Autograph Authentication Report
2004 Rittenhouse Archives, Ltd. The Dead Zone - Auto · #ø
Findings
Signature comparison
This card. The signature as cropped from the slab photo (front).
Below, the known examples Crown compared it with. Examples with stronger proof (signed in front of staff, or certified by an independent authenticator) carry the most weight.
Feature by feature
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall form and proportions | Compressed abbreviated signature: looped 'a', short horizontal dash for 'lvin' with an i-dot stroke, a tall descending J-like 'S' loop, then a low angular run ending in a 'z'-like terminal. Slightly taller relative to width than most references. | Every reference shows the same four-part structure: looped 'a', dash, large descending 'S' loop, and an angular run with a 'z'-like end. R4 and R5 are closest in proportion. | Match |
| Slant and baseline | Strong forward slant on the 'S' upstroke. The baseline is essentially level. | Similar forward slant, varying from moderate to strong. Level baseline throughout. | Natural variation |
| Letter construction | The 'a' opens with a left-side hook into a small closed bowl and a short exit. The 'S' is a single tall stroke dropping into a closed lower loop that crosses back through the stem. | Same 'a' hook-and-bowl construction and the same crossing lower loop on the 'S' in R1–R5. R4 shows a slightly larger 'a' entry hook. | Match |
| Connecting strokes | 'a' connects into the dash. After the 'S' loop, the stroke exits right into a rising peak, then a downslope into the terminal. | Same connection sequence. R2, R4 and R5 show the same peak-and-drop after the 'S'. | Match |
| Starting and ending strokes | Starts with a fluid entry hook on the 'a'. Ends with a 'z'-like form trailing into a long, tapered horizontal finishing stroke. | Identical entry hook and long tapered terminal stroke in R2, R4 and R5. R1 and R3 show the same ending, where visible. | Match |
| Line quality and speed | Smooth, confident strokes with tapered ends. No tremor or hesitation visible at this resolution. | Equally rapid, fluent strokes across references. | Match |
| Pen pressure pattern | Heavier on the downstrokes of the 'S' and the 'a' bowl, lighter on connecting strokes and the terminal taper. | Comparable pressure modulation, especially in R3 and R4. | Match |
| Spacing | Gap between the dash and the 'S' stem. The terminal group sits close after the 'S' loop. | Same spacing rhythm, with small variation in dash length. | Natural variation |
| Flourishes and underlines | No underline. The only flourish is the long trailing terminal stroke. | No underlines. Same trailing terminal. | Match |
| Placement and size | Centered in the white signature area below the DEAD ZONE logo and above the printed name 'ALVIN SANDERS', spanning most of the card width. | R5 shows the same placement above the printed name. The others are cropped but consistent with standard Rittenhouse signature-area placement. | Match |
Measurements
Software traced the ink and measured it against the known examples. The shaded band is the signer's normal range across those examples; the gold marker is this card.
| Feature | This card | Known examples | Normal range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slant of upright strokes | -16.1° | -15.1–-7.2° | In range | |
| Overall writing angle | 0.6° | -0.7–2.0° | In range | |
| Height to width | 0.323 | 0.197–0.305 | In range | |
| Ink travel per unit width | 2.51× | 1.9–2.45× | In range | |
| Stroke thickness variation | 0.369 | 0.339–0.45 | In range | |
| Closed loops | 2 | 2.0–8.0 | In range | |
| Separate strokes | 5 | 5.0–8.0 | In range |
Seven features were measured from the ink traces and compared with three clean reference signatures (R2, R4, R5). Every one fell within the normal range of how Alvin Sanders' own signatures vary from one another. The forward slant (-16.1°) is a little steeper than the reference average (-10.47°), and the signature is a little taller for its width (0.323 vs. an average of 0.26). Both are only about 1.2–1.4 normal spreads from average, well inside what is ordinary for him. The overall writing angle matches the average exactly. The photo-sensitive features also land in his normal range: ink travel, stroke thickness variation, closed loops and number of separate strokes. Taken together, the numbers support the visual comparison and are consistent with authentication. They cannot by themselves prove live ink.
Examiner notes
Ours is on a 2004 Rittenhouse Archives Dead Zone (Seasons 1 & 2) autograph card, so it was likely signed for the manufacturer around 2003–2004. All five references appear to be the same Rittenhouse card issue, the same signing program and era, on the same white card stock with a similar blue pen. Era, surface and pen differences should therefore be minimal, and the remaining variation reflects signing speed only.
How Crown authenticates autographs: the signature is compared with known examples gathered from Crown's own authenticated cards, independent authenticators and public listings, measured by software, examined by an AI forensic model, and signed off by Crown Grading staff. The decision above is Crown's.
