I came across this item of news in both the Guardian and The Times newspapers recently, under the headings 'Nelson's slant signalled defeat' and 'Signatures lack Nelson touch' respectively. They refer to a member of The Nelson Society who purchased two envelopes from a Stamp Dealer, both items supposedly sent by Nelson and sporting his signature. The envelopes were sold for £ 250.

However, it was discovered that the signatures were not only written by a right-handed man (Nelson lost his right arm in 1797) but were dated four years after he died in 1805. It is believed that the signatures are by Nelson's brother, William, who is a less marketable character.

The Stamp Dealer was fined 3,000 by Macclesfield Crown Court for offences under the Trades Description Act.

The lesson here is that with the period becoming more and more popular, no doubt the less scrupulous people about will try and cash in on us enthusiasts, so it pays to be very careful before parting with your money. This is particularly important when dealing with anything to do with such men as Nelson, Napoleon and Wellington.

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