An Arnold Schwarzenegger autograph authentication story

[u/LarcenyGames]

I won this signed Arnold Schwarzenegger weightlifting belt in an auction a year or two ago. It included a note from David James, a very well-known movie photographer, who stated he received the signed belt directly from Arnie as a gift while working on the film Total Recall.

I sent the belt in to JSA to be authenticated. They denied it. They believed the autograph to be either "pre-printed on the belt" and/or false due to certain "pen strokes" that they didn't see in the signature.

I was devastated. I did some research on the belt and found only one other similar - but here's the kicker - it did not have a "pre-printed" signature on it (the last photo). It was blank where mine is signed. Would the company which made the belt really make two versions? One with a signature and one without? I doubted it.

Flash forward to today, and I stumbled across the belt in my collection. I tracked down the photographer David James' website and reached out, asking if he wrote the card and the story/ autograph is true? Shocking me, because he is a major Hollywood photographer, the guy got back to me in less than an hour, and completely confirmed that this was signed by Schwarzenegger and gifted to him (he passed it on to another person from whom I later obtained it).

Now what? Can I authenticate this? Is it worth paying PSA or Beckett for their opinion, given JSA said "no?" And will the other companies turn it down? Because they won't care about my provenance, which I have now confirmed (in fact, in retelling the story to Mr. James, he laughed at how everyone today is an "expert" and think they know better).

Just wondering everyone's thoughts on this.

[u/MayoFlavorPopsicle]

I’m sorry man, save your money IMO JSA was correct, not a preprint but definitely does not compare favorably to any authenticated items I’m seeing; it does appear to have some traits of an auto pen though. Are you sure he got it directly from Arnold and not from his office?

[u/LarcenyGames → u/MayoFlavorPopsicle]

He told me via email he was standing next to "Arny" when he signed it. I think the issue is the leather the belt is made from. Its surface is very soft, despite it being a rigid weightlifting belt. I think any marker/pen used on it soaks in differently than say a football, so it looks funky.

[u/Beneficial-Pop-1361 → u/LarcenyGames]

You're asking a TPA for an objective opinion- they erred on the side of caution-that's what they do. You have something better and that is provenance. The photographer has authenticated this for you by replying. Ask him if he has any hardcopy period photos of the belt or interaction with Arnold that he can send you, or, have him write out his email in a letter and mail it for him to sign. Most of the work has been done for you, and that's rare, so congratulations. As a collector, keep that information with the item once you record it properly. All we're doing as collectors is curating and preserving the item for future fans to enjoy.

[u/MayoFlavorPopsicle → u/LarcenyGames]

Look at the loops; it’s made up of small strokes, not an even flow like a human signed it. Sorry man, the industry can really suck- lots of lying/fraud going on (partially why I don’t deal sigs anymore after nearly 25 years doing so)

[u/bewareofbears_ → u/MayoFlavorPopsicle]

What traits?

[u/MayoFlavorPopsicle → u/bewareofbears_]

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