Did ex-Microsoft's Paul Allen Get "Taken" By Fake George Reeves Superman Costume?

Above, an authentic George Reeves Superman costume at the Super Museum in Metropolis, Illinois.

The Seattle Cinerama (one of only three Cinerama-equipped theaters in the U.S.) has a temporary display of costumes purportedly worn Adam West (Batman), Burt Ward (Robin) and George Reeves (Superman).

There's a debate going on among Adventures of Superman fans on the Superman costume.

Most of the fans strongly feel that the Superman costume is a poorly-made replica that ex-Microsoft founder Paul Allen bought for an undisclosed sum. Back in 2005, I went to the Experience Music and Science Fiction Museums in Seattle and viewed the Superman costume. I didn't look at it too closely, so I can't say if the costume at the theater is the same one normally at the museum.

One fan, Mike Clark, has been defending the costume as "authentic" and posted a photo he took of it a few years ago at a San Diego Comic Con. The costume in his photo (below, right) looks too new with no fading. The 'S' on the shirt is off-center and wrong. It looks as though Dean Martin made the 'S' while on a bender. And, in the full photo, there is white or yellow thread sewn into the trunks.

Above, the George Reeves costume (left) and the Paul Allen replica (right).

I've seen an authentic George Reeves Superman costume (once in the possession of producer Whitney Ellsworth) and the one on display in Seattle doesn't even compare to it.

I showed the photo to a friend, who is highly knowledgeable on sewing and has seen other cinematic costumes and concludes this one "doesn't pass muster." In her view, the costume shows "very bad sewing other than semi-straight sewing lines on the legs."

Basically, most of the fans feel that the costume is a "nice" replica, but fails badly as an "authentic" costume.

It appears that Paul Allen got "taken" when he bought this. Even millionaires can be duped.

UPDATE (8/28/13):  The replica costume was allegedly sold at auction in 2003 for $129,800.00.