Picture of the Professor

[Guest]

Folks:
I'm seeking a signed picture of Vernon, and would like your help in locating one. I've tried places like Mario Carrandi, without success; do signed pictures hit the market that often, and where should I be looking that I'm not?

Thanks.

Cheers,
Steve

[brownbeauty]

Hello Steve,
Check with John Cannon at Aladdin Books in Fullerton. I know he has had them from time to time.

Good Luck!

Rudy

[Guest]

Rudy:
You da man! Scored a signed photo of Vernon from Aladdin Books. Many, many thanks for the tip.

Cheers,
Steve

[Pete Biro]

Who signed it?

Just kidding.... ;) Congratulations. I won a 16x20, signed, of Dai at one of his birthday parties, and had it matted and framed!

[Guest]

Originally posted by Pete Biro:
Who signed it?

Kaufman...why, did you expect someone else? :D

[timbrown]

One of my most treasured possessions is a copy of Genii that features Dai Vernon on the front cover. I was able to ask Mr. Vernon for an autograph of the cover and he graciously provided one. I spent a half hour with him (along with a few other devotees) and listened and watched. This was at a Midwest Magic Jubilee in St. Louis many years ago. A great experience.

Tim Brown

[Guest]

Tim,

Do you remember a guy playing piano/organ while Vernon worked? It was a friend of mine, who got his Vernon Book of Magic signed there (it had already been signed long ago by Vernon and Harry Stanley to its previous owner, Dr. Stanley Jaks), and even got a thank you letter in the mail from Vernon on Castle stationery a couple weeks later.

Steve Thomas

[Guest]

Steve Friedberg-
Not to alarm you BUT is it the photo with Vernon holding the glass and the Roterberg dollar size coin (with the devils head) and signed and dated 1976? A whole bunch of these bogus signed photo's were dumped out on the magic market right after Vernon's death, and they look pretty good, replete with the shaky handwriting! Don't get me wrong, of course real ones do exist with that same image and 1976 date and you may in fact have a real one. Vernon's REAL signature is not rare by any means but early signed photo's from the 30's - 50's are. They're around and worth a long search to find.

[Guest]

Oh great, Doug...something else to worry about...

Any idea of how I'd go about checking on the authenticity? Thanks.

[Richard Kaufman]

There are a LOT of those "signed" photos around. Andy Greget sells them, but he tells people that they are duplicates.
I can't imagine that John Cannon wouldn't know a duplicate from an original: I would simply call and ask him.

[brownbeauty]

Hi Steve,
John at Aladdin Books is very knowledgeable and honest! If you aren't sure about the authenticity, give him a call and discuss it.

Rudy

[Guest]

Steve-
Out of curiosity....is the photo of the same image I described above and dated 1976???

[Guest]

Doug:
I called Aladdin Books and spoke with John. He said he obtained the photos through John Fedko, who had personally sat down with Vernon and a bottle of scotch (!) until a pile of them were signed.

He told me was not aware of the 1976 forgeries being on the market.

As for the photo itself...I haven't seen it, but when I receive in the mail, I'll be happy to report back to this august body. The way I figure it, I've either paid for a true Vernon autograph...or I've paid for one whopper of a fun story to regale friends with!

(That last part, of course, reminds me of the kid who gets excited when finding a pile of crap underneath the Xmas tree. Parents ask why...he replies, "With so much crap here, there's gotta be a pony around somewhere!")

[Guest]

Steve-
Did you ask if the image was the one I mentioned above and if it's dated 1976??

[David Alexander]

I second Rudy's take on John Cannon. A more honest and ethical dealer would be hard to find.

[Gary]

Richard,

Andy has been selling the Vernon photos for at least 4 or 5 years if not more....for $25 each. At one time he had a notebook full of them. He never mentioned (when we talked) that they were "duplicates", whatever that means. If they were not an original autographed photo then $25 would be a little much for the photo. John and Andy are best buddies and I am pretty sure the source of the photos are one and the same. I got the 76 pic from Vernon during the lecture in NYC in 1978. He would ask a question and whoever answered it right got a photo. At the end he just threw whatever he had left out onto the edge of the stage and being near the front row I was able to get one of these. I also have a beautiful publicity photo of Vernon as the Harlequin autographed to Naomi Baker, Al Bakers daugter.

[Gary]

Doug,

How about some more details on the pseudo autographed photos of the Professor. What are the facts?

[Guest]

Gary-
I'm vexed and perplexed by your query...more details you say??? Thought you already knew!

There is an unscrupulous dealer on the west coast but won't mention name(s) (I won't suffer getting a lawsuit over this one!!) as to those FAKED autographed photo's. I have more inside info on magic collecting and whats being dumped out at the fraternity BOTH good and bad, than anyone I know. My reputation speaks for itself.

There was a query placed on this board and I told the individual about the Vernon forgeries. Richard also backed up this up.

I never mentioned John at Alladin Books to be selling the forgeries.

Gary, if you want any more info, you are going to have to do the leg work yourself.

Forgeries of Vernon DO exist, Gary.

[Gary]

Doug,

What does "Thought you already knew!" mean? I never said I knew anything about Faked autographs of Vernon floating around (although it does not surprise me). I was inquiring about more details as I bought a notebook full of Venron material from a WEST COAST dealer. I wanted more info to see who the supposed crook is! I know Andy very well and have met John Cannon and I certainly trust them both. I don't believe that I in any way inferred that Andy or John were the culprits.

I don't think to just say that there are lots of forgerys around is enough. Since you have "more inside info on magic collecting and whats being dumped out at the fraternity BOTH good and bad, than anyone I know" I simply hoped you might fill in a bit more info so MORE people won't get taken.

I certainly did not mean to offend you if you took it that way.

[Richard Kaufman]

Let me clear something up: these signed photos are not "forgeries." That implies that someone else signed them beside Vernon.
That is not the case: Someone simply took a black and white 8x10 that Vernon had signed and had duplicates made from that. Because the signature is done with a black marker, it's extremely hard to tell if the signature is printed or a genuine signature.
Marcelo Contento was selling "signed" photos of Frank Garcia at the Yankee Collector one year. They were all identical! Simply copies of the original.

[Guest]

Richard-
This whole thing reminds me of the Slydini 2 book sets put out by Tannen's in the 70's. Slydini's signature is "printed" in the book but people think it's an original signature because it's hard to tell the difference.

[Richard Kaufman]

That's true, Doug, I have seen several dealers selling the second set of Slydini books as "signed" because of that printed signature. It's easier to tell that Slydini's signature is printed on the book than the Vernon signature is printed on the photo.

[Mark Jensen]

I purchased one of the signed photo's from Andy 3 years ago and he indicated it was authentic (forget how much I paid - somewhere from $15 - $25).

Two years ago I was talking with Andy at TAOM and saw he had marked up the photos (since he had only a few left). At this time a dealer across from Andy was selling the copies (as such) for $5 or $10. Since I didn't buy one I don't remember.

As a side note. Does anyone have any idea of the rarity of the 1988 Vernon Magic Hands Poster(11x17)? It took me forever to find a copy of this poster to complete my set, so I would guess it is fairly difficult to find.

Best,

Mark