In most categories condition is the whole description. Here it is half of it, and the two halves must not be mixed.
Two statements, always separate
Condition is what the object looks like now: wear, stains, repairs, fading.
Provenance is where it came from and what you can show: worn, issued or replica, who signed it, who says so.
Write them as two sentences. A listing that blends them — "excellent condition, authentic signature" — has smuggled a claim about provenance inside a claim about condition, and that is exactly the sentence that turns into a dispute.
Condition language that works
Shirts — pilling, stains, sweat marks, pulled threads, print cracking, whether any number or badge has lifted, whether it has been washed. Bats — face marks, edge damage, cracks, repairs, re-gripping, whether it has been used. Caps and helmets — sweat staining, shape, lining condition. Paper — creases, tears, pinholes, foxing, fading.
Fading of signatures is condition
It belongs in the condition half, said plainly: "the signature has faded, strongest on the left". Photograph it in neutral light rather than warm light, which flatters ink.
Provenance language that works
Use the ladder from strongest to weakest, and say where on it you are:
- Signed in front of me, photograph attached
- Obtained at a known event, with details
- Certificate from a named issuer
- Bought from a previous owner who said it was signed
- Unverified, sold as seen
Nothing on that list is shameful. Being vague about which one you are on is.
The one word to avoid
Authentic, unless you watched it signed. It is not a condition word, it is a guarantee, and a guarantee you cannot support is worse than no claim at all. Why trust is the product.
Questions people ask
Does a washed shirt lose value?
For match-worn items, often yes, and it must be declared. Say whether you washed it or inherited it washed.
How do I describe a repaired bat?
As repaired, saying what was done and by whom if you know. A declared repair is a fact; an undeclared one is a return.
Can I say "looks genuine to me"?
Yes, and it is a fair sentence because it is plainly an opinion. The problem is only ever a claim dressed as a fact.
More: condition words across every category, buying cricket memorabilia.