Autograph Authentication Course & Training
Learn to spot the difference
How confident are you at recognising a genuine autograph?
With more than 30 years of experience buying and selling autographs, Garry has developed a practical course designed to help dealers, auction houses, collectors and other professionals recognise the many different forms of genuine and fraudulent signatures.
Over 70 UK dealers and collectors have already completed the full-day course.
The training combines practical experience, real examples and expert guidance to help you understand what to look for when examining autograph material.
Training for Dealers & Auction Houses
Practical training focused on identifying fakes
Garry now offers a shorter, specialist version of the course specifically designed for provincial auction houses and dealers.
The emphasis is on recognising the types of material most likely to cause problems, including:
Fakes and freehand forgeries
Facsimile and printed signatures
Stamped signatures
Secretarial signatures
Autopen signatures
Modern machine-made signatures
The course can be tailored to the needs of your business and can also be adapted for Trading Standards and other organisations dealing with handwriting or autograph fraud.
Learn from real examples
This isn't simply a classroom course.
You'll have the opportunity to handle and examine actual examples of genuine signatures, fakes, Autopens, secretarials and different types of printed signatures.
The course also uses videos and examples from previous cases, including material that has been involved in court proceedings.
The aim is to show you what to look for and why, so that you can apply the knowledge when examining autograph material yourself.
What the Course Covers
Depending on the length of the course, group size and requirements, subjects can include:
Identifying Signatures
How to spot Autopen signatures
Printed and stamped signatures
Secretarial signatures
Tell-tale signs of forgery
Recognising modern machine-made signatures
Understanding Autographs
The history of pens and how this can help with authentication
The meaning and importance of provenance
Autograph valuation and appraisal
Buying & Selling
Buying autographs on eBay
Mounting and framing — the dos and don'ts
Understanding the risks when buying and selling
Legal Considerations
Civil and criminal law relating to dealers
Handwriting and autograph fraud
Practical considerations for businesses handling potentially fraudulent material
Learn by Handling Real Examples
One of the most valuable parts of the course is the opportunity to handle the material yourself.
You'll work with genuine examples alongside Autopens, secretarial signatures, printed signatures and fakes, allowing you to compare them directly.
Seeing these examples first-hand — and having an experienced specialist explain exactly what you're looking at — can make a significant difference to your ability to recognise suspicious material.
This is practical knowledge that you can take back to your business or collection.
One-to-One Training for Collectors
Want to become a more confident collector?
Garry also offers a shorter one-to-one course specifically for collectors who want to learn more about autographs and how to buy with greater confidence.
The course can cover:
How to spot common types of fake
Autopens and secretarial signatures
Printed and facsimile signatures
Buying on eBay
Buying through auction houses
Understanding provenance
Autograph valuation
What to look for when buying
Common mistakes made by collectors
The training can be tailored around your existing knowledge and interests.
It can be arranged on a one-to-one basis at a location to suit you, or for small groups where appropriate.
Garry is based in Rochester, Kent, but can travel depending on the number of attendees and dates.
For groups of three or more, training can be arranged in a suitable business meeting room, with refreshments and lunch included.
What Previous Attendees Say
“Fantastic... excellent value.”
Ian Byers — Universal Autographs, London
“The best day's work I have done all year.”
Bill Clarke — Essex
“Thank you for the course... we learned a lot!”
Siobhan O'Brien — Buckingham Covers
“Excellent. Never knew there was so much to know about autographs, and I have been doing this for more than 15 years!”
Andy Hemmington — Autographs and Memorabilia
“Very, very informative. Put me down for the advanced course.”
Alan Holmes — Autographs Rock and Pop
Tailored Training
Courses can also be developed specifically for Trading Standards, auction houses, dealers or other organisations that need to improve staff awareness of autograph and handwriting fraud.
If your business regularly handles autograph material, tailored training can focus on the specific risks and types of material you are most likely to encounter.
Courses Coming Soon
We are currently developing the next courses and will be adding further details to this page shortly.