Turtleguy Satisfied

[turtleguy64]

If you read the posts at this website,Doug Allen has been placed in the same category as a cross between Attila The Hun and Ghengis Khan.I still harbor faith in him regardless and he has kept his promises to me.I talked about this being a nation of 2nd chances ( ala Vick,etc.) and I am about to give Legendary a chance to sell my stuff in the future on consignment.Hit me with the negatives and accuse me of naievet'e but I'm giving them a chance to dump the albatross which is Mastronet from around their necks.

[Matt]

If you read the posts at this website,Doug Allen has been placed in the same category as a cross between Attila The Hun and Ghengis Khan.I still harbor faith in him regardless and he has kept his promises to me.I talked about this being a nation of 2nd chances ( ala Vick,etc.) and I am about to give Legendary a chance to sell my stuff in the future on consignment.Hit me with the negatives and accuse me of naievet'e but I'm giving them a chance to dump the albatross which is Mastronet from around their necks.

Incredible. Were you even paid yet from your previous consignment? Why not try a go with one of the other houses and see which way you like it better?

[docpatlv]

Yes Matt,

That's what I was going to ask. If not, seems like a giant leap of faith. But hey, they are turtleguys items to do with as he pleases.

Fool me once, shame on you....fool me twice...............................

Mike

[Peter_Spaeth]

Seems to me the President of Mastronet was ... I mean still is ... Doug Allen. Can one be one's own albatross?

EDIT TO ADD Maybe they can pay him with the proceeds from the new consignment?

[calvindog]

but I'm giving them a chance to dump the albatross which is Mastronet from around their necks.

Except that Doug is Mastronet.

Turtle, is your name Frank DiRoberto by any chance?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Lichtman -- slacker. :)

[Matt]

Yes Matt,

That's what I was going to ask. If not, seems like a giant leap of faith. But hey, they are turtleguys items to do with as he pleases.

Fool me once, shame on you....fool me twice...............................

Mike

My presumption is that he was paid because he said on 8/23 that he had spoken to Doug a week earlier and Doug had promised to get him paid. That he now says Doug came through on his promises I assume means he got paid. Nonetheless, it shouldn't be a consignor's responsibility to chase after the auction house with multiple phone calls, and public posts just in order to get money legally owed to hi for 6 months. If I had to go through that I'd consider other options for future dealings.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Matt you are overlooking the "great guy" factor clearly. Being a great guy engenders loyalty.

[Matt]

Matt you are overlooking the "great guy" factor clearly. Being a great guy engenders loyalty.

I spoke to someone else last week who told me he was sending some stuff in to Mastro for their next offering as well. I just don't get it at this point. If you're aware of all the issues, why would you send your stuff there right now? There are so many other options.

[HRBAKER]

I spoke to someone else last week who told me he was sending some stuff in to Mastro for their next offering as well. I just don't get it at this point. If you're aware of all the issues, why would you send your stuff there right now? There are so many other options.

Hypnotism?

[Sean_C]

Please confirm that you've been paid for your previous consignment. There still seems to be some confusion about it.

If you read the posts at this website,Doug Allen has been placed in the same category as a cross between Attila The Hun and Ghengis Khan.I still harbor faith in him regardless and he has kept his promises to me.I talked about this being a nation of 2nd chances ( ala Vick,etc.) and I am about to give Legendary a chance to sell my stuff in the future on consignment.Hit me with the negatives and accuse me of naievet'e but I'm giving them a chance to dump the albatross which is Mastronet from around their necks.

[rdixon1208]

With everything you know, including testimonials from other consignors, articles in the newspaper, etc....how are you going to feel if you still do business with them and then get ripped off?

[2dueces]

For a minute I thought Turtleguy was Doug. It's the perfect screen name. When trouble brews, just duck your head inside your shell and wait till it passes.

Let's put the smiley face in here so everyone knows it's all in fun. ;)

Ooops. ;)

[Rich Klein]

Frank DiRoberto name which is familiar. Can you remind me please?

Thanks
Rich

[turtleguy64]

Frank DiRoberto? Faaagettaboutit!

[Adam]

I am about to give Legendary a chance to sell my stuff in the future on consignment.

Could you please identify, with great specificity (i.e. grades etc.), exactly what you will be giving Legendary to sell for you so we can see if that exact material you identify here in this thread ends up in one of their future auctions? Thanks!

[Sean_C]

I'm guessing that he still hasn't been paid, and is still thinking of consigning. :confused:

[daviddbreadman]

Terrible Testudine. I don't understand the ballyhoo. Something is fishy and/or very wrong here.

1) If you were paid you were only paid because of public pressure put out by people here. For you to turn around and then consign new material to these guys is tantamount to spitting in the face of everyone here who has supported you. I take offense to that stupidity. Its disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourself.

2) If you weren't paid and you still are consigning new material to these guys then you are the biggest fool on this forum and you don't deserve to be paid a dime.

Either way, the message you send by these actions is disgraceful and your tomfoolery should be rewarded with a tea bag.

[Al C.risafulli]

your tomfoolery should be rewarded with a tea bag.

I'm sorry to butt in, I just need to repeat the above quote. It's the funniest thing I've ever read.

Thanks, David.

-Al

[calvindog]

I'm sorry to butt in, I just need to repeat the above quote. It's the funniest thing I've ever read.

Thanks, David.

-Al

Yeah, I have to say that this line made me laugh as well. Not quite on the level of 'is that your face or did you neck throw up/Judge Smails' lines (honestly I'm still laughing at that) but certainly hilarious (if even unintended).

[RichardSimon]

Would turtle guy have been intimidated into stating that he has been paid?? When in fact, maybe, he has not been paid.

[Matt]

Would turtle guy have been intimidated into stating that he has been paid?? When in fact, maybe, he has not been paid.

Truth is, I don't think it matters; the guy seems to be reckless with his finances and whatever happens to him with regards to his relationship with Mastro/Legendary here on out is deserved.

[ChrisStufflestreet]

You know what? It's his money. If he isn't bound and determined to get it back, it's not the business of anybody here to change his mind.

[RichardSimon]

Turtle - Jeff has asked you a very clear question,,, have you been paid?
We are still awaiting your answer. The oath you took at the start of this mess is still in place. Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

[RichardSimon]

You know what? It's his money. If he isn't bound and determined to get it back, it's not the business of anybody here to change his mind.

Yes, it is his money, but he made it a public issue, by bringing it to this board. So he made it the public's business.

[slantycouch]

Yes, it is his money, but he made it a public issue, by bringing it to this board. So he made it the public's business.

Bingo. Still trying to understand why he did make it public.

[oldjudge]

My take is that this whole story is a fantasy. No one could be this stupid.

[Sean_C]

By the lack of straight answers to simple questions and the creation of this thread to draw attention, I think he's just taking us all for a ride. Has anyone had any dealings with this person, either on the new board or the old one?

My take is that this whole story is a fantasy. No one could be this stupid.

[Leon]

By the lack of straight answers to simple questions and the creation of this thread to draw attention, I think he's just taking us all for a ride. Has anyone had any dealings with this person, either on the new board or the old one?

I can verify he is a real person. From all I have seen, read and know I think he is telling the truth. Odd, but that is my take....

[botn]

No anonymity on the board, right? So who is he? I suspect if we had a name and he was either never owed money or already paid, Doug would pick up the batphone and call Leon to clear his name.

Forman owed 200K to Mastro and could not pay so what did they do? Of course they lent him even more money. That is what everyone does in that instance. So maybe Turtle learned something from the way Mastro does business?????

[Leon]

No anonymity on the board, right? So who is he? I suspect if we had a name and he was either never owed money or already paid, Doug would pick up the batphone and call Leon to clear his name.

Forman owed 200K to Mastro and could not pay so what did they do? Of course they lent him even more money. That is what everyone does in that instance. So maybe Turtle learned something from the way Mastro does business?????

We have discussed anonymity on the board before. You are correct there is no anonymity as everyone that posts has to send me their contact info. I have turtleguy's info. If you want to email me Greg, I will give you his name, but I don't see any extraordinary reason, as of now, to put his full name out here in public and would appreciate you not doing it if I send it to you. I don't see him fighting or arguing with people. I don't think he's a shill for Legendary/Doug either. I have some other private information that leads me to that thinking too....I too find it strange that someone hasn't gotten paid but yet is allegedly consigning more items. But hey, it's America.....regards

[turtleguy64]

For all the doubters,I have gotten my payment.It took 6 months but it is in my hands.Doug Allen said that he was trying to to get all consignors paid.The process will take awhile.I think that he is making the effort to close up all those open accounts.No,I don't work for Doug Allen.Over the years ,I consigned or had other collectors consign to Mastronet thousands in items.He did well by me and them and I did well also.I decided not to use threats or lawyers or the FBI.In the end the turtle wins the race,as it's said.Bottomline,we all know that making good on those overdue payments is the key to Legendary's success.There is no escaping that fact and that is just my opinion.Only then will Mastronet be a memory to all of us.

[Matt]

.Bottomline,we all know that making good on those overdue payments is the key to Legendary's success.There is no escaping that fact and that is just my opinion.

I seem to remember some other issues with Mastro that were causing some problems...

[turtleguy64]

Check my post on the last page today.This may sound odd to all of you but I am tied up doing turtle rehab and it is NOT easy.I've got two I am nursing back to health.Try giving meds to a turtle that will not open it's mouth and weighs 20 lbs.People tell me that I should have been a veterinarian.
I hope that new post clears the air.

[turtleguy64]

Let's hope one day we all ask "Bill who?"

[Matt]

"It's not a shell game where we said, 'Let's close this company and start a new one,' " Allen said. "It's not that."

[turtleguy64]

My name is and always has been David Schulman.I didn't know not posting my name would become a tempest in a teapot.I am real and breathing,I sell and buy as a collector,not a dealer on ebay.I treat people with respect and expect the same in return.

[turtleguy64]

Actually,I have held back on consigning to Legendary until the Mastonet payment came through.I have rules also and being stupid is not one of them.I am building up a consignment for them but that check had to get into my hands first.
I notice not many people take issue with the Dave Forman aspect of this case.I thought that this was the main crux of the problem with people getting paid? Once lawyers get involved,all stops.If that could be settled ,we are probably not blowing off steam about all the non-payment issues.

[Leon]

Ironically a new member signed up today and we got on the subject of animals...as his login is one of his dear dogs that he had to put down after a long bout with cancer. I told him I am an animal lover ...and I am the one he would see stopping his car in the middle of a highway to rescue a turtle and almost causing wrecks doing so. He then told me that he has saved 32 turtles and his wife gets onto him all of the time about it. My next door neighbor showed me a baby box turtle yesterday, that they have raised and hatched. He is about 2 inches and just the cutest thing. Turtles are cool.....I hope it's ok to talk about turtles since we are talking to "turtleguy".....I think it's better than some other recent threads :).

[barrysloate]

David- given what you have just been put through, along with the fact that there are so many auction houses out there to consign to, it does strike us that you are making an odd choice. Since you've gone public with this issue, care to explain your reasons for giving them more material (you of course don't have to). Thank you.

[daviddbreadman]

Turtle, you forget something! You, in the minimum, increased your chances of getting paid by making your story public and garnering support from those here to publicly speak out in support of you. I doubt you would have had the success you have had in getting paid without the help of others here putting pressure on Doug Allen by continuing to keep this issue on the table, FOR YOU!!!

In my opinion you would have gotten no where in your quest for green without those on this forum and you should recognize that before you go touting what a great guy Legendary is. You should recognize that had you not had help here you probably would never have even gotten enough money out of Doug Allen to buy apples for your amniotes.

[Jim VB]

I notice not many people take issue with the Dave Forman aspect of this case.I thought that this was the main crux of the problem with people getting paid?

David,

Welcome to the board (belatedly). You will find that most people on this board will treat everyone with respect, but, the truth is, the board is a microcosm of the world in general.

I think your take that Forman is the crux of the case is overly simplistic. His failure to pay should not have impacted you, unless he was the winning bidder on one of your lots. We don't know that. The fact is that Mastro shipped merchandise to bidders prior to securing payment. That poor business practice is the crux of their problem. Had they held the lots, his non-payment would not be as big an issue. Mastro and those consignors could simply decide to sell to the underbidders, or re-auction at a later date. They no longer have that choice.

Instead, Mastro ended up with no payment, no merchandise, and no options.

Forman may end up being involved in a lawsuit with Legendary (if they decide to serve him with the suit) but Mastro's, and now Legendary's, problems go much deeper.

[turtleguy64]

Bless you ,Leon,and anyone else who takes a minute and maybe at personal risk,would save a living thing off the road.I do this on almost a weekly basis.It's uncanny how I just happen by when a turtle is about to enter rush hour traffic.Wish everyone would do the same.Each turtle saved means maybe hundreds more get life down the line.Yes, it is a break talking about this subject and not getting po'ed at recent posts.Life is more important than bickering about $.

[turtleguy64]

Well,then ,Mastronet was guilty of trust in others and that really screwed up the whole deal.
Thanks for clearing up that Dave Forman aspect of the auction payment problem.
I hope we are not talking about this a year from now.Or even six months from now.

[Matt]

I hope we are not talking about this a year from now.Or even six months from now.

Unless the FBI closes their investigation by then, I'm pretty sure this isn't going away that quickly.

[turtleguy64]

I'm on this board because I heard that it can help with the non-payment.And I'm grateful for it.So here is a big belated thank you to anyone who helped make things right.

[barrysloate]

We see box turtles pretty often on Eastern Long Island. I am always amazed when I see them crossing a busy highway- don't they know any better? But I also feel that given the reckless way people drive out there, I could be giving up my own life to save the turtle's. So it's often a difficult decision.

[turtleguy64]

I watched the Legendary auction results ,figuring that interest in their stuff would be minimum.However ,maybe I'm wrong,but it seemed that people are still willing to pay good prices for the better stuff.There was more schlock than I'm used to seeing but it's not the highrolling Mastronet anymore.It is Legendary.They look like they will be a viable entity a year from now so that is why I am considering consigning in the near future.I could go the ebay route but have you seen the depressed prices there recently?I may also consider Heritage.

[turtleguy64]

Barry,those Long Island box turtles are now endangered(I think) as are the New Jersey ones.I've risked my life a few times but I'm not obsessed with getting myself killed.That's because I think every living thing has value.
Here's a heads up:those turtles cross to lay eggs if it's late spring.They never forget where they were born and head back to that place to lay eggs.The highway you are driving on was probably once a body of water and they ,like I said,never forget their roots.
Hey,this is way better than talking about money and getting cheated out of consignment money.!

[barrysloate]

David- we don't see the turtles too often, it's kind of special when one is crossing our lawn. So I imagine they are already disappearing. I have on occasion picked one up from the middle of the road and brought it over to the side, but like you said, if he is on a mission he may take the same path back. It is marshy out there with a lot of wetlands, and a few freshwater ponds. We are overrun with deer- I wonder if that affects the turtles at all.

[turtleguy64]

They are losing their habitat daily and are getting squeezed into human areas.We have one rule:if you see one crossing the road,help it get going in that direction and let nature take it's course.Locally,I visited a local canal being dried up for roadwork,I knew a large turtle was in there and had him in my grasp but he got away.I visited morning and night for 2 weeks until only muck was left and one night he had climbed completely out of the mud ,about to cross the road and get killed.Guess he knew I was coming 'cause he came out ,up a berm and right into my hands.Got relocated to a wetlands.It was worth the effort.

[Leon]

I am risking too much OT so maybe I will consider giving myself an .....oh wait, I am exempt. Never mind. Anyway, just one more quick turtle story. About 2 months ago my daughter and I were coming back from one of her volleyball practices and we saw a car pulled to the side of the road. As any human will do I slowed way down, then stopped, to see what was going on. There were a few people out of their car looking at a very large snapping turtle. This thing had to weigh 35-45 lbs, which isn't really that huge by snapper standards. At any rate they left and here I was, pulled over to the side of a road, checking out a huge, angry snapping turtle. I put a large tree branch next to his head and he almost snapped it in half. He was probably 50 yrs old or so. He had algae growing from his back he was sold old (and probably sedintary). I called my wife at home and had her bring me an old Coleman steel ice chest and a broom. I kind of pushed him into the cooler and took him home. The next morning I brought him to a fairly large lake that is about 2 miles from my house. He lived happily ever after.....and that my friends is my last turtle tale. Everyone should save a turtle.

[turtleguy64]

Leon,you've just entered "menchdom!"

[Kawika]

Mt Vernon, New York, 1953. I was three years old and was playing with my pet turtle (the little aquarium kind) in front of our home when along came my mother, in high heels no less, and stepped on poor Mr. Tuttle, perforated the poor little guy, then scolded me for playing on the stoop. Scarred me for life. It went downhill from there. She threw away my baseball cards, too. Now I hang around internet chat rooms. A sad tale.

R.I.P. Dorothy Kaiser McDonald 1926-2002

[Rob D.]

... angry snapping turtle. I put a large tree branch next to his head and he almost snapped it in half. He was probably 50 yrs old or so. He had algae growing from his back he was sold old (and probably sedintary).

I think I saw this guy set up at the National.

[daviddbreadman]

It was Mr. NM-MT. He has the same algae on his cranium

[Kenny Cole]

I have saved (or at least moved them off the road) in excess of 100 turtles. I've been moving turtles off the road for 30 years. Anymore, I generally bring bos turtles home to my 8 y/o so he can keep them for a couple of days. Sliders and other water-type turtles, the same. Snappers I just try to move.

Leon, based on years of experience, here's the deal with snappers. They can't bite you when you have hold of their tail, so long as you hold them away from your body. Distract them with a stick or something, pick them up by their long tail, and move them off the road. All is then good. Obviously, the big ones are harder. They also appear to be generally crankier. Of course, where I come from some people pick them up and make soup. I personally don't subscribe to that, but I suppose that's the other option.

Kenny

[turtleguy64]

Thanks for all you do,Ken.We need more like you.There is a farm in Nebraska which raises
snappers for meat.I've seen pictures of the shells of the deceased ,stacked like cordwood ,one row on top of the other.I live in Florida where until this month,any person could apply for a permit to catch 20 turtles a day and sell them to an Asian exporter in Tampa.They were being exported for the dinner tables in the Asian peninsula.Twenty a day per man!The softshells especially adults have been fished out.Finally,the public had enough ,so did the governor,and as of Sept. 1st,you are permitted to catch one turtle a day and NOT for export to China.What took so long for this slaughter to end?

[Rich Klein]

But there was a DFW area card dealer in the early 1990's we nicknamed "Aquarium Head" as he was similar to the National dealer described earlier. Darned if I can remember his name; but his nickname lived on for years.

[turtleguy64]

But his closest friends referred to him as "Globehead."

[Merv Williams]

Turtle guy is in fact David as he states. I have known him for at least
15 years. He is honest, very fine and very fair as I have sent him numerous items I didn't have time to list or send to Mastronet and he did it for me. Every time he sold something for me I was paid, More than once items of mine in his possession were forwarded to Mastronet with the money going to me. I am one of the people he recommended to Mastronet. It not only took several messages for Doug Allen at Mastro but David telling him to contact me before it ever happened. Luckily I was not burned in any way in the last Mastronet auction as I had nothing in it. i had 6 lots in a Legendary auction several months ago. All lots sold and I was paid on time. The payment was short over $1,000.00 as some of my cards needed grading and he sent a bunch to PSA without my knowledge. Apparently he didn't know PSA is available in California. Once again I left messages (2) for Doug and also 2 for Mark Theo. Even the Girl taking the messages (Melissa) was to get info and call back and didn't so I sent him an e-mail that was also ignored. When I used Mastronet and something needed to be graded they paid for it every time. I posted this info on a different thread and was called by Doug. The money will be refunded in full ASAP he told me. Lets see what his description of ASAP is.

[ChrisStufflestreet]

David,

I was at work today (I'm a cable guy) and at a job where I needed to raise a line that had come down, I was getting ready to go up on a ladder when I saw a turtle making its way toward me. It was a residential street without much traffic, so I got down from the ladder and got out of the little guy's way as he passed my work area so he didn't get scared by anything I might do.

Once he passed, I noticed that he was walking toward a street that had more traffic on it. Thinking he might be in danger, I took advantage of the fact that I was wearing an orange vest and hardhat and when the turtle went to cross that street, I went out and stopped the traffic so he could get across. 5 cars stopped; only one of them honked.

But as the guy who had honked passed by, I saw his wife giving him an earful about it.

Once he got across the road, he kept moseying on...and I went back on the ladder and finished up. When I left, I drove down the road and didn't see any sign of the turtle, so it looks like he got to his destination safely.

And I thought of this thread once the moment had passed.

[turtleguy64]

Chris ,much like that story posted previous to yours,growing up I probably killed dozens of turtles thru stupidity or lack of education.I bought those Woolworth turtles.Think any of the millions they sold ever made it past their first year?No.I used to get mail order turtles rom the post office in N.J. from a place called Rattlesnake,Florida.The guy would mix a box of both water and land turtles.But it was the dead of winter.Yeah,they all died in my hands.So I love reading about your encounter,a big thank you from those who have no voice.I am doing my part to make up for all the losses I was guilty of.I've raised from eggs about 150 turtles in the last 20 years.Spent $1,000.00 to save one.True story.And drove it 5,000 miles with others I rescued from death in local pet stores to the Sandhills of Nebraska which is where they were taken from.I think they deserved a better life than a slow death in Florida.