"Signed" MvR Sanke

[Bettors Pub]

How about the unmitigated nerve of this Ebay idiot. Von Richthofen must have been the greatest of them all. He was able to sign his own memorial cards!

89B: >WWI Manfred Von Richthofen (The Red Baron) signe - eBay (item 180257426323 end time Jun-29-08 00:00:00 PDT)

For those not familiar with Sanke cards. Cards with black borders and propellors before the card number were printed posthumously.

[Gregvan]

Hi,

Yeah, another very well-informed forumite pointed this one out to me. Amazing - the Rittmeister reached out from beyond the grave to sign this Sanke card, just so the seller could make some money. Whatta guy!

There seems to be an absolute plethora of "signed" Richthofen Sankes turning up on ebay. Personally, I don't think Roy Brown, Popkin, Buie or Evans got the Red Baron. I think he must have died of an advanced case of writer's cramp!

[Bettors Pub]

I think he must have died of an advanced case of writer's cramp!

.... or maybe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome .... we'll probably never know!

[digger9693]

I just wrote the guy and told him that he had finally found the long-lost proof that MvR was never shot down and lived a long life as a successful dry goods dealer after the war. Then I asked him how much shipping was to Canada!
I might have a little fun with this guy...before I report it to Ebay!
Cheers!

[FliegerJG1]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

Hi,

There seems to be an absolute plethora of "signed" Richthofen Sankes turning up on ebay. Personally, I don't think Roy Brown, Popkin, Buie or Evans got the Red Baron. I think he must have died of an advanced case of writer's cramp!

Maybe so. Wanting to preserve their hero, the Kaiser had MvR removed to a secret safe location and a double was sent to the front in his place. He didn't seem to be himself on that final day as he ignored all of his combat rules that led to his death--because it wasn't himself! So in his secret location he continued to answer fan mail, sign cards and cut locks of his hair for the MvR fan club until he succumbed to writer's cramp. The mystery solved. I think he must have signed this card very late in his life because he forgot to place the little mark above the "R" and the writing differs quite a bit from those signed during the war. (I'm just kidding here of course, but the signature really doesn't look right for MvR.)

[tcrean7828]

Mates,
It baffels the imagination!

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

[normanf]

Many years ago I came across a report that some infamous book dealer was selling signed Sanke cards. Only when someone noticed that some of the aces - who had died in the war - had signed them in biro, were questions asked!!! Keep checking your six! Normanf

[FOKKERJ]

Originally Posted by FliegerJG1

Maybe so. Wanting to preserve their hero, the Kaiser had MvR removed to a secret safe location and a double was sent to the front in his place. He didn't seem to be himself on that final day as he ignored all of his combat rules that led to his death--because it wasn't himself! So in his secret location he continued to answer fan mail, sign cards and cut locks of his hair for the MvR fan club until he succumbed to writer's cramp. The mystery solved. I think he must have signed this card very late in his life because he forgot to place the little mark above the "R" and the writing differs quite a bit from those signed during the war. (I'm just kidding here of course, but the signature really doesn't look right for MvR.)

That would explain a lot!
Especially cutting his locks. As a bald MvR, he could easily pass among the crowds unnoticed!

As far as not placing the little mark above the "R" and the change in his writing, I would think that as previously mentioned he was probably pretty damned tired of autographing so many of these and took some well deserved liberties with his own signature.

I don't think that he is still alive though, because he would be really old!

HAPPY TRAILS, FOKKERJ

[Der Grüne Flieger]

The thing I noticed is that there is lots of lawyerspeak all over the offering page. "Your word is your bond" type stuff. They are obviously a professional auction house so I doubt that they are the originator of the fraud.

I assume that someone from the auction house was not thinking critically when they accepted to auction off someone's collection of WW1 memorabilia. Maybe this is one turd in a pile of roses. The good stuff gets sold at the live auction and the turd gets posted on Ebay! I bet it happens all the time.

Phil

[KlausKluge]

I have doubts that people are willing to pay 4000 $ or more for a Sanke Card from Manfred von Richthofen.

Is it intended for the holy Manfred von Richthofen shrine at home????