FAKE, COUNTERFEIT AND REPRODUCED BEATLES TOUR PROGRAMS (PROGRAMMES)

Something that has really annoyed me over the past few years has been the proliferation of fake, counterfeited or reproduced Beatles Tour Programs (Programmes).

I have been collecting Beatles records and memorabilia for almost 40 years. I remember the days when I would write to people advertising in the NME or Record Collector or Goldmine, wait for their list of items for sale to arrive in the post, make my selection, write back hoping they would still be available, get an invoice as a reply, go to the bank to obtain a bank draft (international bank cheque), post off the bank draft with my invoice and finally obtain the item(s) by post sometime in the future. As I live in Australia, the whole transaction might take almost 6 months from beginning to end. These days the item is viewed over the internet (usually on e-bay), money is transferred instantly by Paypal, and the item(s) might arrive in a little over 1 week!

It is now far easier to connect sellers with buyers from around the world and this has lead to the proliferation of fake, counterfeit or reproduced Beatles Tour Programs (Programmes).

I have been caught a few times and have learned some lessons that I will spread to the world in an attempt to at least hinder the spread of these fake items.

Background

These reproduced tour programs are extremely well done and are difficult to tell from an original, particularly if a genuine original is not available. Hopefully, the following information will help.


Lesson 1: Location of Seller

If the seller is based in 'Eastern Europe', in particularly Belarus, or any of the former communist countries such as Poland, Hungary, or Slovakia, the item they are selling is probably a reproduction. I have never seen a seller of genuine programs resident in these countries.

Lesson 2: The Paper Quality

The paper used for the reproductions certainly appears old enough to pass for a 40+ year old publication. However, it also has a 'brittle' feel to it. The paper will tear easily if pressure is applied. It also has a 'low sheen' rather than the 'low gloss' of an original. Finally, the paper has a slightly 'thicker' feel to it than the original paper. These differences are subtle, not obvious. The best way to check is to compare the paper against a known original from the same era. A good way to do this is to purchase a non-Beatles program originating between 1962 and 1966. This will save cost and reduce the likelihood of a reproduction. However, it will have the 'typical' paper used in the same era.

Lesson 3: Printing Quality

The quality of the printing is very good. However, there are some differences. Original tour programs are usually type set. They often have 'indents' from the printing of the letters, similar to the effect found when using an old type-writer to type a letter. If you hold the paper up to the light at an angle, you can usually see indents from the letters on the reverse page. Reproductions do not have 'indents' because they are 'scanned' and printed using modern equipment. Also the photographs on reproductions can appear slightly blurry or have a faint patch-work appearance. Originals are usually sharp and definitely do not have a 'patch-work' appearance.

Lesson 4: Staples

Though not necessarily the most accurate way to determine a reproduction, the quality of the staples can be a sign of a reproduction. Don't forget these publications are 40 to 50 years old. Quite often, though not always, original programs have slightly discoloured staples. Shiny bright staples may signify a reproduction, but you cannot use this observation in isolation. It can only be added to the other observations as 'the last straw'.

Lesson 5: The Smell

Quite often an original program will have a slightly 'musty' smell to it. You know, the 'old person' smell that you used to detect when visiting grand parents! Once again, the originals are 40 to 50 years old and to have survived this long, they have to have been stored away. In doing so, they can develop an old storage smell. However, just like the 'staple' observation mentioned above, this observation must be added to the others as a 'last straw'.

Lesson 6: Slight Imperfections

Quite often a reproduction will have a slight 'imperfection'. Look out for 'formulated' imperfections such as:
- a small 'dog ear' crease on the top front cover
- a light crease in the middle of the program
- one or two minor blemishes within the program caused by some liquid, usually a clear liquid, so not to leave a stain, so probably water.
Once again, slight imperfections can not be judged in isolation and must be added to the other observations.


Lesson 7: Known Reproductions

Here is a list of known reproductions (I have them all, as well as the originals). These are the most common programs offered for sale:

- Tommy Roe / Chris Montez 1963

- The Beatles Show (red/pink cover) 1963

- ABC Cinema Yarmouth 1963

- The Beatles Show (blue cover) 1963

- The Beatles Christmas Show 1963

- The Beatles Christmas Show 1964

- The Beatles Australian Tour 1964 (Note: the back cover mentions that it commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Beatles tour so strictly speaking it is not an exact reproduction)

- Beatles 1965 UK Tour ('cartoon' cover)(Note: the cover showing John dressed in black is a reproduction. He should have blue/purple pants and shirt. I suspect this has now been 'rectified' by the publishers of the reproduction. Also the reproduction commonly comes with the poster that was sold at the same time, usually in 'excellent' condition).

- Beatles Japan Tour 1966

Other programs I suspect are reproduced (but can't confirm):

- Hippodrome Theatre Brighton 1964

- Blackpool 1964 (with The Kinks and The High Numbers)