What is the hobby come to?

[keithsky]

I saw this on Ebay and there is already 10 bids on it even though the guy says it's a replica. It looks almost real from the picture and I wonder how many people are wanting to by this to resell it as real to someone that will think it is real. Or better yet send it to Coach's Corner which will pass with flying colors I'm sure. I don't see the purpose other than to deseve someone.
http://cgi.ebay.com/BABE-RUTH-SIGNED-BASEBALL-REPLICA-FROM-ORIGINAL_W0QQitemZ290389816744QQcmdZViewItemQQptZL H_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item439c94f5a8

[vwtdi]

unreal, I just watched it go off! A bid came in with about 2 minutes left (was at at 275 then), one with about 10 seconds left, then 2 more after that. 700 smackers! LMAO unbelievable

[Leon]

That is unbelievable. The seller did a fantastic job and did everything in the world right. Kudo's to them....

[Jim VB]

His first one sold for $610.

This one sold for $700.

He has another one up now.

I'm starting to smell a business plan and a way out of this nasty recession!

[batsballsbases]

This is one reason why I dont buy autographs. At least the guy tells you its not real. But someone gets this ball and puts it up for real tell me it wouldnt fool someone.:eek::eek: Also if they can do this with this autograph I can see next Lou Gehrig,Ty Cobb, Cy Young and who knows who else starting to be re created very soon!!

[barrysloate]

I'm with Jim. This guy is probably making 25x what he paid for it, and he is fully disclosing that it is not original. Does everyone out there understand what the word "replica" means?

[mr2686]

Just looked up the word replica. Replica - something that can be sold on Roaches Corner as the real thing.

[batsballsbases]

Mike,
That is exactly what I was trying to say!:D:D

[69Cubfan]

I'm blown away that people will spend their money on such things as this. The seller claims that this is "art", well, so is forgeries. He is going to such great lengths as to toning and shellaching the ball to make it look vintage which is also what a forger would do. In my mind this is a type of forgery even though he claims he is not handwriting the signature. I would only consider it "art" if the "artist" signs his name somewhere on the ball like any other "art" piece. That way you would know right away that this ball is not the real deal. I wonder if there is any type of trademark infringements since he is replicating the ball manufacturer and Ruth's name?These balls will be attempted to be sold someday down the road claiming to be real. And someone will be dumber than the guy that spent $700 for this ball to plunk down even more money because he thinks it is the real deal. If this guy is making this kind of money on these, there will be no stopping him to create hundreds more. What a shame!!!

[GrayGhost]

Another freaking reason for Roach's corner and other crooks to take something like this, and try and pass it off as real. I mean, a potential buyer here. This seller may think he is helping some out, who want a ball but can't afford a REAL RUTH signed ball. In reality, he is just "opening the door to more crap".

But, since I don't trust a lot of people in high end autographs, I wouldn't be suprised if he is in cahoots w someone anyways. Call it negative, but its the way it is.

[jbsports33]

There is good and bad in everything, and this hobby has no exceptions and seeing this can be very frustrating. I just try and look away and just keep on going and take the direction I need to take and not worry about what others are doing.

Jimmy

[RichardSimon]

Another freaking reason for Roach's corner and other crooks to take something like this, and try and pass it off as real. I mean, a potential buyer here. This seller may think he is helping some out, who want a ball but can't afford a REAL RUTH signed ball. In reality, he is just "opening the door to more crap".

But, since I don't trust a lot of people in high end autographs, I wouldn't be suprised if he is in cahoots w someone anyways. Call it negative, but its the way it is.

Scott - your statement of "this seller may think he is helping some out" is a tad of an overstatement,,, I believe his motives here are not to help somebody out, except himself. The motives of buyer and seller here are highly worrisome. The seller must be aware of the fact that somewhere along the way these balls are going to be sold as the real thing. His defense of course will be that he cannot be responsible for what happens after he sells one.
Forged artwork is hanging on the walls of museums, touted as real. I hate to think where this can lead.
And I do like the idea of this guy signing his work, that might help somewhat.

[canjond]

I wonder how easy it is to tell in person that the labels and signature were applied? From the photos, its almost impossible to me.

[Forever Young]

sorry...wrong thread oops

[keithsky]

I don't care how many times the seller puts in his description that it is a replica, 100 times if he wants to protect himself but that type of ball will end up being sold as real. Maybe not now but somewhere down the line. Why else would someone spend 700.00 for a replica? If you have 700.00 to spend on a replica why don't you save up a couple thousand more and by a real one. Judging by the people on Coachs Corner buying that crap apparently they don't know what is real or not, that will be the type of person ending up with a ball like this. Thinking it's real

[RichardSimon]

CMG Worldwide was very interested in these items.
(manager of Babe Ruth estate).

[69Cubfan]

Richard, I had already sent CMG's legal dept(infringement & policing) an email about these and gave them all the info. We'll see what happens.

[RichardSimon]

I spoke to a woman in their California office in the Legal Affairs Dept and she said she will be forwarding my information to their General Counsel and sports director.

[base_ball]

If there are only a couple of these "art" pieces I doubt the Ruth estate would pursue any legal action. If someone tried to mass-produce them there would probably be a cease-and-desist letter in the fax machine within minutes.

I've always had a soft spot for those facsimile team balls. Maybe the time has come for a legitimate, properly licensed, but clearly-differentiated-from-the-real Ruth replica that sells for twenty bucks. It'd be a lot better--and cheaper--than a lot of the Ruth baseballs that are displayed on mantels.

[perezfan]

These are a bit different, as they look like they originally came from Coach's Corner, and are now on Ebay (being sold as replicas). So it is perhaps the reverse scenario of those posted above.

Equally disturbing though, is that these could be purchased cheap and resold as originals. Most of us would not be fooled by them (as they are pretty bad) but there are plenty of vulnerable collectors out there lacking knowledge, and looking for a deal.

Ebay should really ban all of these "replica balls" immediately....

http://shop.ebay.com/sanantoniospursnut33/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

[RichardSimon]

These are a bit different, as they look like they originally came from Coach's Corner, and are now on Ebay (being sold as replicas). So it is perhaps the reverse scenario of those posted above.

Equally disturbing though, is that these could be purchased cheap and resold as originals. Most of us would not be fooled by them (as they are pretty bad) but there are plenty of vulnerable collectors out there lacking knowledge, and looking for a deal.

Ebay should really ban all of these "replica balls" immediately....

http://shop.ebay.com/sanantoniospursnut33/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

What a pathetic person this guy is. "Hey world, I am a lousy forger but I still think some suckers will buy my sh--".
What a joke those baseballs are. What a joke that seller is.

[mr2686]

Expect some Jim Thorpe replicas soon as it looks like he's purchased some Thorpe photos. Interesting also that one of his purchases was a universal fit handcuff key. Maybe anticipating the future? ;)

[slidekellyslide]

Ebay should really ban all of these "replica balls" immediately....

http://shop.ebay.com/sanantoniospursnut33/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

Ebay should either ban replicas period or they should make a separate category for replicas in ALL areas. Look up "Baseball" in cabinet photos and you will see a majority of them are repro crap that the seller is being coy about.

[RichardSimon]

Expect some Jim Thorpe replicas soon as it looks like he's purchased some Thorpe photos. Interesting also that one of his purchases was a universal fit handcuff key. Maybe anticipating the future? ;)

The Thorpe photos are probably 10th generation reprints and putting a Thorpe forgery on those would look ridiculous.
As for the handcuff key,,, well give the man credit for advance preparation :).

[vwtdi]

Some of the stuff I've seen recently on ebay has started to worry me. If I was emailed the pictures shown by blessed collectibles and asked for my opinion as to whether the card looked good or not (without knowing the measurements, without handling the card....and I will admit some of the N173s looked off) I'd have trouble saying they looked bad. Just now, I ran into this one and had to say something. Where are these coming from? Is blessed collectibles making them all? Has anyone held one of these cards?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330395979909&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

edited to add...I apologize all, I thought I was in the other forum, my bad. Bottom line is its getting worse and worse in all areas of baseball collecting. Autographs have been a problem for a while, 20th century cards to a lesser degree, now rarer 19th century advertising pieces and cards :(

[RichardSimon]

Some of the stuff I've seen recently on ebay has started to worry me. If I was emailed the pictures shown by blessed collectibles and asked for my opinion as to whether the card looked good or not (without knowing the measurements, without handling the card....and I will admit some of the N173s looked off) I'd have trouble saying they looked bad. Just now, I ran into this one and had to say something. Where are these coming from? Is blessed collectibles making them all? Has anyone held one of these cards?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330395979909&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

edited to add...I apologize all, I thought I was in the other forum, my bad. Bottom line is its getting worse and worse in all areas of baseball collecting. Autographs have been a problem for a while, 20th century cards to a lesser degree, now rarer 19th century advertising pieces and cards :(


From the sellers advertisement on ebay:
"If this card was real it would sell in thousands."

Aside from his poor use of the English language why not just sprinkle fairy dust on the card and make it real?

[Rawlings]

I hate to bring up a bad topic, but there's another interesting take on these types of reproductions. Say they weren't signed at all, but just meant to be reproductions of that era of baseball, unsigned?

They look pretty good to me as knockoffs of old Reachballs. I am trying to collect official vintage baseballs, unsigned, and these could certainly fill some gaps in my collection that would be difficult to afford otherwise. Would that be wrong? They're using trademarks that I'm sure are still the property of some company, Spalding most likely. But that probably wouldn't be a problem is these were made privately in minimal amounts and not made available to the public?

So anyway, I have a great baseball display that's missing some early 1900s balls, and I want to get some reproductions to add to it. But I don't want to support something that others could use to take advantage of the hobby. You could probably resell those unsigned versions to an average collector and they'd never know the difference either, unfortunately.

I'm interested in reproductions like that - if and only if - there is a full-proof way to ensure people will always know they're reprints. Perhaps lazer engraving the sweetspot or some other permanent mark on a side panel?

In the end I'd prefer the real thing and would pay much more for the real thing if I could.

[henson1855]

The baseball itself is a sure giveaway,these balls are made on modern Rawlings balls,a far cry from a hundred year old Ban Johnson ball,It amazes me how people get all worked up,that 'Someone might pass these off as originals' are you kidding? If someone cannot tell the difference and is suckered then they need to find a new hobby or at the very least do some research.That being said these balls do display nice ,collect what you want to collect,if you need a filler so be it,my Plank,Waddell,Joss,and Keeler single signed balls he did for me look great,at least until I can buy the originals...I am not holding my breath.