networks. Reproductions exist, especially on generic studio photos.

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Market Comparison and Similar Item Sales

• RR Auction (2022):
  Signed photo of Vic Damone from same era – “Best wishes” personalization, signed in black felt-tip – Sold for $124
• Heritage Auctions (2021):
  Vic Damone signed concert program – similar signature flourish – Sold for $95
• eBay Verified Dealers (2023):
  Personalized headshot with nearly identical phrasing – Sold for $110 (authenticated by third-party dealer with COA)
• JSA or PSA/DNA exemplars:
  Confirm strong visual match in slant, line variation, and looped “D” against certified Vic Damone autographs.

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Conclusion:
The examined autograph is consistent with verified Vic Damone handwriting characteristics and exhibits no signs of forensic manipulation or mechanical reproduction. Despite the humor in the inscription and the older style headshot, the autograph aligns solidly with authentic historical specimens.

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Final Confidence Grade: B — Likely Authentic

Submitted Image: