Beware of repro exhibition posters...

hunger strike

hunger strike

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am not going to point out a specific item on ebay, but you need to know this. Charles Ursitti, the billiard historian, has been kind enough to reproduce his collection of billiard player exhibition posters. He gave sets of these to various people who are now unscrupulously selling them as if they are originals. If you have a question about the authenticity of a poster then please contact Charlie. There is one on ebay now that is just coincidentally one that Charlie had reproduced, and by miraculous coincidence the same seller has been selling other posters that Charlie just happens to have reproduced. In my 20 years of collecting, I have had the chance to buy only 2 really great original exhibition posters and anything before WWII is absurdly rare and hard to get. I am certain that Mr. Ursitti knew there was a possiblity that reproducing the posters might devalue his own originals, but he had the conviction that the billiard world needed to be able to see its own history. If you ever have the good fortune to meet him, congratulate him for all the things he has done for you that you probably don't even know about my friends. I am very proud to know the man. But buyer beware, and buy from the source who printed them.
 
Uh...am I the only one that see's the holes here?

Unless the guy you are talking about owns the copyrights to those works its just one guy copying some other guys copies. I understand what you are trying to say but to me it reads a little funny.
 
I think the first thing is that he would like to say that the Ebay items are not originals as claimed and so the buyer should be aware of that. And then he would like to send business to Charlie if one wishes to purchase reproductions.
 
Roadie said:
I think the first thing is that he would like to say that the Ebay items are not originals as claimed and so the buyer should be aware of that. And then he would like to send business to Charlie if one wishes to purchase reproductions.
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I am a little loopy now but that does make more sense.
 
What I am saying is ....

Ursitti had them printed. I know that there was contact between him and the seller. I know that Charlie is an incredible person who gives these to his friends, and I believe (but do not know) that the seller was given repro posters. He must know they are repros but he is not mentioning that in the description. He does not say on ebay that they are originals, but he must know that ebayers will mistake them for originals and bid accordingly. I am not trying to make the guy look like a criminal, but I am a collector and I don't want fellow collectors to make the mistake of overbidding on something that they could just buy from Charlie.
That would not be right.
 
JCIN said:
Uh...am I the only one that see's the holes here?

Unless the guy you are talking about owns the copyrights to those works its just one guy copying some other guys copies. I understand what you are trying to say but to me it reads a little funny.
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I agree,
it says right in the ad they are reproductions of posters of the collection of Charles J. Ursitti which they are.
I don't see where they are trying to deceive anyone or cheat anyone. I doubt anyone owns the rights to these posters that were originally produced for short term use and disposal by unknown artists. They are no different the an old newspaper add.

I met a guy at a car show that looked for old magazines and would take the car ads out. He then reproduced them as a high quality poster that he framed and sold to car collectors. I bought one myself for my 48 Ford I had at the time.
 
hunger strike said:
Ursitti had them printed. I know that there was contact between him and the seller. I know that Charlie is an incredible person who gives these to his friends, and I believe (but do not know) that the seller was given repro posters. He must know they are repros but he is not mentioning that in the description. He does not say on ebay that they are originals, but he must know that ebayers will mistake them for originals and bid accordingly. I am not trying to make the guy look like a criminal, but I am a collector and I don't want fellow collectors to make the mistake of overbidding on something that they could just buy from Charlie.
That would not be right.
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His starting price was .01 cent. I think the bidders know they are not originals. In other words though, Charlie can sell the copies but you don't want anyone else to? Any collector who thought these were originals would have to be a goof. Besides all someone needs to do is make their own. They don't even need to copy. All they do is make up a place and date attach a picture of say Mosconi, do it in the old time style and there you have it. There is nothing very unique about old posters. Unless it is actually an original they are worth pretty much nothing, even from Charles Ursitti. They are like pictures of the dogs playing pool or poker.
 
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So you disagree with me trying to help az'ers?

I already said I am not trying to make the guy look bad. I was told in good faith by another collector that the ebay ad did NOT specify repro. I glanced at the ad but did not read it all. If it says repro, my bad, but I am not defaming anyone. And I don't care who copies them or who they buy them from.
Not worth anything? Kind of extreme. Ursitti had these photoshopped perfectly and made to look almost exactly like the originals. So for poolrooms or home game rooms these are great posters, even from the ebay guy....
 
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The seller does say it is a "Repro from the 80's". Maybe that was added after your original post...maybe not. Looks all square to me though.

L8R...Ken
 
Seems fine, albeit totally classless.

Charlie gives the guy the poster for free as a friend and then the guy goes onto the EBay to flip it, using Charlie's name to get more $ for it?

I see your point. I mean, there's nothing you can do--- nothing is below the belt other than it's a classless move. Charlie won't be giving that guy anymore posters, that's for sure.
 
hunger strike said:
I already said I am not trying to make the guy look bad. I was told in good faith by another collector that the ebay ad did NOT specify repro. I glanced at the ad but did not read it all. If it says repro, my bad, but I am not defaming anyone. And I don't care who copies them or who they buy them from.
Not worth anything? Kind of extreme. Ursitti had these photoshopped perfectly and made to look almost exactly like the originals. So for poolrooms or home game rooms these are great posters, even from the ebay guy....
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Did you just jump to the conclusion that he reproduced this poster? Has he been selling many of the same posters? It is the only one he has for sale on there. It may just be the one he was given that he is now selling. I looked at his history and although he has sold other posters I could not find two alike. It doesn't look like he is popping these out he is just selling what he has.
 
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No, I didn't mean he was reproducing the repros....

I think he changed the ad. Even if he did not, he says these were printed in the 1980s. I think these were printed in the last few years. But here is the main problem..... ready?........
He says RARE in his title. RARE. This implies originality. It's not like this is a red alert warning from the TSA, I just want people to be aware. Not RARE.
 
hunger strike. Billarstudio is a well known Billiard Collector in Mexico (especially in the Carom World of 3C) and a business person in the Billiard World. also a AZ Forum Member I myself Have dealt with him over three years and he Honest 100%.

If his ebay ads were change.... where the revision, that show after any change to description on ebay auction.

I hope before you started this thread ... you discuss this with Billarstudio. by PM or Email????
 
Repro

In the middle of the poster at the bottom is what looks suspiciously like a copyright "bug". {its a printers term.}
All of these types of posters I have seen, have been copyrighted, and 1947 seems a long time ago, but it would still be covered.
The reason most people get away with copyright infringement on items like this, is that they don't have anything for the owner to win in a settlement.
Please don't copy anything from Wikipedia to refute me. It's a great site , but it's not researched information in all cases.
 
reputation

billiardshot said:
hunger strike. Billarstudio is a well known Billiard Collector in Mexico (especially in the Carom World of 3C) and a business person in the Billiard World. also a AZ Forum Member I myself Have dealt with him over three years and he Honest 100%.

If his ebay ads were change.... where the revision, that show after any change to description on ebay auction.

I hope before you started this thread ... you discuss this with Billarstudio. by PM or Email????
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I have heard nothing but good things about the man. However, since he described his poster for sale as RARE, I felt the need to try to inform fellow az'ers that they should look closer at it. The poster is not rare. Nice but not rare. I am done with this thread. I hope you will accept that I am not trying to disparage the man. Just information.
 
hunger strike said:
I think he changed the ad. Even if he did not, he says these were printed in the 1980s. I think these were printed in the last few years. But here is the main problem..... ready?........
He says RARE in his title. RARE. This implies originality. It's not like this is a red alert warning from the TSA, I just want people to be aware. Not RARE.
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Not to be nit-picking but, if this is the one Charlie gave him and Charlie made just a hand full of copied for friends then it is in fact Rare.
 
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