Below is the reaction to Jim Hambrick’s message published Friday (see Response from Jim Hambrick (Supermuseum / Super Museum)…). This response is limited in scope to a few specific points that are on topic with the original article (see “ComicLink” Superman Costume Auction…).
The fundamental question at this point concerns the currently active “ComicLink” Superman costume auction offered for sale to the public:
Why won’t Super Museum affirm or deny the authenticity of this specific Superman costume and the accompanying Super Museum Letter of Authenticity?
Author of Super Museum Message: Jim Hambrick or Michael Herrick, Legal Affairs?
The message received from Super Museum was a reply sent from Mr. Hambrick’s e-mail address.
The message (content, writing style, word choice, tone) is consistent with other Jim Hambrick messages.
However, the message itself was signed “Michael Herrick, Legal Affairs, Supermuseum”.
I don’t know who “Michael Herrick” is, but I find it difficult to believe that someone in the legal profession would confuse:
- “liable” (likely or apt) with
- “libel” (defamation by written or printed words, pictures)
– OR –
- “sewed” (to join or attach by stitches) with
- “sued” (to bring a civil action against)
Therefore, for the purpose of this response, I will presume the author of the message is Mr. Hambrick.
Questions from Original Article: Unanswered
Though Mr. Hambrick wrote a message of considerable length, I don’t believe any of my questions raised in the original article were addressed. Below are the original questions:
1. How many Superman costumes have you authenticated? How many Letters of Authenticity have you issued? How many full or partial costumes have you personally sold? How many authentic Superman costumes do you believe are in the marketplace today?
2. Of all the Superman costumes you have examined, how many failed to meet your standards for “original” and “authentic”? If any Superman costumes failed your standards, what distinguished them from those costumes that you have authenticated and determined to be genuine?
3. With regards to the “ComicLink” costume archived above, how did you determine that this specific costume was authentic to your standards? What is the provenance and chain of ownership of the “ComicLink” costume?
4. How do you account for the discrepancies between the confirmed authentic costume and the “ComicLink” costume as outlined above? [see original article for details]
5. How do you account for the similarities between the presumed inauthentic “Superman III” reference costume and the “ComicLink” costume as outlined above? [see original article for details]
6. Do you maintain today that the “ComicLink” costume is authentic and that it was worn by Christopher Reeve in the Superman films of the 70s and 80s?
7. Have you ever authenticated any costumes sourced from Super Hollywood, Armando Alvarez, and/or Ana Mungia? Of those you have examined, how many did you determine to be authentic and how many did you determine to be inauthentic?
8. In your notarized “Letter of Authenticity”, you write, “[l]et this letter serve as my personal guarantee that this Complete Superman Costume is authentic”. If this or any other costume or costume part that you have sold and/or authenticated is proven to be inauthentic, do you provide refunds as part of your guarantee? If so, what are the parameters (i.e. is there a time limit, does it need to be the original buyer, etc.)?
I am not demanding answers, just making note of the fact that none of the above questions were addressed.
In an effort to keep the discussion on topic, I will react to just a few excerpts from Mr. Hambrick’s message.
“Stolen” Superman Costumes in the Marketplace?
Super Museum wrote:
Ilya Salkind is now quoted as saying that all genuine Superman costumes out there are considered by him to be “stolen”.
If true, how does the marketplace account for the large number of costumes with “Super Hollywood”/Armando Alvarez/Ana Mungia Letters of Authenticity claiming many Superman costumes and costume parts were “given” to them as gifts from the Salkinds?
Super Museum: Guarantee Policy? LOA “Forgeries”? Costume “Counterfeits”?
Super Museum Wrote:
Tell you what…the Supermuseum would certainly challenge anyone in a U.S. court of law if need be over the authenticity of anything sold in the past by us to be exactly what is written in the LEGITIMATE letters which truly represent the item signed by a representative of Supermuseum. This does not include letters that have been copied, forged or married to someone elses creation or counterfeit.
“Guaranteed Authentic” Policy Clarification?
Based on the statement above (“the Supermuseum would certainly challenge anyone in a U.S. court of law”), does that mean that the guarantee of a Jim Hambrick/Super Museum authenticated Superman costume or costume part(s) that has been determined to be inauthentic by a third party expert or experts must be enforced via the filing of a lawsuit and judgment in favor of the plaintiff?
Is that the Super Museum guarantee policy?
Letter of Authenticity “Forgeries”?
With regard to “letters that have been copied”, has any Super Museum Letter of Authenticity ever been circulated in the marketplace and subsequently determined to be a forgery? If so, what are the details?
“ComicLink” Superman Costume Auction Letter of Authenticity: Genuine or a Forgery?
The Super Museum Letter of Authenticity in the “ComicLink” auction bears the seal of a confirmed notary public based in Metropolis, IL (see “Reader Comment” in original article for details).
Mr. Hambrick did not state in his message that this specific Letter of Authenticity in this currently active “ComicLink” auction is a forgery.
As such, one is left to assume that either:
- The Letter of Authenticity in the “ComicLink” auction is a genuine Jim Hambrick/Super Museum Letter of Authenticity. -OR-
- The Letter of Authenticity in the “ComicLink” auction is a forgery, but Mr. Hambrick chooses to not inform potential buyers of the forgery and/or to challenge the “ComicLink” auction business to remove the lot being sold with a false Letter of Authenticity with his name and company name attached.
“Counterfeit” Superman Costumes?
With regard to letters that have been “married to someone elses creation or counterfeit”, has any Super Museum letter of authenticity every been paired with a fake Superman costume and offered for sale in the marketplace? If so, what are the details?
Further, does this comment establish that it is the Jim Hambrick/Super Museum position that there are fake Superman costumes currently trading in the marketplace as authentic?
“ComicLink” Superman Costume Auction: Authentic or “Counterfeit” Superman Costume?
Mr. Hambrick did not state in his message that this specific Superman costume in this currently active “ComicLink” auction is a counterfeit.
As such, one is left to assume that either:
- The Superman costume offered for sale in the “ComicLink” auction is authentic, worn by Christopher Reeve in Superman III, as authenticated by Jim Hambrick of the Super Museum with a genuine Letter of Authenticity. -OR-
- The Superman costume offered for sale in the “ComicLink” auction is fake, but Mr. Hamrick chooses to not inform potential buyers of the status of the costume and/or to challenge the “ComicLink” auction business to remove the lot in that it is being sold with a Letter of Authenticity with his name and company name attached.
Given the public offering of this costume, marketed with a notarized Letter of Authenticity from Jim Hambrick, Super Museum – if the Letter of Authenticity and/or the Superman costume itself were inauthentic, wouldn’t it be prudent for Mr. Hambrick to make such information publicly known and contact the auctioneer in order to alert them to the fraudulent nature of the auction items? Not only to help prevent collectors from being defrauded, but to protect his company name and reputation in the hobby as an “expert”, as well as to protect the integrity of his Letters of Authenticity?
Super Museum: “We stand by what we sell and authenticate”
Super Museum wrote:
We stand by what we sell and authenticate and have NEVER been prosecuted for anything regarding questionable business practices.
If Jim Hambrick and the Super Museum stand by what they sell and authenticate, I think answers to the following two questions are appropriate:
- Is the Letter of Authenticity in the “ComicLink” auction a genuine document or a “forgery”?
- Is the Superman Costume offered for sale in the “ComicLink” auction an authentic costume worn by Christopher Reeve in the Superman films of the 70s and 80s, as authenticated and guaranteed by Jim Hambrick of the Super Museum, or is it a “counterfeit”?
Jason De Bord
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