Counterfeit Ferris Wheel Certificates

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So popular and prestigious was a ride on the first Ferris Wheel, that riders were given a certificate testifying to their experience.

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Naturally enough, this soon lead to a market for counterfeits!

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Original article here. (Scroll down.)
     Posted By: Paul - Mon Feb 16, 2015
     Category: Certificates, Diplomas, and Other Testaments of Achievement | Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts | Nineteenth Century





Comments
Good skam. They weren't gubment issued documents so no jail time associated with the 'gag'.

Actually, I help build the wheel and still have my certificate it anybody want's to buy a copy, contact me here.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/16/15 at 12:09 PM
It would have been neat to ride on the very first one! They'll counterfeit just about anything won't they?
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/16/15 at 11:17 PM
They should have had people sign a book. It'd be great to find out your great-grandmother rode it while pregnant with your grandfather.
Posted by Phideaux on 02/17/15 at 03:00 AM
Or else that's how she got pregnant with your grandfather...
Posted by TheCannyScot in Atlanta, GA on 02/17/15 at 09:01 AM
So great granny joined the 260 ft high club! :lol:
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/17/15 at 09:16 AM
The Ferris wheel certificate appears to be the same as one that sold on Ebay in2012. I included a story about it in Issue No 146 in my Ferris Wheel Newsletter. Am trying to find out more about this certificate and if there are really fakes--might be other explanations. Any information that can be provided will be appreciated.
Posted by Norman Anderson on 02/17/15 at 11:48 AM
@patty -- That sounds more like something my grandma would have done. By all accounts, great-grandma was quite prudish. Grandma, on the other hand, was arrested twice for indecent exposure in NYC -- she worked Vaudeville/Burlesque to raise money so she and grandpa could buy a farm.
(This was a family secret -- I'm pretty sure even my mom doesn't know about it.)
Posted by Phideaux on 02/17/15 at 03:45 PM
Well now we know where your ornryness comes from don't we sweetie. 😉
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/17/15 at 06:54 PM
@patty -- My mom once said that if I wasn't obnoxious, I wouldn't have any personality at all.
Posted by Phideaux on 02/17/15 at 07:08 PM
Sounds to me like the Facebook/Twitter/social media of its day. Look look look at me and what I did!!!! And like Facebook/Twitter, most of the fun incredible amazing thing people claim to be doing are over exaggerated or just plain BS.
Posted by Courtney on 02/17/15 at 08:20 PM
Not obnoxious, just ornery.
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 02/18/15 at 12:34 AM
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