I have to ask....Legendary photos last night...
 

What did you guys think about the prices of the photos last night in Legendary?

The ones I won went for a great price. I didn't spend much, due to their current status as an auction house. If I felt more comfortable with them I would have bid more.

That group lot of Jackie Robinson photos from the George Michael collection went dirt cheap. Some great images there...

I was very tempted to buy, just for the break value (and to keep maybe 2 - 3 good ones). Someone really got a steal... $275 + the BP for 11 Jackie Robinson originals. I'm sure there were other bargains (given Legendary's status and uncertainty) but that one really stood out.

Ugghhh....somehow I missed that lot :(

I bought a lot of Robinson sliding photos the last time the Michael stuff was auctioned, for the same reason you mentioned. Kept a fabulous sliding photo and will eventually part with the rest.

The Legendary overhang is having an impact on pricing. That said, some but certainly not all, of the very best photos sold for almost what they should have.

I missed out and forgot to bid on the 1962 image of Clemente which I felt was one of the most attractive photos I have seen of him. It went for 150.00 and I had planned to bid 300.00. Oh well every tragedy in life should be so small:rolleyes:

I wasn't prepared to bid much, but even so I won two nice lots for what I considered peanuts.

Won a nice Koufax lot for the minimum.

I feel so dirty...

I think the prices were all over the place but generally about average for what was offered. Many of the Gehrig photos did well, the 1897 Red photo did well (I predicted 15,000 and it sold for $22,000), but there were bargain lots as with any large offering of news photos. I think the original card photos were undervalued, but that may be a product of the hobby and that they were offered all at once, not the auction house. I thought those were cool.

Overall I though the selection was below average for a big auction house. That some of the lots started at less than $100 min bids says it all. A $50 min bid may be a lot for eBay, but is as low as it gets for a major auction house.

If someone says they got a news photo or group lot at a bargain price, I won't doubt them. If someone says he picked up the Jim Rice group lot at $5 per photo and thinks he can resell them individually on eBay for profit, he may be correct.

To be honest, that's the way auctions went before shilling. Some lots went for good money, some spot on and there were bargains to be had for the keen eye. Even with the big auction houses, in the old days you could find bargains, often group lots and grab bags. When shilling became all the rage, everything across the board went high and there were almost no bargains. This auction is a representative of how real auctions are supposed to look. The popping of a real estate bubble doesn't mean the prices are suppressed, but the prices return to reality.

The best thing a collector of anything can do is to sell, if just occasionally, so he has an idea of what things really sell for. Put up a few items on eBay here and there, now and then, to see what they go for. Consign a few items and sees what you get. Watch how, even when it averages out fine, one item sells for more than you expected while another sells for less. Selling keeps a collector in touch with reality. It also allows him to identify the overpriced and highly suspect, but also what are genuine bargains.

A famous high end art dealer once said in an interview "If you want to become an art dealer, first buy an expensive painting and try to resell it." He was implying that most would learn they should go into a different occupation.

I saw some pretty good deals overall last night, in terms of autographs at least. Not sure about photos haha.

True True, So True!

This iS Some of the Best Wisdom that One Could Offer Any One who iS becoming a Collector iN Any Area!

I'm pretty sure that a lot of uS have gone through this faze...
I do know that when I read this, You described Exactly what I went thru! And I'd like to add... w/o even being aware that I was doing it.
I'm Not at All boasting... It's just that when I read what David had written a my Mind Lite uP... And I've Noticed, Remembering that my specific areas of interests took form and helped me Not to be "So All Over the Place"!

This process has helped me to know when & how to sell an item or items., ie... weather iN a Group or as a singles. Weather or not to use an AH or sell it on the BST or even eBay.

Very Encouraging... to Say the Least! "Thank You David".

If the consignor of lot #472, which didn't sell, is willing to let them go for somewhat less than the minimum bid, please contact me at ekehl333@aol.com. This lot consisted of 2 photos of 1924 Wash. Senators infielders and outfielders.
Val