The BBC program Fake Britain, today included Mr Formhals, and they mention Tolkien.

It is available for UK viewers on the BBC iPlayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01sfds0/?t=20m01s

Scroll forward to 20 mins to see the piece, 10 minutes duration.

In the picture below, the top left hand corner is described as terrible, interestingly most are not in blue ink.

He also had a few goes at Thomas Hardy (2nd picture), and Tolkien & Hardy on the same page (3rd picture)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl ... 078105&fromMakeTrack=true

This is one of Allans isnt it?

Yes, I think it is.

This is definitely one of Mr Formhals appalling fakes. I will contact the seller and report to eBay, but expect will be ignored as normal

Reply from seller:
Thank you very much for your email. I am quite surprise about it.I bought it in London around 7 years ago, it cost me 1000 pounds, I think I have the invoice from an antiquary shop.Why you are so sure that its a fake???, I think its so frivolous...Please send me all the info that you have to attest it, and I will check it myself with a specialist person. If its a fake I will remove it, but never before.

7 years ago - mmmmmm I think not

Lets hope the specialist person gives seller the seller the same message

Rest assured he now has

"PROVENANCE: LONDON ANTIQUARY FIVE YEARS AGO"

I'm convinced and I bet Mr Formhals wishes at the Court Case that he said "They are all genuine signatures, I've got provenance, I bought them at a London Antiquary 5 years ago"

I have set up a new ebay buyer called tolkienfkesignature, he will almost certainly cancel my 7000 Euro bid, no intention of paying, but I hope it might stop some people bidding.

There might be some merit in this, lets see what happens, but if everyone sets up a second ebay account, with no correct details (my address is Scotland Yard on this account) or payment info, we may be able to stop ebay selling crap like this

I think you should have at least come up with a better name!
What about buyingonbehalfofallanformhalswhoisinjail?
I think that would've been more memorable...

BH

I have set up a new ebay buyer called tolkienfkesignature, he will almost certainly cancel my 7000 Euro bid, no intention of paying, but I hope it might stop some people bidding.

Bidder ids are hidden so your id is not visible to others.

IMHO your bid is more likely to give the item some credibility rather than put others off. Also, if you have outbid others at the end of the auction, the seller can still second chance offer to them after you pull out.