Returning Member, TERRY KINSELLA (5549-2002) has vivid memories of the late ‘Tom Slick’. He writes:

“Saw your mention of Tom Shutt in one of your issues 5 years ago. Here is some data for you and your readers.

For a number of years Tom Shutt purchased autographs from me while he was both in the mid-west (Overland Park, KS) and on the west coast (Costa Mesa, CA). One day out of the blue he phoned and asked if I would be interested in purchasing a large number of autographs – said he was getting out of the business in his store in Southern California. Told him sure, so he drove up to meet me.

EDITOR NOTE – Shutt was getting out of business in his store because so many police and government agencies were closing him down and trying to put him in jail.

When he arrived, he showed me a nice group of authentic autographs of both German and Americans of WWII. He then said he needed some money and that he’d make me a great deal on 100 SP’s (signed photos) of Erich Hartmann. He showed me an authentic signed photo and then handed me a box of 100. I was in a big hurry since I was leaving the next day for Europe on a buying trip so I paid him without checking the box. Got home, put the box in my safe, and left the next day for Europe.

Upon returning, I was returning a number of calls when I spoke to one of my clients who informed me that he had purchased some “bad” collectables that Shutt had sold as authentic. Of course, I went to the safe, pulled out the box and sure enough, all 100 were traced forgeries.

Having spent 23 years as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff and 20 years as an autograph dealer (this was in 1993) I knew that justice must follow. I contacted Shutt and said that I’d like to purchase his entire collection of autographed material which he had previously said he wanted $120,000. I then proceeded to set up a sting operation with detectives from Ventura County Sheriff’s Department. Shutt appeared at the appointed time, with over 10,000 forged autographs in his car trunk, and after giving him a check for $120,000 he was immediately arrested by the Sheriff’s Department. I went through his trunk with the Ventura good-guys and informed them that all, except a greeting book that had authentic signatures, were forgeries. Ventura Sheriff’s obtained a search warrant for Shutt’s home and found more bad autographs. Shutt was using a tracing machine. He pled guilty to a felony – I believe it was fraud as there is no forgery statue in California and was sentenced.

The sad part is there are probably thousands of his forged autographs still out there. Within the past 4 weeks, I saw a box of at least 25 on a dealer’s table at a show in California (he removed them when I told him they were bad) and just 3 days ago I saw 2 more advertised for sale in Manion’s latest auction. I informed Ron Manion, who I’ve known for over 15 years & is an honorable man.

To the knowing eye the forgeries are easy to discern. Each letter, for example, of Hartmann’s forged signature, there are several breaks in the flow of each, where Shutt (or who knows – maybe someone new) stopped to change directions with the pen. I believe that these are Shutt’s work. While during my years of business I am sure that I have sold some autographs that were not authentic due to the good quality of the forgery (Shutt’s forgeries are not even close to good quality) the fault was always corrected in the customer’s favor. I am sure that Emilie Caldwall Stewart, whom I know, would say the same. I bet that Mr. Shutt, wherever he is, would not make it right for all the customers he had defrauded.”

EDITOR NOTE – Thanks for the additional info TERRY. We knew that Shutt had been stung in Ventura County, now we know who was the bee who stung him. Seems that ‘Tom Slick’ just will not rest in peace – there is always more and more coming to light about him. He had a huge, negative, impact on the collecting world.