Fred Bear Autograph Signature signed ? Question

[Shane Reed]

Ok, So here is my questions? First off I need to know if anyone has a source to authenticate a Fred Bear Signature I can get on paper? The next question is: I just won a Fred Bear 66 Kodiak that is signed "To Big Al" "Fred Bear" Would you have this bow authenticated and re finish taking " To Big Al" off the bow? Personaly I would rather own and shoot a bow signed by Fred without someone elses name on it. I would think the value would be higher yet a person brought up a good point to me. Everything on that bow was Freds writing. Maybe I could get a sticker like Widow does to cover up the who the bow is made for. Any thoughts? Either way I am proud to own this bow, even though it's a lefty. I will submit pics when I get the bow in. It just ended on the Auction site we all are familiar with.

[cacciatore]

Shane,i have seen that bow and the signature looks authentic.
About the dedication to the original owner I think it can disturb some guys,not me personally,and the value could be a little higher.
It is very easy to take off the unwanted writing,but if you aren't familiar you can ask to any bowyer or send it to some pro refinisher/restorer that are on this site.

[Killdeer]

I wonder if that is the same "Big Al" who was the sportscaster on the Laugh In show back in the mid to late 1960s.

Needs more research, maybe take this to the collectors' forum. Be a shame to make a big (Al) mistake.
Killdeer

[lpcjon2]

Threre is a guy Named Al Reader from New Jersey who is considered the most knowledgeable Bear collector alive. He knows everything about Bear bows and history. Maybe it was signed for him?

[68_super_k]

HA!  I saw this bow on **** also!  I almost bid on on it!  Would have had no idea I was bidding against ya and money was on the short side at that point.  Congrats on the Win!!!  Looked like a heck of a piece to me.  As far as that writing goes it did look to be an authentic signature.  I wondered the same thing about the "to big Al" on the riser.  My thoughts were originally the same as yours on removing that if possible.  In my own opinion...I suppose I would probably leave it on there but that is just me...  Best of luck to you and congrats again!  That was a neat bow!

[Danny Rowan]

If that bow was signed for Al Reader, then do not take that name off. He was a legend in the Bear collecting circles and was a wealth of knowledge in archery and Bear archery. Could make the bow more valuable.

[Whip]

Personally, I wouldn't even think of touching a thing.  If Fred wrote it I would want it all original.  Anything that you do to take away from original condition, including Fred's writings, would take away from potential collector value as well as destroy a small piece of archery history.
 
Just my opinion, but I would be proud to own a bow signed to Big Al if it was written by Fred - regardless of who Big Al is. The only way it could be better is if Fred had signed it to you personally, but of course that didn't happen, and deleting the writing can't alter history.   And if Big Al turns out to be Al Reader, you have a real treasure!

[Blackhawk]

Listen to Danny.  If that bow was signed for Al Reader (who sadly passed away a couple years ago) then leave it.  Al was "the man" when it came to Bear collecting.

[Bjorn]

A number of Al's bows have been sold already but the good ones are still to come..............that would be 'one of the good ones' or it is a different 'Big Al'. Either way sell it to someone who appreciates it and buy what you like.

[Scott Teaschner]

its just a name why change anything it is good mojo.

[Shane Reed]

This is a Al out of california who owned a hunting store. If that helps

[David Mitchell]

I would not change a thing.

[Shane Reed]

68 super k. I was the only one to bid on that bow. I put in a  max of 450 the last 3 seconds and of course got it for 300. I have seen one more for sale same price on another forum. Trying to get the guy to answer me is the problem

[Bud B.]

If Fred signed it, leave it.

[lpcjon2]

Shane, I bought a Howard Hill "Hunten the Hard Way" off the big auction site,it was a hard back $20.00 and inside was an autograph (to my hunting buddy Dale Allen signed Howard Hill) I checked with Jerry Hill and through the copy write date and distribution date it was obviously a fake, Howard was deceased before that date.

  That being said be very careful the HH autograph looked just like Howards.

[Orion]

As I remember, that bow didn't sell very high so the signature didn't add much to its value this time around. The dedication and Fred's signature have sufficient space between them such that the dedication to Big Al could be easily removed without disturbing the signature.  I'm not big on autographs, but I would leave Fred's signature. The other stuff, not so much. Your choice though.

[68_super_k]

Shane,

Yeah I understand that, some sellers are tough to get a hold of.  Hopefully you have luck with that one.  Well done on the bidding there btw that's awesome.  It's always nice when there is no contest at all, and seems to be a great price!  happy hunting

[Shane Reed]

if it was to turn out
 a fake i just drove up 66 kodiak prices. I do need to find someone to authenticate. Suggestions would be appreciated.

[Bjorn]

You probably need a handwriting expert to be sure. Perhaps a collector like Wade Philips might help you. You will likely spend more on the authentication than you did on the bow if you want it to be beyond reproach and not just an opinion.

[Shane Reed]

Orion,
  I have had many opinions on this bows Signature. Take the Big Al off or not. Most say not to because it will hurt the history. If I was to have the bow authenticated I am sure the value would go up, problem is will the value go down if I do take the Big Al off after authenticating? If I had another bow with Freds Signature this would be a much more easy choice for me. I am working on that though. Next task is to obtain a Grumley