Quote:
Originally Posted by dgo71
I'm sorry if this is off topic, but I've never really participated in auctions from the larger houses and I am wondering, point blank, who can you trust? I know Coaches Corner is downright laughable (how they are allowed to even continue operating is beyond me) and I see many auctions reviews in SCD for Heritage, Kevin Savage, etc. In fact I just read an article on this '27 Yanks ball and the story was it was part of Earle Combs' personal collection and there was some provenance with it to that effect. However, if something like this Yanks ball is questioned by people whose opinions I trust immensely, it makes me wonder what type of work the auction houses are doing to prevent themselves from selling forgeries. Are there any auction houses that are unquestionably trustworthy?
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The argument often made here, which is a right and righteous one, is that these third party authenticators are letting auction houses do less and less in terms of determining authenticity on their own. TPAs are here to stay, but a respectable house should be willing and able to give its own opinion first and foremost. Leland's is one house that gets love around here for doing their own work and not relying on others. Heritage clearly wants big dollar items to push, and a TPA cert let's them do exactly that without worrying about the item itself. That is, until someone points out that an item is demonstrably fake (the proof for which is not very often available).