Authenticity & Is It Real? | Brandes Autographs
Knowledge, comparison and experience are the foundation of responsible autograph collecting.
Brandes Autographs has examined handwritten material for decades. Our working archive comprises more than one million comparative signatures as well as an extensive specialist library. Is It Real?, founded in 2002, brings selected reference material and practical guidance together for collectors.
Explore authenticity
Is It Real? — Forgery Reference Library
A growing educational archive of known forgery patterns, autopens, secretarial signatures, stamps and other mechanically reproduced signatures. The historical database is being reviewed entry by entry before publication on Brandes Autographs.
New reference: Charlie Chaplin — identifying a pre-printed signature
How to identify authentic autographs
Learn which warning signs deserve attention before buying: writing flow, pen pressure, context, provenance, comparison material and the difference between genuine handwriting and mechanical reproduction.
Certificates and lifetime guarantee
Every autograph offered by Brandes Autographs is supplied with our Certificate of Authenticity. Our guarantee of authenticity applies without time limit.
How Brandes examines an autograph
- The object: paper, ink, photographic process, format and signs of age are considered together.
- The handwriting: letter forms, rhythm, pressure, proportions, connections and natural variation are compared.
- The context: date, place, recipient, inscription and historical circumstances must be plausible.
- The references: the signature is compared with reliable examples from the appropriate period.
- The conclusion: all observations are weighed as a whole; no single characteristic is sufficient on its own.
Selected signature studies
- Charlie Chaplin: pre-printed signature reference
- Elizabeth Taylor: newly documented autopen examples
- Real or Double? Vladimir Putin signature study — Part 1
- Real or Double? Vladimir Putin signature study — Part 2
- Trump–Epstein signature: analysis of a disputed example
A reference library, not an online verdict
The examples published here are intended for collector education and comparative study. A visual similarity found online does not by itself authenticate or reject an individual object. Reliable assessment requires examination of the complete item, its materials, origin and context.
About the project
Is It Real? was founded in 2002 to document known forgery material and make collectors more aware of recurring risks. The former Autograph-Market advice portal followed in 2010. Their best original material is now being reviewed and brought together with the Brandes Autographs archive in this new knowledge centre.
About Brandes Autographs  | Our history  | Browse authentic autographs