Nice Article in SMR on Photo Collection of Board Member
 

The current SMR magazine (Oct 2014) has a nice write up on the photo collection of Forever Young here: Link. Beautiful photos!

Ben is a great member and collector, I feel honored to know him and I trust him fully!!

I read the article and it is informative and well done (despite the horrible Hat Ben is wearing :)! Well worth 10 minutes of your time to check it out!

Rhys

Yes, except for Ben the article was great :).... nice job Ben...

smr
 

great story about Ben with incredible photographs.
well done.

all the best,
barry

Congratulations. I should have asked for Ben's autograph at the National while I had the chance. Next time I see him he may be charging.

A GREAT profile of a GREAT dude.

I've known Benny for around five years now, and he's exhibited nothing but kindness to me in my own endeavors, and has been a great friend in the process. So, perhaps when I'm talking about him on a personal level, it's a bit biased. Especially since he lets me have my chicken fingers and Coke without giving me too much sh!t.

But in regards to the kind of enthusiasm he brings to his corner of the hobby, I think anyone who knows him can say without hesitation that he's one of the best ambassadors out there. He has a great collection of stuff that he's always refining and retuning, which I think is pretty evident by the article. I think that his passion for photography as art really comes through in the interview too, especially how the medium is able to transcend the world of collectibles and communicate much in the same way artifacts in museums do.

Maybe the best thing about having someone like him as a face for baseball photography (and though it was touched on in the article, but not entirely), is that he's incredibly kind and generous with his time and helpful to those who are new to collecting. Of course, we all know that he can be direct and isn't one to take any crap, but that's just who he is - deep down, there ain't a better dude. I'm sure this board is filled with people that have dealt with him in that manner and would agree.

Whether it was PSA doing article or someone else, I think it was a great piece about someone who's really an asset to the collecting community.

Graig

It's been quite some time since I last posted here, but I gave up collecting baseball memorabilia, and now I've put all of my emotion, passion, energy, and dough, into collecting Beatles photography & memorabilia only. :D

But I do browse, and when I saw this thread about Ben, I felt compelled to post. My sincere congratulations to you Ben, for putting together one of the most remarkable vintage original Baseball Photography collections extant!

I met the big guy the same way I met our mutual friend/genius Graig Kreindler... on ebay. I thought I was a passionate collector. Then I met Ben.:eek: As Graig pointed out, Ben has ruffled a few feathers along the way, (especially mine!) but so has many others. However, Ben is a man of strong convictions, and once you get past that armour, he's a loyal friend, and a down to earth guy, that cares deeply about what's important to him. He's been very supportive, positive, and uplifting of my spirits, (as have a couple other guys here :)) due to my medical issues, especially over the last year. But, that's the kind of person Ben is.

I felt the need to elaborate here as in the two days that Gary was kind enough to start it, (Hi Gary!) just a half of dozen people took the time to congratulate Ben on such a terrific honor. :confused: I guess being honest and straightforward isn't as admirable as I thought it was. I know for a fact that Ben has helped countless people here on the board, and in person at the Nationals for the last several years.

So, I want to say "thank you" for paying it forward, Ben. You took the handoff and broke new ground for this exciting sector of the hobby. And everyone that collects photos should be grateful for what you, and a few other fellas here, have done to advance the hobby. Well done big guy! And... North Dakota Football RULES!

I may have sold Ben a couple small items in the past, one thing that is so obvious here is that with the comments herein, someone obviously is admired and respected. Congrats on the great items and article Ben.

Great article on Ben!!
 

I finally had a moment to read this great article on Ben Weingarten, one of net54's good guy contributors.

I'd like to personally extend my congratulations to Ben for the amazing collection of vintage Type I photos that he has amassed. It's truly one of a kind!

Ben, just remember: "Watermarks" (inside joke). LOL :)
Good job, buddy!

Congrats, Ben! Very cool. Ben was super helpful to me when I bought some Babe Ruth photos at an estate sale. Great guy.
Rob

Nice collection!

All
 

I have not posted on here for awhile but am compelled to do so to thank the men who commented below.
thanks a lot Gary....:)

I am truly appreciative and humbled(yes it is possible) by your comments. Some of you are close friends, some of you I have done business with and some of you are collecting peers whom I have never spoken to before. I can say, however, all of you are classy gentlemen. A thread like this is very telling in many ways.

I would like to specifically thank Graig and Jimmy for your thoughtful comments. I respect you both very much and am lucky to have you as dear friends. Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to comment. I particularly appreciated your candidness. You're both spot on in that I do not take a lot of crap/nonsense:)
I am certainly better at telling people where to go when they are out of line than I am taking compliments.... no doubt.

Therefore, I will make this brief and get back to fighting for Truth, Justice and the Weingarten way.
That was a joke...... kind of.

It is always nice to see others appreciate things you have worked hard for/building. Thanks again to each and every one of you who have either commented publicly or privately.

As always, I am willing to help(provide advice) anyone who truly needs it. I love discussing original photography with passionate collectors as well as neophytes. I hope the article was useful for both of these groups or at least provided some needed reading material on the potty. Take care and happy collecting.

Peace and Love, Peace and love

Sincerely,

Ben Weingarten

PS:

1) HYEE AUCTION up and running with some great images
2) RMY AUCTION coming up soon too.. so pinch your pennies.
3) DAVID CYCLEBACK-I don't sign autographs. Perhaps you could settle for a hand print? :p

Ben, great insight into your thoughts about photo-collecting, and a great showcase of your collection!

Thanks for being a huge part of this hobby.

A little late to the party, but Congrats Ben!
It's a very nice article about the incredible collection you've built and the drive, focus, and passion that you have that has enabled you to build it.
You should post more. It's always great to have knowledgeable people like yourself here to share that information as well as the enthusiasm.

Best,
Mark

Thank you Scott and Mark.

Mark, I do lurk still and will certainly post if I feel compelled to do so.

I figured since I was warmed up, I would share some knowledge for the greater good.

I have spoken about FAKE stamps created to deceive many times. Well, below is a known Conlon forgery stamp. I do not want people getting taken... stay away is my tip of the day.

Ben

PS: Nice watermark Mark. See Scott G? I am not the only one now:)

Ben,
Thanks for your input on the watermark.:D Is Scott G going to come after me now?? :p

That fake Conlon stamp type of crap is exactly why I started to watermark, including the backs. I don't want someone copying a picture or a stamp to try a reproduce it to fool some one.

Jimmy,
Been a long time man. You should post some of Beatles beauties you've been collecting. You can never see enough of the Fab Four.

Best,
Mark

I would not read too much negative into this. It's the internet and there are plenty of non-malicious reasons why communication might not go as expected. Many times I have been astounded when my friends here did not support me for whatever reason, but I have learned that often they either didn't notice the thread, were taking their time so that they could post something more useful, etc, etc.

In the photo section, more than any other, hobby friends tend to communicate by phone or email. There tends to be a lot of useless 'noise' and angst in this sub-forum.

...and...Very good to see you again Jimmy!

waterwark
 

Mark,

As you know when we spoke ealier this year, I started the watermark because:

A) Was tired of people copying my images and selling on teh bay(potentially selling as originals(worst case).

B) To attract people to my website so I could buy more. That is why I ended up simply using my website as my watermark.


If someone wants to make a fake stamp, they are going to do it. Showing the back of your photos will not affect this imo. But I guess you never know. Then again, I do don't make a habit of showing the backs anyway.

Nice job Benny !!!

It's been fun watching you acquire some of these great photos. Keep 'em coming.

I agree Scott. It is not a reflection on anyone, or anything, if a thread doesn't get the audience we think it should. What I find a bit ironic is that Jimmy (hi Jimmy) who is a great guy too, is lamenting about the lack of posts when that is his first post in 2 years. It's just the internet I guess....

Wow. This turned into something special:)

If anyone would like to talk photos(network) and are on fb, come on over. I will be happy to entertain and answer any questions people might have.
https://m.facebook.com/WeingartensVintage?ref=bookmark

Ps:I am very pleased with the positive responses I have received. This, however, is exactly why I was hoping that it would not be posted here. Thanks again Gary :) ha!

I will close with a couple pickups which are also posted on the facebook page above.

1) Henry Yee Auction Winning

A SUPERB TYPE 1 photo of Babe Ruth on deck starring down the pitcher ready to release hell on the ball. It is during the Yankees 1928 championship year.

Besides being a stunning image, what makes this particular photo most interesting is the bat boy Eddie Bennett kneeling behind his close friend like a loyal bird dog.

Eddie Bennett had a very hard life and died tragically. Considered a dwarf(caused by an injury as a baby), Bennett was considered a good luck charm as many of you know.

2) SEPTEMBER PICKUP

...from a fellow board member to add to my Rookie Babe Ruth TYPE 1 photo collection. It was one of the many great experiences/transactions I have had on the board. Thanks Phil Garry!

I am off to catch a flight..peace out dudes!

Mark, I just noticed your comment above. You and others need to understand that the guy who created/used this stamp, did not do it primarily to make laser copies of photos appear to be originals. He put it on the back of REAL TYPE I CONLON prints that did not have Conlon identification marks on them, to raise the value when he attempted to sell them to people who are focused on backstamps and not on actual images. I am always looking for Conlon prints, and if I had ever seen the stamp on the back of a forgery, it would have rang a bell. Honestly, I've only seen this backstamp on two photos out of all the Conlons I've seen, and both were mounted exactly like mine (the other looks good as well).

So I have a beautiful, real, Type I Conlon print that has this stamp on the back of it.

Just wanted to clear that up, as it resulted in me having to send a print back to a customer who was concerned (at first) that it was a forgery because of Ben's "stay away" comment, and then later, that it was not a photo by Conlon, which is dumbfounding to me, but no matter.

Until Ben posted about this backstamp, I had no idea that it was a bogus stamp.

Okay, carry on.

Scott,

My "stay away" comment was regarding the stamp I posted. I have not seen your photo in person nor did I know it was the one your customer was referring to.
The bad stamp was most likely applied to NON-TYPE 1 examples to pass as original Conlons. HOWEVER, I also explained that it is very possible "the stamper" would/could have stamped original copies as well not knowing any better and to raise the value.
I have no idea if yours is original as I have not seen it but it does have many signs pointing to being original based on scans/other example scans/what you told me.
I thought this was all addressed in another thread and put to bed but I guess not. I am sorry this caused you issues with your sale.. it was not intended obviously. I just wanted to make collectors aware of a bad stamp floating around as I do not want people to get taken. The last thing a growing hobby needs is for new buyers(anyone for that matter) to get burned.
If you have any other concerns on this topic, feel free to call or email me.

Thanks

Ben


Ben

Ben, I personally don't have any concerns at all about it. I was just clarifying Mark's comment and the assumptions that were made by my customer as a result of your comment. I have to disagree about the stamp being "most likely applied to NON TYPE I" photos, as I've never seen an example like that. It makes no sense to me that the 'applier' would put the stamp on Type I's with the bogus prints floating around in larger numbers - it would kill the value of his real Conlon Type I prints, which he was also stamping. No brain-surgeon, this guy.

As an aside, I received my mounted Conlon from my customer today, and peeling back the print just a little, I can see pencilled writing on the back (can't read it). Not sure if I'll attempt to remove it completely, but I'm tempted. Probably will see a PSA reject stamp on the back.

I've said this at least two times here, but I'm totally understanding that you didn't say my print was not a type I. Perception is important, and my customer had a perception that was incorrect - that's all.

Ok Scott. Everything g I have said is factual and true. You didn't know it was a fake stamp and now you do. Therefore, I will assume that is more valuable to you than getting a photo returned that you are happy to receive back.
As far as fake stamps being applied to non type 1s and not understanding that: I am not sure what else to tell you other than it makes the most sense. A stamp is applied to something worth next to nothing in order to make it worth substantially more/something. There have been many more of these than the two examples shown in these threads. They are the majority.
Again... If you are still unclear, give me a call.
Ps: remove the photo!! I wanna see:)

.......

There is this one. http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...toryid=167612#

I personally refrained from bidding due to the concerns about this stamp.

I don't think the stamp is the only thing wrong with that one!

I have no special insight into this Conlon stamp issue, but I briefly looked at Scott's photo in question, amongst his stack of photos as he showed them to me numerous months ago, and it appeared to be vintage original from what I saw. Whether or not it's a Conlon image I have no opinion as that's not something I've looked into or considered.

David,

I think Rhys meant the link Phil provided. That said, I think several of us are in agreement that Scott's photo is or probably real. I cannot say as I have not seen it(excited to see the back if he removes). My guess would be real as I stated before based on Scott's opinion, size, look of it, comparable example ect..

This bad stamp has been applied to hundreds(at least/probably more) of photos.
I believe the "forger" probably separated photos thought would pass for a Conlon to the non-expert and went stamp crazy to make as much money as possible quickly.

In doing this, the "forger" most likely selected some that were original conlons that didn't have conlon markings, original images that were not conlons(conlon looking), and restrikes of both said.

I knew this was happening a log time ago and brought light of it on the board but there seemed to be a push back. Now it appears to be different. Below is the thread as well as more examples I believe are not original, type 1 Conlon photos with the bad stamp(some with forged conlon writing and sig). There are a ton more that can be viewed just by looking at past auctions. I quickly just picked a handful(some I know are fake and some I suspect by scanned evidence).

I do realize that it seems backward to first start with the stamp to some people(me too). But in this case, if you see a photo with this stamp(particularly if all you have to go by is an online stamp) at least question it first and try to prove it is good second.


Here is the thread from awhile back regarding Fake stamps, handwriting and Conlon sigs.



http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...+conlon+stamps



Other examples of bad stamps:


http://sports.mearsonlineauctions.co...-lot34587.aspx


http://sports.mearsonlineauctions.co...-LOT34603.aspx


http://sports.mearsonlineauctions.co...-LOT34557.aspx


http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...entoryid=97880


http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...entoryid=97883

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-SAM..._qi=RTM1562569

*I also have heard that Mears made good on bad Conlons returned(WELL DONE) and I think Legendary might have in the past as well(but not sure-just thought I heard that).

As a new collector of photos, I was wondering what were the giveaways other than it not being a photo of the correct vintage? I checked real conlon stamps and the ones I saw didn't have the rectangle around the outside. Are there legit stamps with the rectangle that are the same color? Excuse my ignorance. Also are there any other photographers being forged? Thanks.

Dennis, a photo expert or seasoned collector doesn't look just at the stamp to determine the originality and age of a photo. Photos with no stamps or marks can be identified as Type Is due to their physical qualities. Many original photos have no stamps.

DING DING DING... However... stamps are/can be one of the smoking guns.

PLEASE SEE THE THREAD BELOW REGARDING FAKE CONLON STAMPS GOING FORWARD. I want to post on here so everyone will be directed to it.:)
Thanks again for all the comments and questions.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=194436

Moved to other thread.