From: balclava@gmail.com
To: adroyster@hotmail.com
Subject: xxxxxxxxx Auctions
Date: Tue, 5 September 2017 09:16:26 –0600

 

Dear Mr. Royster:

 

In your most excellent columns, I have been following, with admitted sinking feelings, comments about so-called “paper whiteners” and the rather distressing news that they were not used in paper until 1951.

In another posting, I note several articles about the xxxxxxxxx Auctions that are certainly of a somewhat negative nature.

My unhappiness lies in the fact that I have been purchasing allegedly original German militaria-subject documents from this firm for at least seven years and when I read your comments on the paper whiteners, I at once obtained an ultra-violet light from a stamp store and tested all of my documents and letters.

Regretfully, about 95% of these did, in fact, react to the light, glowing brightly. In checking my records, I have discovered that all but ten of these came from xxxxxxxx Auctions and the others from the now-discredited Adrian Forman.

I at once wrote to the auction house with my worries and the owner responded using foul invective aimed both at myself for, as he said “daring to question him,” and towards you upon whom he heaped vulgarity upon vulgarity.

Since the money involved came to somewhat over £ 20,000, I am going to report this matter to both the American authorities, through Scotland Yard, and Europol.

A bit of further investigation on my part has disclosed that this problem (of faked documents) is not a solitary one and that there have been a number of others who have had similar problems.

That these problems have only recently been brought to light thanks to your timely comments, should not have any effect upon legal prosecutions since it has been ruled that a fraud is not deemed to have happened until the victim discovers it.

Thanking you again for your efforts in detecting fakes and their merchants, I remain,

Yours most sincerely,

Brigadier Sir John Mandeville-Repington, GCB, GCVO, CMG, DSO