Andy, I don't think you are being thick-headed and argumentative, but I don't think you get Ben's point. I'm saying that because you keep focusing on his comments about aesthetics, and aesthetics are always simply opinion whereas collectible value is not.
Forgive me if this example is lame, but it's the best I can do on three cups of coffee: Let's say two new collectors got into a bidding war and one of them wins an aesthetically-pleasing photo for $2,000. Later, this collector has to sell his photos, and at auction gets $300 - the value that more experienced collectors felt it was worth all along, and the reason why they dropped out of the bidding at $300. What if he originally bid on the item because of a respected AH's description of its collectible merits, and the descriptions were misleading?
The above is starting to happen, but it's not happening to Ben. I think he's simply trying to help it not happen to you either.
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