I thought it would be interesting to include some discussion here about authentication. Part of this is taken from my book: https://www.genesismuseum.com/exhibit.htm but expanded a bit based on this particular example. So how as a collector do we authenticate things and why? Well, the "why" is really only for our own peace of mind, that our collection is genuine. Unless we plan to sell the item - then the "why" is to prove to others the monetary worth of the item. But normally for collectors, the only goal is to be able to look at our collection and feel that it is genuine, since what we feel about our own collection is all that really matters. So how do we authenticate things? I should preface this by saying there is rarely a way to 100% prove authenticity. Even well-meaning sellers and buyers can be fooled. And as I've stated before, certificates prove very little. I should probably also note that authentication only applies to certain types of collectibles. I wouldn't think that collectors of things like magazines or official LPs have to worry much about this. Whereas collectors of autographs, posters, or shirts may. The good news is that in the world of Genesis, fakes are less common, and rarely worth the effort. In the world of Bob Dylan, Bowie, and The Beatles, fakes are rampant since those collectibles sell for so much money. But Genesis items tend to not be worth faking (usually) though of course it does happen. I have seen fake autographs, reprinted posters on old paper, and bleached labels made to look white - but thankfully this is rare. The best way to help prove authenticity is through provenance. If someone associated with the band hands you something, that's pretty good provenance! Or if the collection came from someone in the music industry. Or if the item is from a collector who got it new at the time. But we can't always be so lucky. Another way to help prove authenticity is to look for things that don't make sense (anachronisms). Fakers tend to be sloppy and things like label styles, matrix numbers, printing technology, etc. can be used to authenticate them. For example, if a poster is laser printed or has jagged (aliased) lines under magnification, it could not have been made in the 70s. If instead the paper smells musty, that's a good clue it's old. If the item has handwriting, some clues can be found there too. I have found several items where I could compare handwriting to a specific person, or another known genuine item. Maybe not with 100% certainty, but it adds another piece to the puzzle. I have also been able to prove (or disprove) authenticity by comparing the contents of the item. Does it have information or photos or music found nowhere else, or do the contents at least make sense? After listening to an acetate dated 1972 with the 2000s remix on it, I was sure that was a fake. Other times the photographic quality can be used to help prove authenticity, as reprints tend to lower the quality with each generation. There is also a "gut feeling" you get about items, after seeing so many over the years. You may not be able to pinpoint exactly why it seems "correct" or "wrong" to you, but sometimes these gut feelings tell us more than any other kinds of evidence. With that in mind, let's look at this From Genesis to Revelation 2-sided acetate on the museum wall. Over the years I have become cynical about acetates after seeing so many fakes, but this one came from a collection that also had previously unheard Genesis material, so the provenance was good. The assumption is that this was made around the time of the FGTR recording, since writing just "GENESIS LP" on the label would make less sense to identify which Genesis LP if other Genesis albums had already been released at the time. But the contents are no different from the stereo FGTR release, so this offered few extra clues. The label is the correct type used at the time. The “MADE IN GT. BRITAIN” is consistent with late 60s/early 70s vs "Made in Great Britain" used later on. The label also seems to be of the correct age/yellowing, though this is inexact at best and some acetate fakers artificially age their labels. The "Patent Nos 1,125,555" sleeve it was found in is also period correct, which of course proves very little, but at least it's consistent. I also like to check the handwriting when possible. This is also inexact too, but I believe the same handwriting is on this known genuine Rolling Stones acetate recorded in the same studio a few years earlier, especially looking at the lower case Ds and Ss and upper case P: https://www.discogs.com/release/28356250-The-Stones-We-Were-Falling-In-Love/image/SW1hZ2U6MTAxMjQ4MTI5 In fact, this is the second FGTR test pressing handwriting I've matched to a Rolling Stones test pressing, maybe because there are so many of theirs out there. What does all this prove? Well, nothing really. It could still be a fake or it could be a later creation made to look old. Maybe the handwriting was forged. Anything is possible and even "experts" make mistakes. But looking at the totality of what's there, as a collector it's enough for me to believe it's real. Or maybe I would say that it's much more likely real than not. And really, as a collector of items like this that's about the best we normally can get.

I thought it would be interesting to include some discussion here about authentication. Part of this is taken from my book: https://www.genesismuseum.com/exhibit.htm but expanded a bit based on this particular example.

So how as a collector do we authenticate things and why? Well, the "why" is really only for our own peace of mind, that our collection is genuine. Unless we plan to sell the item - then the "why" is to prove to others the monetary worth of the item. But normally for collectors, the only goal is to be able to look at our collection and feel that it is genuine, since what we feel about our own collection is all that really matters.

So how do we authenticate things? I should preface this by saying there is rarely a way to 100% prove authenticity. Even well-meaning sellers and buyers can be fooled. And as I've stated before, certificates prove very little.

I should probably also note that authentication only applies to certain types of collectibles. I wouldn't think that collectors of things like magazines or official LPs have to worry much about this. Whereas collectors of autographs, posters, or shirts may.

The good news is that in the world of Genesis, fakes are less common, and rarely worth the effort. In the world of Bob Dylan, Bowie, and The Beatles, fakes are rampant since those collectibles sell for so much money. But Genesis items tend to not be worth faking (usually) though of course it does happen. I have seen fake autographs, reprinted posters on old paper, and bleached labels made to look white - but thankfully this is rare.

The best way to help prove authenticity is through provenance. If someone associated with the band hands you something, that's pretty good provenance! Or if the collection came from someone in the music industry. Or if the item is from a collector who got it new at the time. But we can't always be so lucky.

Another way to help prove authenticity is to look for things that don't make sense (anachronisms). Fakers tend to be sloppy and things like label styles, matrix numbers, printing technology, etc. can be used to authenticate them. For example, if a poster is laser printed or has jagged (aliased) lines under magnification, it could not have been made in the 70s. If instead the paper smells musty, that's a good clue it's old.

If the item has handwriting, some clues can be found there too. I have found several items where I could compare handwriting to a specific person, or another known genuine item. Maybe not with 100% certainty, but it adds another piece to the puzzle.

I have also been able to prove (or disprove) authenticity by comparing the contents of the item. Does it have information or photos or music found nowhere else, or do the contents at least make sense? After listening to an acetate dated 1972 with the 2000s remix on it, I was sure that was a fake. Other times the photographic quality can be used to help prove authenticity, as reprints tend to lower the quality with each generation.

There is also a "gut feeling" you get about items, after seeing so many over the years. You may not be able to pinpoint exactly why it seems "correct" or "wrong" to you, but sometimes these gut feelings tell us more than any other kinds of evidence.

With that in mind, let's look at this From Genesis to Revelation 2-sided acetate on the museum wall. Over the years I have become cynical about acetates after seeing so many fakes, but this one came from a collection that also had previously unheard Genesis material, so the provenance was good.

The assumption is that this was made around the time of the FGTR recording, since writing just "GENESIS LP" on the label would make less sense to identify which Genesis LP if other Genesis albums had already been released at the time. But the contents are no different from the stereo FGTR release, so this offered few extra clues.

The label is the correct type used at the time. The “MADE IN GT. BRITAIN” is consistent with late 60s/early 70s vs "Made in Great Britain" used later on. The label also seems to be of the correct age/yellowing, though this is inexact at best and some acetate fakers artificially age their labels. The "Patent Nos 1,125,555" sleeve it was found in is also period correct, which of course proves very little, but at least it's consistent.

I also like to check the handwriting when possible. This is also inexact too, but I believe the same handwriting is on this known genuine Rolling Stones acetate recorded in the same studio a few years earlier, especially looking at the lower case Ds and Ss and upper case P: https://www.discogs.com/release/28356250-The-Stones-We-Were-Falling-In-Love/image/SW1hZ2U6MTAxMjQ4MTI5

In fact, this is the second FGTR test pressing handwriting I've matched to a Rolling Stones test pressing, maybe because there are so many of theirs out there.

What does all this prove? Well, nothing really. It could still be a fake or it could be a later creation made to look old. Maybe the handwriting was forged. Anything is possible and even "experts" make mistakes.

But looking at the totality of what's there, as a collector it's enough for me to believe it's real. Or maybe I would say that it's much more likely real than not. And really, as a collector of items like this that's about the best we normally can get.

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